Anne Arundel County Drug Dealer Sentenced To Over 17 Years In Prison

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Donwand Cuppatino Harmon, age 37, of Annapolis, Maryland, today to 210 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. Judge Hollander also ordered Harmon to forfeit $27,895 in cash, a 2010 Porsche Panamera, a 2008 Mercedes Benz CL550, and jewelry, including a Breitling wrist watch with a diamond face and band.

The sentence was 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; Annapolis Police Chief Michael A. Pristoop; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Kevin Davis; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; U.S. Marshal Johnny Hughes; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess.

“Heroin is a powerful drug that is affecting communities, destroying lives and tearing apart families,” said Anne Arundel County Police Chief Kevin Davis. “I am committed to collaborating with our law enforcement partners on a local, state and federal level in an effort to rid our neighborhoods of this drug and to take distributors off the streets and this case is an example of that.”

According to Harmon’s plea agreement, from at least August 2012 until August 2013, Donwand Harmon conspired with Damian Brown and others to distribute heroin in the Baltimore and Anne Arundel County, Maryland areas.

As part of the conspiracy, Harmon obtained and distributed bulk quantities of heroin to a number of individuals in the area. On five occasions from August 30, 2012 through October 18, 2012, investigators purchased a total of 49.8 grams of heroin directly from Harmon. On November 17, 2012, a confidential source contacted Harmon about another purchase of heroin. Harmon was not available but agreed to send an associate to complete the sale. At that meeting, the confidential source purchased approximately 10.2 grams of heroin from Damian Brown. On three occasions from December 12, 2012 through April 9, 2013, Harmon arranged for the confidential source to purchase an additional 42.1 grams of heroin directly from Damian Brown.

On June 13, 2013, agents tracked Mr. Harmon to a motel in Baltimore. There, agents saw a female previously associated with Mr. Harmon leaving the hotel. She drove slowly around the parking lot, looking at all the cars parked there, then pulled into a parking spot. Agents saw Harmon leaving the motel and ran after him, but Harmon got away. The woman got out of her car in a crouched position, and Agents saw her remove a black duffel bag from the rear driver’s side of the car and place the bag under the car next to hers. Agents retrieved the bag, which contained a black nylon holster, a box of ammunition, a black loaded magazine for a Glock handgun, and several digital scales that appeared to have residue on them.

Agents obtained a search warrant for Harmon’s room at the motel and recovered: a black men’s wallet with a Maryland identification for Donwand Harmon; a set of car keys for a Porsche driven by Harmon; $16,000 in cash; and three large bags containing approximately 1.7 kilograms of heroin.

On August 23, 2013, Deputy U.S. Marshals tracked Mr. Harmon to a residence in Suitland, Maryland, an arrested him as he left the home. A search incident to arrest revealed keys to the residence, $845 in cash, and a Washington, D.C. driver’s license in the name of Paul Simmons with Mr. Harmon’s picture. Members of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives then obtained and executed a search warrant at the residence. From the first floor of the home law enforcement recovered, among other things: $10,050 in cash, wrapped in foil, and approximately 205.5 grams of crack cocaine found in the freezer; one 20-ton shop press with kilogram and half-kilogram sized molds with cocaine and heroin residue, approximately 516 grams of heroin in the mold on the press, and two bags containing approximately 625.1 grams of heroin that was found in the dining room closet. On the second floor law enforcement recovered a loaded .45 caliber handgun, a .loaded .357 caliber handgun, and a loaded 5.56 caliber firearm, as well as additional ammunition for all three guns; over six kilograms of cocaine; seven cell phones; $1,000 in cash; men’s jewelry and watches; and tally sheets for suspected narcotics transactions.

Harmon admitted that during the conspiracy he was responsible for distributing at least 1 kilogram of heroin.

Damian Brown pleaded guilty to the same charge on February 3, 2014, and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2014 at 11:00 a.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Annapolis Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Baltimore Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark and Scott Lemmon who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.