Father and Son Facing Expanded Charges for Robbing and Murdering a 23-Year- Old Marijuana Dealer; Father Further Charged with Conspiracy to Destroy Evidence Related to These Crimes

 The Defendants Allegedly Murdered Victim 1 and Profited from His Death by Selling the Victim’s Controlled Substances

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned a second superseding indictment charging Scott Anthony Williams, age 45, of Laurel, Maryland and Taeyan Raymond Williams, age 26, of Morgantown, West Virginia with various federal charges arising out of the robbery, extortion, and kidnapping resulting in death of Victim 1, as well as related drug trafficking and firearms charges.  Scott Williams is further charged with conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence related to these crimes.

The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

According to the nine-count indictment, from approximately October 2017 until Victim 1’s murder on April 6, 2018, Scott Williams, and his son, Taeyan Williams, allegedly participated in the exchange and sale of marijuana and cocaine. Victim 1 allegedly sold and distributed marijuana and marijuana products to the defendants, which the defendants then allegedly sold to other distributors and drug customers. Victim 1 also allegedly purchased and received cocaine from the defendants and sold that cocaine to other distributors. 

As alleged in the indictment, in April 2018, Victim 1 planned to meet the defendants to discuss a debt that the defendants owed to Victim 1, and to provide the defendants with marijuana and marijuana products.

On April 5, 2018, and April 6, 2018, Victim 1 retrieved controlled substances from his storage unit in Jessup, Maryland and stayed at a short-term rental property in Baltimore, Maryland.

On the afternoon of April 6, Victim 1 traveled from Baltimore to Laurel, Maryland, where Scott Williams had a home.  Location data reflects that at 1:32 p.m., Victim 1 was approximately 1.5 miles from the defendants’ residence.

On April 6, 2018, at approximately 1:52 p.m., Victim 1 saved a note to his email account in which it is alleged Victim-1 maintained a ledger and accounting of controlled substances that Victim 1 sold to Taeyan Williams and monies paid or owed from him.

As alleged in the indictment, Scott and Taeyan Williams thereafter kidnapped, robbed, extorted and murdered Victim 1 and disposed of Victim 1’s body.  In particular, the indictment alleges that the defendants took by force and the threat of force Victim-1’s marijuana and marijuana products, Victim-1’s PIN number for the Jessup storage unit, Victim-1’s rental vehicle, and the marijuana, marijuana products, cash and other property stored in Victim-1’s storage unit.

Specifically, the indictment alleges that on April 7, 2018, Scott Williams and other conspirators drove Victim 1’s vehicle to a Baltimore parking lot where they parked the vehicle, wiped it down with a rag, and then entered Scott Williams’s car before driving away. As stated in the indictment, Victim 1’s DNA and blood were later recovered from the rear bumper, lift gate, passenger side door frame, and trunk carpeting of Victim 1’s abandoned vehicle.

The indictment further alleges that between April 6, 2018 and June 6, 2018, the defendants hid Victim-1’s narcotics throughout their home. When searched on June 6, 2018, the home contained large quantities of marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine as well as four firearms: a 9mm handgun, 7.62 caliber-rifle, .38 caliber handgun, and .25 caliber handgun. 

The last count of the indictment alleges that between June 6, 2018 and his initial appearance on federal charges in January 2019, Scott Williams sought to conceal and destroy evidence related to the ongoing investigation including by asking a conspirator to “wipe” his electronic storage account and phone.   

If convicted, Scott and Tayean Williams face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison or death for kidnapping resulting in death; a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery and extortion and interference with interstate commerce by robbery and extortion; a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; and, a mandatory minimum of 7 years in federal prison for the possession, use, and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and a drug trafficking crime. In addition, Scott Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment for possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; a mandatory consecutive sentence of 5 years imprisonment for possession and use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and a maximum of 20 years imprisonment for conspiracy to conceal and destroy evidence. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  Both defendants have been detained pending trial, which is set to begin March 7, 2022.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the DEA, HSI, and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau, Dana J. Brusca, and Dwight J. Draughon who are prosecuting the federal case.