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Drug Kingpin With 1,700+ Fentanyl Pills Gets Prison Time In Maryland
A Maryland man who ran a large-scale drug operation that funneled fentanyl through Southern Maryland will spend the next five decades behind bars.
John Thomas Hess, 33, of St. Inigoes, was sentenced to 85 years in prison, with 50 years of active incarceration, for the importation and distribution of fentanyl, St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling announced.
Hess led an extensive drug trafficking network, with investigators seizing over 1,700 fentanyl-laced pills.
Prosecutors made note that even two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, meaning the amount Hess possessed ha…
Fool Me Twice: Dealer Hit With Lengthy Sentence After Two Drug Busts In Maryland
An Elkton man with a history of drug distribution will spend nearly two decades behind bars after being caught with fentanyl and cocaine—twice, authorities said.
Nakia Pollard, 50, was sentenced to 19 years in prison on Friday, March 7, after pleading guilty to multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, according to the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Pollard’s troubles began in June 2022, when investigators with the Cecil County Drug Task Force raided a hotel room where he was staying. Inside, they found fentanyl, cocaine, cash, and drug paraphern…
Guns, Cocaine, High-Capacity Mags Seized From Suspected Dealer In Maryland: Sheriff
A Frederick man is facing a laundry list of charges after police say they caught him with drugs, loaded guns, and high-capacity magazines—some of it allegedly within a school zone.
Ezra Malik Smith, 24, was taken into custody on Tuesday, February 25, after a raid at a home in the 800 block of Motter Avenue, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office officials announced.
Deputies from the Narcotics Investigations Section, working alongside Frederick City Police, executed a search warrant as part of an ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession, they said.
During the bus…
Fentanyl, Cocaine Seized From Felon During Raid In Southern Maryland: Sheriff
A convicted felon is back behind bars after deputies in St. Mary’s County seized a stash of drugs, cash, and a loaded “ghost gun” during a major raid in Great Mills, authorities said.
Daiquan Malik Barnett, 28, of Great Mills, was arrested Wednesday, Feb. 26, after deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, along with federal agents executed search warrants at a residence in the 22000 block of Baja Lane and several vehicles.
Barnett, already banned from owning firearms due to previous felony convictions, now faces a slew of new charges after inves…
Dealer Rams Police Car, Buyer Caught With Drugs In Maryland, Police Say
A convicted felon is back behind bars after a botched drug deal in downtown Silver Spring ended with a police car getting rammed, a loaded stolen gun recovered, and felony charges stacked high, according to Montgomery County Police.
The chaos kicked off around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25, when plainclothes officers from the department's 3rd District spotted a suspected drug transaction during a proactive criminal enforcement operation.
When officers moved in, the suspected buyer was caught with marijuana, cocaine, and prescription pills—some of which they admitted buying from the dealer, po…
Dealer Busted With $100K+ Cash, Cocaine In Southern Maryland, Sheriff Says
A 65-year-old Lexington Park man is behind bars after deputies found nearly 100 grams of cocaine, a loaded shotgun, and more than $100,000 in cash during a drug investigation, authorities said.
James Allen Chase was arrested on Thursday, Feb. 6, following an ongoing investigation by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Vice Narcotics Unit, officials said.
Deputies initiated a traffic stop on Great Mills Road, where they executed a search warrant on Chase’s vehicle, uncovering over 10 individual bags of suspected cocaine, $400 in cash, and drug-related items.
Meanwhile, investigators from…
Drugs Worth Thousands Seized During Southern Maryland Bust, Sheriff Says
Detectives with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office seized thousands of dollars worth of drugs during a search of a Marbury home, leading to the arrest of a local man, authorities said.
On Thursday, Jan. 23, members of the Narcotics Enforcement Section served a search warrant at a residence on the 4000 block of Vineyard Place as part of an ongoing drug investigation.
During the search, detectives recovered more than $9,000 worth of cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, according to police.
The suspect, identified as 50-year-old Jeffrey McIlwain Sr., was arrested at the sce…
Gas Station Welfare Check Leads To Drug, Weapons Bust In Southern Maryland: State Police
A routine welfare check at a St. Mary's County gas station turned into a full-blown bust that ended with four arrests, suspected drugs, and even brass knuckles recovered, state police said.
On Sunday, Dec. 22, troopers were called to the Shell gas station in the 22100 block of Three Notch Road in Lexington Park, where there were reports of a driver - later identified as La Plata resident Melissa Anne Dudley - asleep at the wheel.
According to investigators, Dudley, 45, was initially placed under arrest for DUI, who noted that there was suspected cocaine and associated drug paraphernalia in …
Felon’s $30K Drug Stash Seized During Maryland Bust, Sheriff Says
Detectives in Charles County made a major breakthrough in their fight against drugs, seizing more than $30,000 worth of narcotics and a loaded handgun during a bust in Waldorf, authorities announced.
