Member of Cherry Hill Group ‘UDH” Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Crack Cocaine

Admitted Selling Drugs in Cherry Hill Since the Late 1990s

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III sentenced Demond Pinkney, a/k/a “Cal,” age 30, of Baltimore, today to 121 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possesses with the intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

According to his plea agreement, since the late 1990s Pinkney has been distributing powder cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin in the Cherry Hill area of Baltimore. Pinkney is a member of the UDH organization, which operates in the area of Cherry Hill known as “Up the Hill” or “Up da Hill.” UDH members and associates have been in disputes with members and associates of organizations known as “Coppin Court” and “Little Spelman,” that are involved in criminal activity in the part of Cherry Hill known as “Down the Hill.” UDH members and associates committed various crimes to include distribution of drugs, such as crack cocaine, heroin, cocaine and oxycodone. UDH members and associates used violence and intimidation to protect themselves, the organization, and their control of the drug trade in their part of Cherry Hill. Some of these acts of violence include the January 22, 2011 murder of Little Spelman member Harry Hicks; the August 28, 2011 murder of Little Spelman member Dewayne Jones; and the January 20, 2012 murder of Little Spelman leader Dominic Hope. Pinkney himself was shot on June 1, 2008, by persons from “Down the Hill,” leaving Pinkney paralyzed. Pinkney continued his association with UDH, renting a stash house in the UDH area and selling narcotics.

In the earlier part of Pinkney’s drug distribution years, he sold crack cocaine with a group of individuals associated with “Down the Hill.” Pinkney later became a member of the UDH group and as a teenager, sold crack and heroin for various UDH leaders. Pinkney was a right-hand man to a UDH drug supplier for a period of time and later worked for a UDH member who supplied Pinkney with crack cocaine and heroin. Throughout the course of Pinkney’s involvement in the UDH drug conspiracy, the conspirators distributed between three and 10 kilograms of heroin and at least 840 grams but less than 2.8 kilograms of crack cocaine.

In addition to distributing narcotics, Pinkney participated in two bank robberies with fellow UDH members. In each robbery, Pinkney wrote the demand note used by the robbers and shared in the proceeds of the robberies.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, and Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea L. Smith, Seema Mittal, and Patricia C. McLane, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.