FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTAUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885

MAY 30, 2007

BALTIMORE CRACK DEALER SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON

Arrested Twice and Forfeited Two Cars Within Four Months

Baltimore, Maryland - Chief U.S. District Judge Benson E. Legg sentenced Keith Smith, Jr., age 27, of Baltimore today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of crack cocaine, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to his guilty plea, on October 12, 2005, Baltimore City Police officers conducted a search of Smith’s residence located in the 2600 block of Boone Street in Baltimore and recovered from Smith’s bedroom several zip lock bags with cocaine or cocaine residue inside, six cellular telephones, and mail in his name. Officers also searched Smith’s car and recovered 9 clear plastic bags containing 236.89 grams of crack cocaine; several bags of marijuana; and $401.

On January 21, 2006, members of the Baltimore City Police Department, several of whom had been involved in the October 2005 investigation of Smith, saw Keith Smith and another man standing on the 2600 block of Boone Street in Baltimore. The officers asked Smith and the other man for permission to search them. Officers recovered sets of keys from Smith and the other man and asked if either had vehicles parked nearby. Smith stated that he did not have a car on the block, and the other man claimed to have walked to the location. Officers noticed identical car keys on each set of keys taken from Smith and the other man. The officers checked the keys against cars parked on the block, and found that the keys opened a Toyota Camry parked nearby. A drug-sniffing dog called to the scene alerted to the car for narcotics. A search of the car recovered two plastic bags with butterfly emblems with a total of 91 black top jugs containing crack cocaine; one clear plastic bag filled with small plastic bags containing crack cocaine; and a small quantity of marijuana. A total of 69.58 grams of crack cocaine was found in the car.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Baltimore City Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration for their investigative work, and commended Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Hanlon, who prosecuted the case