Baltimore Man Exiled To 10 Years In Prison On Drug Offense

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Taji Hart, age 32, of Baltimore, today to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute heroin.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Gerido of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts.

According to his plea agreement, on July 27, 2012, after receiving information about a fight involving a man with a handgun who was driving a vehicle, police officers saw the vehicle in the 2200 block of West Fayette Street in Baltimore. The officers saw Hart drive the vehicle away. Officers stopped the vehicle in the 2100 block of West Saratoga Street and seized a loaded .40 caliber Glock handgun and a plastic bag with nine gel capsules containing heroin from the vehicle. Hart admits that he is a career offender. He has five previous drug convictions.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney=s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney H. Brandis Marsh, Jr., a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney assigned to Exile cases, who prosecuted the case.