Baltimore City Police Officer Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Heroin While on Duty

Provided Heroin to a Co-Conspirator on the Police Station Parking Lot

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Baltimore City Police officer Daniel Redd, age 41, of Baltimore, today to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin and for using a gun in a drug trafficking crime.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge Timothy P. Groh of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration-Washington Field Division; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein; and Acting Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Barksdale.

“Using a police officer’s badge and gun to commit crime is a particularly egregious threat to the community. This case highlights the fact that the law enforcement community will not tolerate crime, especially when committed by those sworn to oppose it,” said Timothy P. Groh, Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge. “It should serve as a warning that local, state, and federal agencies are working together to root out those that would hide behind a position of authority to break the law and bring them to justice.”

Acting Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Barksdale said, “I commend the Baltimore Police officers that initiated this investigation and our federal partners who worked so hard to help send a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated among the ranks of the Baltimore Police Department.”

According to Redd’s plea agreement, from January to June 30, 2011, Redd conspired with others to distribute between one and three kilograms of heroin.

Specifically, on March 2, 2011, Redd met with a co-conspirator to obtain 40 grams of heroin while on duty as a Baltimore Police officer. Redd was dressed in his full uniform and carried his service firearm. On March 6, 2011, Redd provided protection for another co-conspirator who was meeting with a heroin customer. Redd had provided the co-conspirator with heroin to sell to the customer. Redd carried a gun during the transaction and would have used it if necessary to protect the co-conspirator.

Finally, on March 31, 2011, on the parking lot of the Northwest District Police Station, Redd provided 200 grams of heroin to a co-conspirator while on duty, dressed in full uniform and carrying his service firearm.

Co-defendants Abdul Zakaria, age 38; Malik Jones, age 42; Dyrell Garrett, age 34; and Shanel Stallings, age 33, all previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the conspiracy. Zakaria and Jones were each sentenced to 48 months in prison; Garrett was sentenced to 37 months in prison; and Stallings was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI , DEA, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Peter M. Nothstein, James T. Wallner, and James G. Warwick, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty in the Robberies and Attempted Robberies of Baltimore Check-Cashing Stores, Liquor Store, and Bank

Stole More Than $32,000 in Three Robberies; Attempted Two More Robberies

BALTIMORE—Evan Foreman, age 34, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to robbery and using a gun in furtherance of a robbery in connection with five robberies or attempted robberies of two check cashing stores, a liquor store, and a bank.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge Timothy P. Groh of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Acting Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Barksdale; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, from prior to August 2010 to at least June 20, 2011, Evan Foreman conspired with his brothers, Michael and Brian Foreman; his neighbor Christopher Horton; and others to rob commercial establishments in the Baltimore area. The robbers scouted the location of the store or bank and borrowed a gun from a third party who would receive part of the stolen money.

Evan Foreman admitted that he and at least one other conspirator robbed One Stop Shop, a liquor store located at 4905 Frankford Avenue in Baltimore, on July 27, 2010, in which he used a handgun to steal $600; robbed Gold’s Check Cashing store located at 10 West 22nd Street in Baltimore, on October 27, 2010, in which he used a pistol to steal $21,684.61 in cash and checks; attempted to rob a PNC Bank branch located within the Giant supermarket at 9730 Groffs Mill Drive in Owings Mills, Maryland on December 27, 2010, at which Horton worked; attempted to rob an ACE check cashing store located at 200 North Highland Avenue in Baltimore, on January 21, 2011, in which he beat a woman before giving up his attempted robbery; and used a firearm to rob the same PNC Bank of $10,600 on February 14, 2011 while Horton was working at the bank.

Foreman faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for robbery and life in prison for possessing a gun in furtherance of a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for January 2, 2013.

Michael Foreman, age 45; Brian Foreman, age 39; and Christopher Horton, age 30, all of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the scheme. Brian Foreman was sentenced on September 7, 2012 to 51 months in prison. Michael Foreman and Christopher Horton are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin M. Block, who is prosecuting the case.

Two Leaders of Baltimore Drug Ring Exiled to 45 Years in Prison

Cocaine Supplied By Los Zetas Mexican Drug Cartel

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Wade Coats, age 47, of Baltimore, and Jose Cavazos, age 44, of Midlothian, Texas, today each to 45 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Coats was also sentenced for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration-Washington Field Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Timothy P. Groh of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein; and Acting Police Commissioner Anthony Barksdale of the Baltimore City Police Department.

“A substantial portion of the illegal drugs distributed in Maryland are imported from the Mexican border,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “This case demonstrates the international ties of a local drug dealer.”

According to evidence presented at the five-day jury trial, from 2005 to February 2010, Coats and his co-defendant James Bostic, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, received cocaine and marijuana from the Los Zetas Mexican Drug Cartel, which he and other conspirators distributed. From 2005 to April 28, 2009 Cavazos would receive 20-25 kilograms of cocaine from the cartel twice a month for delivery to Coats. Cavazos or his employees would drive the cocaine to Baltimore.

On April 27, 2009, law enforcement saw Coats and co-defendant Ronald Brown conduct what appeared to be a drug transaction. Brown had received approximately five to 10 kilograms of cocaine from Coats over the previous six months. Agents followed Coats to a Baltimore hotel where Coats removed several bags from his trunk, entered the hotel, and returned to his car shortly thereafter without the bags. Later that evening, law enforcement saw Coats exit a business located on North Duncan Street in Baltimore with bags that he placed in his trunk. Agents stopped Coats outside his car and Coats became nervous. After Coats denied visiting the hotel earlier that day, agents searched Coats and seized a gun and $7,000 in cash. Coats was arrested.

