Final Defendant in Baltimore Heroin and Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison

Defendants Sentenced to Between 18 Months and Over 14 Years in Federal Prison; Law Enforcement Recovered Guns and Enough Fentanyl to Kill Over 350,000 People

Baltimore, Maryland –U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Davien Major Ewing, a/k/a Fat Boy, age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin. His three co-conspirators were previously sentenced to between 18 and 174 months in federal prison.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.

“This case has taken four drug dealers off the streets of Baltimore, cut off a pipeline of heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs, and removed three guns from the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.  “Drug traffickers are on notice that dealing in fentanyl and using a gun increases their odds of federal prosecution. Working together with our local, state, and federal partners, we are determined to reduce the number of opioid overdose deaths in Maryland.”

According to his guilty plea, in June 2017, law enforcement began an investigation targeting Eric Brandon McKnight, a/k/a E, who was distributing large quantities of heroin and suppling heroin to multiple individuals in Baltimore.  During the investigation, Ewing was identified as one of the individuals who assisted McKnight.  Law enforcement overheard conversations between McKnight and Ewing discussing narcotics transactions, including the prices for street-level distribution of narcotics.

As detailed in court documents, search warrants were executed on February 26, 2018 at locations that were identified as stash locations for the conspiracy.  Law enforcement recovered 704 grams of fentanyl, 48 grams of heroin, 24.95 grams of crack cocaine, more than 2.5 kilograms of marijuana, three firearms, drug packaging and processing materials, cutting agents, and cellular telephones.

Eric McKnight, age 35, of Baltimore pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 174 months in federal prison.  Co-defendants Jamal Dunn, a/k/a Greenie, age 32, and Michael Lambirth, a/k/a Big Mike, age 29, both of Baltimore, each pleaded guilty to the heroin distribution conspiracy and Dunn also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.  Dunn was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and Lambirth was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the DEA, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samika N. Boyd and Michael C. Hanlon, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.