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

AUGUST 3, 2007

THREE BALTIMORE EXILE DEFENDANTS CONVICTED ON DRUG CHARGES IN FEDERAL COURT THIS WEEK

Two Defendants Were Violent Repeat Offenders and the Third Was Also Convicted on Gun Charges

Baltimore, Maryland - In separate trials of three men from Baltimore, federal juries this week convicted Earl Gordon, age 27, for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine; Victor White, age 49, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm; and Carlos Woods, age 23, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to testimony presented at Gordon’s two day trial which began on July 30th, officers observed Gordon exit a store known to sell drug dealing supplies carrying a brown paper bag. Seconds later, the officers found Gordon in his car behind the store in possession of marijuana and distribution quantities of crack cocaine. Gordon has a prior state conviction for possession of crack cocaine and a handgun.

The jury convicted White on August 1st after a three day trial. Testimony showed that White had been staying with his girlfriend and was using her residence to package heroin and cocaine for street distribution. The Baltimore City and County Police searched the residence in May 2006, and recovered distribution quantities of heroin and cocaine, drug trafficking paraphernalia and two firearms, which White admitted were his. White has a prior federal conviction for possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and prior state convictions for robbery with a deadly weapon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and statutory rape.

Evidence at Woods’ trial, which started on August 1, showed that Woods was selling cocaine and marijuana in the vicinity of the 1800 and 1900 blocks of North Collington Avenue and the 2100 block of East North Avenue. Officers arrested Woods after observing him conduct several narcotics transactions and seized his drug stash from a nearby alley.

Gordon faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for Gordon on October 26, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. White faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on the drug charge. As an armed career criminal, White faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Woods faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. has scheduled sentencing for White on October 19, 2007 and for Woods on October 23,2007, both at 1:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, Baltimore City Police Department, Baltimore County Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance in these investigations and prosecutions. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tiao who is prosecuting Earl Gordon; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Giblin and Robert R. Harding, who are prosecuting Victor White; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Sippel and Steve Levin, who are prosecuting Carlos Woods.