'Enough Fentanyl To Kill More Than 200K People' 11 Alleged Narcotic Traffickers Facing Federal Indictment For Conspiracy & Drug Distribution
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The U.S. Attorney's Office of Maryland announced Tuesday that 11 alleged narcotics traffickers are facing a federal indictment for conspiracy, drug distribution and firearms charges.
The men reportedly supplied Baltimore drug dealers with fentanyl, crack cocaine, heroin and marijuana.
"All of these defendants are alleged to be significant players in the narcotics trade," Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner said. "Most of these defendants sold bulk quantities of illegal narcotics to other drug dealers."
The charges came as a result of a 16-month investigation by the Baltimore Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Strike Force. It's made up of law enforcement from several federal, state and local agencies who work under one roof.
"They're sharing intelligence and sharing information and they're making connections between cases they would not have made in the past," Lenzner said.
The indictment alleges that the men distributed the drugs directly to customers and in bulk to other drug traffickers who, in turn, distributed the drugs in Baltimore.
Officials said over the course of the investigation, they seized "enough fentanyl to kill more than 200,000 people," cocaine, $722,334 in cash, and illegal firearms. Investigators executed 55 search warrants.
According to the indictment, investigators seized $549,460 in cash on April 29 at Avalon Apartments in Little Italy.
Six of the men charged are from Baltimore, four are from Baltimore County and one man is from Washington, D.C.
- Rigby Dukes, 54, of Baltimore
- Kevin Fuller, 55, of Baltimore
- Jimmye Howard, 32, of Baltimore
- Thomas Jones, 52, of Baltimore
- Khyle Paige, 30, of Baltimore
- Fred Primus, 47, of DC
- Keith Smith, 39, of Gwynn Oak
- Phillip Washington, 53, of Windsor Mill
- Ronald White, 53, of Towson
- Eric Wilson, 50, of Owings Mills
The defendants face a mandatory minimum of 10 years or a maximum life sentence in prison for the conspiracy.
Each defendant also faces various further charges including possession with intent to distribute, firearm possession, and other related charges.
