FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
May 16, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEST VIRGINIA MAN EXILED TO 11 YEARS IN PRISON
IN HAGERSTOWN DRUG CONSPIRACY
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Aushante Trotman, age 39, of Inwood, West Virginia, on Friday, May 13, 2011, to 11 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocain. Judge Motz enhanced Trotman’s sentence upon finding that he is a career offender, based on two previous drug convictions.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division and Washington County Sheriff Doug Mullendore.
According to Trotman’s plea agreement, on February 18, 2010, Trotman and a co-conspirator drove them to a residence in Hagerstown to purchase cocaine and crack cocaine. Law enforcement were watching the home, having previously received information that a drug transaction was going to be conducted at that location. A woman came out of the home and gave two ounces each of powder and crack cocaine to Trotman and his co-conspirator in exchange for cash. After the car left the residence, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop. A K-9 conducted a drug detection scan on the vehicle and gave a positive alert for the presence of drugs. Trotman, his co-conspirator and the driver were removed from the vehicle, arrested and transported to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement recovered two ounces of powder cocaine on the floor of the police vehicle in which the driver had been transported and recovered two ounces of crack cocaine from the vehicle.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA and Washington County Sheriff’s Office for their work in this investigation and thanked Assistant United States Attorney Peter M. Nothstein, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.