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Washington County resident Thamar Smith, 48, of Hagerstown, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl following his arrest in 2019.
As part of the plea, Smith becomes the latest to admit to his role in supplying drugs to Tyler and Eddie Ware, known heroin and fentanyl dealers in Hagerstown, that were later sold throughout the region.
In March 2019, prosecutors received a tip from a storage facility customer in Hagerstown reporting a suspicious individual driving an SUV to a unit rented by Smith under a false name that was used for a suspected drug deal.
Further investigation determined that Smith used a fraudulent New York State driver’s license with his photo and the alias “Michael Silver” to obtain the unit.
Between March 20, 2019, and April 24, 2019, investigators continued daily surveillance at the storage facility, where they saw Smith open the storage unit to weigh and process suspected drugs for distribution, prosecutors said.
During that stretch, Smith visited the unit 39 times to obtain at least 250 grams of heroin and fentanyl.
The investigation determined that at least 30 separate times between April 8, 2019, and May 8, 2019, Smith visited Tyler Ware’s home, and he and both Wares contacted each other more than 700 times that month, according to officials.
In August 2019, a search warrant was executed at Smith’s Hagerstown residence and the storage unit.
During the execution of the warrant, prosecutors seized:
- 15.4 grams of heroin;
- 8.9 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin;
- Digital scales with a suspected heroin residue;
- Numerous small plastic baggies;
- A glass jar containing a suspected cutting agent.
Under the plea agreement, Smith is expected to be sentenced to 92 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release in October.
Tyler and Eddie Ware previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
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