Lancaster Man Sentenced For Running Armed Drug Organization

ALLENTOWN – Keith Martin Thompson, 33, of Lancaster, PA, was sentenced today to 270 months in prison in a drug conspiracy case.  Thompson, a/k/a “Keefer,” was the leader of a large-scale cocaine and crack cocaine distribution organization in Lancaster from between at least 2005 and his arrest in January of 2011 on local charges.  In addition to the prison term, Thompson must pay a fine of $2,400, a special assessment of $1,400, and complete 10 years of supervised release. 

Thompson was federally indicted on February 15, 2011 along with 11 co-defendants, also from Lancaster.  The drug organization run by Thompson would routinely purchase wholesale quantities of illegal drugs, including cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”) from suppliers in Philadelphia, New York, and elsewhere. They distributed the drugs to customers on the streets of Lancaster and Harrisburg, PA, and the areas surrounding those cities.  Thompson’s co-defendants sold the drugs for Thompson and also sold some of the drugs to their own customers.  At least three of the drug dealers routinely carried guns to protect their drugs and the money they made from selling the drugs.

Part of the drug organization’s business model included renting dozens of vehicles for members of the organization to use for travel to New York and Philadelphia to pick up multi-kilogram quantities of drugs.  Some of the drugs were stored at a residence in the 2000 block of Swarr Run Road, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Cocaine deals were also conducted in the parking lots of retail businesses, including a baby goods store, an apartment complex, and a bar in Lancaster.

Thompson pleaded guilty on April 6, 2013 to 12 counts including conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine, admitting that 20 kilograms of crack cocaine and 50 kilograms of cocaine were distributed in furtherance of the criminal activity jointly undertaken by him and his associates.  Thompson also pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of cocaine, five counts of distribution of cocaine base (“crack”), one count of distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”), one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (Reading), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Harrisburg), the Lancaster County Drug Task Force, the City of Lancaster Police Department, and the Manheim Township Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Miller.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525