FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
February 26, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE HEROIN DEALER SENTENCED TO
OVER 11 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Andrew Smithson, Jr. , age 34, of Baltimore, today to 140 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Judge Quarles enhanced Smithson’s sentence upon finding that he was a career criminal based on three previous convictions for drug and violent crime offenses.
According to his guilty plea, on February 5, 2008, law enforcement officers watching a building in the 700 block of Nottingham Road in Baltimore where suspected drug transactions were taking place, saw Andrew Smithson leave the apartment building, meet an individual in the parking lot and exchange something with that individual. Shortly after that, Smithson left in his van and drove to the 2300 block of Lauretta Avenue where he picked up another man. Smithson then drove the van to a secluded area and parked. Officers saw Smithson and the man looking intently at an object in the center console of the van. As the detectives approached the van, they saw Smithson drop a black bag he had been holding. After Smithson was removed from the van, officers recovered from the black bag: 180 grams of heroin, a digital scale with residue and thousands of dollars wrapped in rubber bands. Another bag containing thousands of dollars wrapped in rubber bands was recovered between the two front seats.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration and Baltimore City Police Department for their investigative work and commended Assistant United States Attorney Philip S. Jackson, who prosecuted the case.