AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885

NOVEMBER 20, 2007

I-95 DRIVER SENTENCED TO OVER 8 YEARS FOR POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE ECSTASY

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Frank Morello, age 40, of Hollywood, Florida, today to 102 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 3-4 methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, commonly known as MDMA or Ecstasy, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to his guilty plea, on July 2, 2007, Morello was traveling southbound on Interstate 95 in Cecil County, when he was stopped by the Maryland State Police for speeding. Morello advised that officer that he was returning to Florida after a brief trip to New York. A drug sniffing canine alerted on the vehicle for the presence of narcotics and a subsequent search recovered over 13,000 Ecstasy tablets in a black bag on the rear floorboard of the car.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Maryland State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their investigative work, and commended Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Romano, who prosecuted the case.