Baltimore Men Exiled to 10 Years in Prison on Drug Charges

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Blake Betters, age 23, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

On March 19, 2013, Judge Bredar sentenced co-defendant Brandon Harris, age 22, also of Baltimore, to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release on the same charge.

The sentences were 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 Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to their plea agreements, in May 2012, Betters, Harris and a co-conspirator, were introduced to an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agent who proposed robbing a large scale drug trafficker of multiple kilograms of narcotics. Betters, Harris and their co-conspirator agreed to commit the robbery and to resell the stolen narcotics to customers in the Baltimore area.

On June 14, 2012, Betters, Harris and four co-conspirators met with the undercover agent to make their final preparations to commit the robbery. Betters, Harris and their co-conspirators were armed, and they all expected the weapons to be used to commit the robbery. After confirming that they were ready to rob the stash house, Betters, Harris and their co-conspirators followed the agent to a location in Baltimore where they believed they would be given the location of the robbery. As the arrest team approached, Betters and Harris fled, but were quickly apprehended and arrested.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Clinton J. Fuchs and John W. Sippel, Jr., who prosecuted the case.