Agents executed a search warrant at Coats’ hotel room and found Cavazos inside. Agents seized several cell phones and a suitcase containing $275,000 in heat-sealed bricks of cash wrapped in aluminum foil from the hotel room. They arrested Cavazos and seized another suitcase containing $335,000 in heat-sealed bricks of cash from Cavazos’ car parked in the hotel’s garage.

Trial evidence established that Coats and Cavazos were both organizers and leaders of an extensive cocaine trafficking enterprise. Coats and Cavazos had multiple employees transporting drugs and money, and both defendants had other business partners and customers with whom they dealt. Coats and Cavazos were responsible for the distribution of between 1,500 kilograms of cocaine and 7,000 kilograms of marijuana.

Co-defendant James Bostic, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the drug distribution scheme and was sentenced to 210 months in prison. Co-defendant Ronald Brown, age 45, of Baltimore also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, FBI, Maryland State Police, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys James T. Wallner and Peter M. Nothstein, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Fourteenth Baltimore Police Officer Sentenced in Towing Extortion Scheme

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Baltimore Police officer Jaime Luis Lugo, age 36, of Aberdeen, Maryland, today to two years in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiring to commit and committing extortion under color of official right in connection with a scheme in which brothers Hernan Moreno and Edwin Mejia paid Lugo and over 50 other officers to arrange for their car repair company, Majestic, rather than a city-authorized company, to tow vehicles from accident scenes and make repairs. Judge Blake also ordered Lugo to pay restitution of $26,052.38 to the victim insurance companies and $6,000 to the Baltimore Police Department.

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 Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld, III.

According to his guilty plea, beginning in 2010, Moreno and Mejia agreed with Lugo that as a Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officer responding to accident scenes, Lugo would contact Moreno and Mejia for towing and repair services for vehicles even though Majestic was not an authorized tow company for the city of Baltimore. In exchange, Mejia or Moreno would pay Lugo $300 for each vehicle that arrived at Majestic. Lugo then began to refer vehicles on a regular basis to Moreno in exchange for payment, usually by contacting Moreno by cell phone.

Specifically, while on the scene of an accident, Lugo would contact Moreno and provide him with the details of the accident. Lugo would persuade accident victims to allow their cars to be towed or otherwise delivered to Majestic by telling the victims that Majestic could tow the car, provide repair services, help with the insurance claim, assist in getting a rental car, and waive the owner’s deductible. Lugo advised accident victims that they should not call their insurance company until after they spoke to Moreno or Mejia.

Lugo also understood that Moreno and Mejia would create additional damage to vehicles in order to increase the vehicle insurance claims, thereby increasing the net profit for Majestic as well as covering both the cash bribe payment to Lugo and the payment of the vehicle owner’s deductible. When referring vehicles from accident scenes, Lugo often discussed with Moreno whether a particular vehicle needed more damage. Lugo also falsified his police reports on several occasions in order to make it appear that the damage added to a vehicle by Majestic had been caused by an accident so that the insurance company would not question the repairs. Moreno paid Lugo $200 in cash in exchange for falsifying a police report.

From at least October 2010 to February 2011, Moreno and Mejia paid Lugo $6,000 in cash for vehicles that he had referred to Majestic. Those payments, plus the cost of the additional damages that Moreno and others inflicted upon accident vehicles in the form of insurance claims paid by the insurance companies, caused a total loss of between $120,000 to $200,000.

Hernan Alexis Moreno, age 32, of Rosedale; and Edwin Javier Mejia, age 29, of Middle River, previously pleaded guilty to the extortion conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on September 5, 2012. Fourteen police officers have pleaded guilty to the extortion conspiracy in federal court and one officer pleaded guilty in state court. One officer was convicted by a federal jury after a six-day trial. The last police officer to be sentenced in federal court in connection with the scheme is Kelvin Quade Manrich, age 43, of Middle River, Maryland, who is scheduled to be sentenced on August 3, 2012.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya N. Kelly and Kathleen O. Gavin, who prosecuted the case.

Pikesville Man Exiled to 20 Years in Prison on Armed Robbery and Drug Charges

Baltimore, Maryland — U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Brian Johnson, age 35, of Pikesville, Maryland, today to 20 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiring to commit six armed robberies of businesses totaling just over $1,280 and conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base (crack) and marijuana. Judge Bennett also found that Johnson is a career offender based on previous convictions for murder and drug distribution.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge Marino F. Vidoli of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Baltimore Field Division; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III of the Baltimore City Police Department; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein, and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

According to his plea agreement, Johnson conspired with others to commit six armed robberies totaling approximately $1,283 of the following businesses: approximately $623 from the McDonalds at 8227 Liberty Road, Baltimore County, on December 23, 2009; approximately $142 from the Burger King at 4400 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore City, on December 22, 2009; approximately $112 from the Dollar Tree store at 4400 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore City also on December 22, 2009; approximately $120 from the Wendy’s at 10109 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore County on December 18, 2009; approximately $140 from the same Dollar Tree store on December 28, 2009; and approximately $150 from the McDonald’s at 528 Cranbrook Road, Baltimore County on December 30, 2009.

Additionally, from 1996 to 2009, Johnson conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base (crack) and marijuana. At times, Johnson received one or more of these drugs for distribution inside prisons, and distributed or aided the distribution of these drugs on streets in Baltimore.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Baltimore County Police Department; Baltimore City Police Department; Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Robert R. Harding, who prosecuted the case.