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AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885  

June 16, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/md                                       

BALTIMORE TEACHER SENTENCED TO 84 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE CRACK COCAINE

BALTIMORE, Maryland - Martius Harding, age 28, of Baltimore, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of crack cocaine, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett also ordered Harding to pay a fine of $10,000.

According to the statement of facts presented to the court on August 3, 2005 at his guilty plea, from November 2003 until February 2005, Harding conspired with a number of other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base. Harding received kilogram quantities of cocaine hydrochloride (powder cocaine) on a nearly weekly basis from a source in New York. Harding would then either convert the powder cocaine into cocaine base (crack) or have another co-conspirator convert the drug. Harding would then distribute either the crack or powder cocaine to various customers in multi-ounce quantities. These customers would then take either the cocaine base or the powder cocaine and sell it in various locations in and around Baltimore City including, but not limited to, locations in the North Avenue area of west Baltimore.

According to information presented in court, Harding is a teacher with the Baltimore City school system. He was arrested on February 15, 2005 after a traffic stop on I-95 in Cecil County after police found 2.3 kilos of cocaine in his car.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Baltimore City Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Maryland State Police for their investigative work in this case. Mr. Rosenstein also praised Assistant United States Attorney James Wallner, who prosecuted the case.

This page last modified—June 16, 2006