FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
MARCH 30, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CECIL COUNTY DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON
Purchased and Distributed 15 to 50 Kilograms of Cocaine
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Larry Douglas Brown, age 45, of Strausburg, Pennsylvania today to 25 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
According to his November 9, 2006 guilty plea, between January 2004 and April 27, 2006, Brown, Nigel Baptiste, Lemonte Brown, and Tylon Estep conspired to distribute crack cocaine and powder cocaine in the Winding Brook community in Elkton and in other areas of Cecil County. Recorded conversations between Brown and his co-conspirators show Brown arranging for the purchase, delivery, distribution or payment for 15 to 50 kilograms of cocaine and 1.5 kilograms or more of crack cocaine during the course of the conspiracy.
For example, on November 18, 2005, Brown purchased four kilos of cocaine from Baptiste and was overheard telling customers that he had cocaine available for $23,000 per kilo. On November 19, 2005 Brown distributed one of these kilos of cocaine to Lemonte Brown. On December 7, 2005, Brown ordered two kilos of cocaine from Baptiste. On December 10, 2005, Brown sold Estep a kilo of cocaine for $22,000. On January 2, 2006, Brown purchased a kilo of cocaine from Baptiste. Brown subsequently offered to sell the kilo of cocaine to a customer for $23,000.
Nigel Baptiste, age 45, of New Castle, Delaware, was convicted on February 21, 2007 of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine and four counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Baptiste is facing a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment without parole at his sentencing on May 4, 2007. Tylon Gamal Estep, age 27; and Lemonte Michael Brown, age 29, both of Elkton, pleaded guilty to drug charges and are awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by the Cecil County Sheriff’s Department, the Maryland State Police, the Elkton Police Department and the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Purcell, Jr. and Philip S. Jackson, who are prosecuting the case.