UPDATE: BALTIMORE, Md. – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow today sentenced Todd Rayshard Thomas, a/k/a “Little Man,” age 36, of Annapolis, Maryland to seven years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that operated in Anne Arundel and Calvert Counties.
Judge Chasanow previously sentenced the leader of the drug conspiracy, Watson Patrick Bruce, a/k/a “Tree,” age 36, of Millersville, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, plus a consecutive one year in prison for violating his supervised release on a previous federal conviction, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine, and related charges, all of which he committed while on supervised release for a previous federal felony drug conviction. Drug supplier Larry Michael Brown, age 62, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release for using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking conspiracy. Co-defendant Lawrence Michael Branch, age 34, of Odenton, Maryland, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, and for possession with the intent to distribute heroin.
The sentences were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Division; and Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans.
According to their plea agreements, in May 2018, the DEA began investigating Bruce for dealing large quantities of narcotics in Anne Arundel and Calvert counties. Branch and Thomas were identified during the investigation as assisting Bruce with the distribution of narcotics. Thomas, who was on probation at the time for a previous state narcotics conviction, also assisted in collecting the proceeds of the drug dealing. In November 2018, Brown was identified as a heroin supplier to Bruce.
The defendants were overheard on court-authorized wiretaps discussing, planning, and agreeing to engage in narcotics transactions. Bruce was overheard discussing with Thomas the quality of narcotics supplied by Brown to Bruce, as well as information about drugs seized by law enforcement during a traffic stop from a customer to whom Bruce had just sold drugs.
For example, on February 27, 2019, Brown contacted Bruce to check on the quality of two batches of narcotics that Brown had provided to Bruce the previous day. On March 12, 2019, Brown again reached out to Bruce to discuss the quality of drugs he’d provided to Bruce two days prior.
On March 15, 2019, law enforcement executed search warrants at the residences of the defendants. Law enforcement seized approximately 78 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl, approximately 69 grams of fentanyl, and $12,150 in cash from Bruce’s home and approximately $5,702 in cash, ½ gram of heroin, eight grams of fentanyl, and two grams of cocaine from Bruce’s person. Law enforcement seized a digital scale with heroin residue from Brown’s home. Brown also consented to a search of his vehicle, where investigators found an additional digital scale with heroin residue.
Upon entering Thomas’ residence to execute the search warrant, law enforcement found Thomas dumping heroin down the bathroom toilet and sink, and subsequently recovered $700 from the home. Meanwhile, Branch, fleeing in a vehicle from law enforcement, tossed small baggies containing heroin and fentanyl out of the window and dumped heroin and fentanyl out of the window.
Bruce admitted that he conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute at least 1.1 kilograms of heroin, 147 grams of fentanyl, 200 grams of powder cocaine and five grams of crack cocaine. It was reasonably foreseeable to Thomas that at least 300 grams of heroin; 40 grams of fentanyl; and 100 grams of powder cocaine would be distributed in furtherance of the conspiracy. Branch agreed that at least 100 grams of heroin was reasonably foreseeable to him during the course of the conspiracy and he possessed 40 grams of fentanyl/heroin mixture on the day of his arrest.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the DEA and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked the Anne Arundel and Prince George’s County Police Departments for their assistance. Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samika N. Boyd and Joseph R. Baldwin, who prosecuted the case.
BALTIMORE, Md. – Larry Michael Brown, age 62, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty on November 24, 2020, to three counts of using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking conspiracy. Three co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug conspiracy.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Field Division; and Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans.
According to his guilty plea, in November 2018, Brown was identified as a heroin supplier to Watson Patrick Bruce, a/k/a “Tree,” whom the DEA had been investigating for dealing large quantities of narcotics in Anne Arundel and Calvert counties. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement overheard phone conversations between Brown and Bruce discussing the quality of narcotics supplied by Brown to Bruce.
For example, on February 27, 2019, Brown contacted Bruce to check on the quality of two batches of narcotics that Brown had provided to Bruce the previous day. On March 1, 2019, Bruce contacted Brown to express his preference for a particular batch, based on customer feedback, which Brown and Bruce called interchangeably “classic” or “old school.” Brown agreed to sell Bruce his preferred batch of narcotics in whatever amount he requested. On March 12, 2019, Brown again reached out to Bruce to discuss the quality of drugs he’d provided to Bruce two days prior.
On March 15, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Brown’s residence and seized a digital scale with heroin residue. Brown also consented to a search of his vehicle, where investigators found an additional scale with heroin residue.
Bruce, age 36, of Millersville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and related charges. Bruce admitted that he committed these crimes while on supervised release for a previous federal felony drug conviction. On March 15, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Bruce’s residence and seized approximately 78 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl and 69 grams of fentanyl. If the Court accepts his plea, Bruce is expected to be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for the drug case, and a consecutive year in prison for violating his federal supervised release.
Co-defendants Lawrence Michael Branch, age 34, of Odenton, Maryland, and Todd Rayshard Thomas, a/k/a “Little Man,” age 36, of Annapolis, Maryland, were identified during the investigation as assisting Bruce with the distribution of narcotics. Thomas, who was on probation at the time for a previous state narcotics conviction, also assisted in collecting the proceeds of the drug dealing. On March 15, 2019, Thomas dumped heroin down the bathroom toilet and sink as investigators executed a search warrant at his residence. Meanwhile, Branch, fleeing in a vehicle from law enforcement, tossed small baggies containing heroin and fentanyl out of the window and dumped heroin and fentanyl out of the window. Both pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug conspiracy. Branch was sentenced to five years in federal prison. If the Court accepts his plea, Thomas is expected to be sentenced to seven years in federal prison.
Brown faces a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison for each of the three counts. 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. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for Bruce and Brown on January 21, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively. Judge Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for Thomas on February 18, 2021, at 11:30 a.m.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked the Anne Arundel and Prince George’s County Police Departments for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samika N. Boyd and Joseph R. Baldwin, who are prosecuting the case.