Western Maryland Crack Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Benson E. Legg sentenced Dustin Charles Adams, age 22, of Cumberland, Maryland, today to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

The sentence was 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; and Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Cumberland Police Chief Charles H. Hinnant; Allegany County Sheriff Craig Robertson; Frostburg Police Chief William Evans; Frostburg University Chief of Police Cindy R. Smith; and Allegany County State’s Attorney Michael O. Twigg of the Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigations Unit (C3I); and Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler.

According to Adams’ guilty plea, in the spring of 2010, law enforcement began an investigation into Adams’ drug trafficking activities. Agents learned that Adams and two others had been arrested on April 6, 2010 in Baltimore in possession of a concealed knife and $23,910 in cash, bundled in $1,000 increments. Law enforcement intercepted telephone conversations between Adams and his customers and suppliers arranging drug transactions and deliveries. On December 22, 2010, search warrants were executed at several locations in the Cumberland, Maryland area, including the homes of Adams’ mother and sister. Calls were intercepted by law enforcement indicating that Adams was aware of the searches and knew that there was a warrant for his arrest. Adams fled the area and was subsequently arrested on January 14, 2011.

Adams admitted that he conspired to distribute more than a kilogram of crack cocaine.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI and C3I Narcotics for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Andrea L. Smith and Special Assistant United States Attorney Gerald A. A. Collins, a cross-designated Maryland Assistant Attorney General assigned to Exile cases, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.