Leader in Heroin Distribution Organization Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison and Supplier Sentenced to 17 Years

Drug Organization Operated in Baltimore City and Baltimore and Anne Arundel Counties; Processed and Sold Heroin Near a Charter School in Baltimore

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Christian Devlon Gettis a/k/a “Cutty Rock,” “C,” and “Chris,” age 39, of Baltimore, the leader of a heroin distribution organization, today to 16 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin.

Judge Motz sentenced co-defendant and heroin supplier Charles C. Guy, a/k/a “Captain,” “Beloved,” “B,” “Billy,” “Billy Guy,” “Gary Peterson,” and Damon Lamont Hackett,” age 43, of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, to 17 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Maryland-Delaware Division; Assistant Director in Charge James W. McJunkin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Washington Field Office; Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III; Major Michael Kundrat, Senior Commander of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police; Michael A. Pristoop, Chief of the Annapolis Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief James Teare, Sr.; Colonel Marcus Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration-Washington Field Division; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to their guilty pleas, as part of a long term investigation being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) into a heroin drug trafficking organization, calls were intercepted over Christian Gettis’ phone which revealed that he distributed significant quantities of heroin to others in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Gettis was assisted in his drug distribution by co-defendants Orlando Antoine Foote, Jr., Dorian Bess, and others.

Phone conversations between Gettis and Foote indicated that Foote distributed significant amounts of heroin in Annapolis and other areas of Anne Arundel County. Foote received the heroin directly from Gettis or through his subordinates and co-conspirators, then distributed the heroin to others. On numerous calls, Foote is heard discussing heroin transactions with co-conspirators, including the price and amount of heroin involved.

Several co-defendants were couriers between Gettis and Guy, who was Gettis’ source of supply of heroin. Co-defendant Recco F. Beaufort was one of the main conduits between Gettis and Guy.

For example, on June 18, 2010, law enforcement stopped a bus in which Bess was traveling and seized two and one-half kilograms of heroin, which Bess was attempting to deliver to Gettis. Later that day, Gettis called Bess. Bess told Gettis that she had been stopped by police who had seized a bag from her that contained nine duct taped packages of heroin. Bess also told Gettis that the police let her go and that she had the bus drop her off near “homeboy’s house,” a reference to co-defendant Recco F. Beaufort.

Based on a sequence of calls that occurred between Gettis, Guy, and Beaufort on July 14, 2010, it was revealed that Beaufort was delivering heroin to Gettis on behalf of Guy, and collecting money from Gettis to be delivered to Guy in New York via bus. In one intercepted call between Gettis and Beaufort, Beaufort asks Gettis to secure the money that Beaufort is to collect from Gettis to deliver to Guy so as to avoid any suspicion that Beaufort tampered with it.

Co-defendant Juan Johnson was overheard by law enforcement making arrangements to purchase heroin from Gettis, which Johnson then sold to his own customers. For example, on August 24, 2010, Johnson was overheard ordering 25 grams of heroin from Gettis and on September 23, 2010, Johnson was again overheard ordering 30 grams of heroin from Gettis. On both occasions, agents saw Johnson arriving at Gettis’ residence to pick up the drugs.

The drug trafficking organization also used a location that was less than 1,000 feet from a charter school in Baltimore City to process and distribute heroin. The investigation revealed that the conspirators distributed heroin in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County and a housing project in Annapolis. Gettis and Guy conspired with others to distribute between one and three kilograms of heroin.

To date, 12 defendants, including Orlando Antoine Foote, Jr., age 24, of Annapolis, Maryland, Recco Beaufort, age 52, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland, Dorian Grey Bess, a/k/a “D,” “D-Squared,” “Sis,” age 42, of the Bronx, New York, and Juan Johnson, age 35, of Annapolis, Maryland, have pleaded guilty to their participation in the drug trafficking conspiracy. Judge Motz previously sentenced Foote to 17 years in prison; Beaufort to 121 months in prison; Bess to 10 years in prison; and Johnson to 92 months in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and FBI agents in Baltimore, Annapolis, and Washington, D.C.; the Baltimore Police Department; MdTA Police; the Annapolis Police Department; the Anne Arundel County Police Department; the Maryland State Police; FBI agents in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania; the DEA; and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the arrest of the defendants, the searches and the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Ayn B. Ducao and Christopher J. Romano, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.