Easton Drug Dealer Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison in Heroin Distribution Conspiracy

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Gary Barham, age 52, of Easton, Maryland, today to 11 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins; Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Washington County Sheriff Douglas W. Mullendore; and Hagerstown Police Chief Mark Holtzman.

According to his plea agreement, since early 2014, Barham conspired with Jeffrey Anderson and others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin. During the course of the conspiracy, Barham obtained bulk quantities of heroin from Jeffrey Anderson, which he then re-distributed in and around the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

During the investigation, law enforcement obtained a wiretap on phone lines used by Anderson. Barham was overheard by law enforcement on numerous calls discussing heroin sales with Anderson. For example, on April 2, 2014, law enforcement overheard Barham and Anderson discuss meeting at a restaurant in Bowie, Maryland, so that Barham could obtain a supply of heroin. Law enforcement then saw Barham and Anderson meet at the restaurant to conduct the drug transaction.

Over the course of the conspiracy, Barham distributed at least 100 grams of heroin.

Jeffrey Michael Anderson, age 35, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. Anderson and the Government have agreed that if the Court accepts his plea agreement, Anderson will be sentenced to 192 months in prison. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Anderson on January 30, 2015, at 3:00 p.m.

Co-defendants Rahdel Sharbaan, age 41, of Bronx, New York; Reginald Jones, age 26, of Bronx, New York; Shawn Christopher Malley, age 25, of Crofton, Maryland; Amanda Jo Palmer, age 32, of Hagerstown, Maryland; and William Ulysses Robinson, age 38, of Grasonville, Maryland, have all pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Judge Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Robinson on January 6, 2015, at 2:00 p.m.; for Malley on January 7, 2015, at 3:00 p.m.; for Sharbaan on January 8, 2015, at 3:00 p.m.; for Jones on January 9, 2015, at 11:00 a.m.; and for Palmer on January 21, 2015, at 3:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised HSI-Baltimore, DEA, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police, Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Hagerstown Police Department for their work in the investigation and recognized the Maryland Natural Resources Police, St. Michael’s Police Department, Easton Police Department, Ocean City Police Department and Talbot County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth S. Clark, who is prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.