The operation unfolded earlier this month, when members of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Section executed a search warrant at a home in the 5000 block of Vane Court.
Inside, officers discovered cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs valued at over $30,000, along with a .357 magnum handgun, investigators said. The suspect, Adrian Carlos Farris, 35, …
Eastern Shore Drug Ring Crumbled: Cocaine, Fentanyl, And Firearms Seized: Maryland State Police
Nearly 40 people accused of running a large-scale drug-trafficking ring on Maryland’s Eastern Shore were indicted following a massive five-month investigation by local, state, and federal law enforcement, authorities announced.
The operation, led by Wicomico Narcotics—a collaboration between the Maryland State Police, Fruitland Police Department, Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration—dismantled a network accused of distributing cocaine, fentanyl, and other drugs across Wicomico, Dorchester, and Baltimore counties.
Search warrants executed in Augu…
'Significant' Southern Maryland Drug Seizure Nets $2M In Narcotics, Two Arrested, Sheriff Says
In the largest drug seizure in St. Mary’s County history, deputies uncovered over $2 million worth of narcotics during a massive operation targeting high-level drug trafficking in Southern Maryland, according to authorities.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office announced on Monday that detectives arrested Antwian Marquis Johnson, 38, and Shannon Marie Johnson, 37, both of Great Mills, during a raid on Dec. 5. following an undercover probe into drug trafficking.
Deputies executed search warrants at two residences in Great Mills and Hollywood, where they seized approximately 47 pounds…
Convict Caught With Cocaine, Paraphernalia During Bust At Maryland Home, Sheriff Says
Thousands of dollars worth of illegal drugs are off the streets, as are several weapons following a bust by the Charles County Sheriff's Office this week.
David Garnell Price, Jr., 41, of White Plains, was caught red-handed following the execution of a search warrant at his home on Tuesday, Sept. 17 in the 3300 block of Bushmill Place.
According to investigators from the sheriff's office, Price was located at the site of the bust in White Plains, and detectives seized over $3,000 worth of cocaine, drug distribution equipment, and two loaded handguns.
The arrest came following a length…
Felons Caught With Cache Of Weapons, Drugs During Yearlong Investigation In Maryland: Sheriff
Three felons are facing charges following an operation in Southern Maryland that led to the recovery of weapons, a massive amount of drugs, and cash, the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office announced on Friday.
A yearlong investigation into reported drug sales in the region led to the arrests of the trio, and the seizure of cocaine, weed, pills, and weapons.
Those charged:
John Kevin Fitzgerald Reed, 60, of Charlotte Hall;
James Nathaniel Reed, 77, of Mechanicsville;
Francis Lavern Reed, 55, of Mechanicsville.
All are facing multiple felony drug and firearm charges.
As a result of the …
More Than One Kilo Of Cocaine Recovered During Record-Breaking Maryland Seizure, Sheriff Says
The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office made its largest fentanyl seizure in history during an ongoing investigation into drug dealing in the region, officials said.
James William Blackiston III, 31, Jasmine Samaria Votra, 36, and Willis Matthews Brooks, 43, all of Great Mills, were all arrested after being busted with more than a kilogram of cocaine on Thursday night.
Shortly before 7:15 p.m. on Aug. 8, deputies conducted search and seizure warrants at two count residences, leading to the record-breaking fentanyl seizure.
According to the St. Mary's County Sherif's Office, during a search …
Maryland Deputies Make Three Makes Drug Busts In Six Hours, Sheriff Says
It was a busy six hours for members of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office overnight as they made three drug-related arrests during separate traffic stops, authorities announced.
The night began shortly after 10 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1, when deputies on patrol spotted a silver Jeep Cherokee speeding out of a residential parking lot in Lexington Park and blowing through a stop sign, ultimately leading to their first arrests.
During the subsequent traffic stop, driver James Henry Elam III, 42, and his passenger, Antonio Roberto Belen, 38, both of Lexington Park were found with cocaine, bu…
Kilo Of Coke, Thousands In Cash Seized From Maryland Motel Drug Dealer, Police Say
An Elkridge drug dealer operating out of a Howard County motel has been apprehended during a massive bust, police say.
Late on Thursday afternoon, the Howard County Police Department announced that Emil Watkins, 40, is facing a host of charges after being caught with cash and contraband.
According to investigators, tipsters advised the agency that Watkins was allegedly selling crack cocaine out of an Elkridge motel, leading to his arrest.
A search earlier this week led to the seizure of more than a kilogram of suspected cocaine, suspected fentanyl, thousands of dollars in cash, ammo, and o…
