Anne Arundel County Career Offender Exiled to over 15 Years in Prison on Gun and Drug Charges

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Gregory David Horne, age 45, of Millersville, Maryland, yesterday to 188 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute powder and crack cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Judge Bennett also found that Horne is a career offender based on previous convictions for attempted murder and drug distribution.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Howard County Police Chief William McMahon; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief James Teare, Sr.

“As a result of this sentencing, Mr. Horne will no longer operate his drug organization from his auto shop (East Coast Customs), but will spend the next 15 years in federal prison,” stated Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Agent in Charge, Ava Cooper-Davis. “DEA along with our partners, the Howard County Police Department and the Anne Arundel County Police Department, worked tirelessly in this investigation in order to shut down Mr. Horne’s drug organization.” added Cooper-Davis.

According to Horne’s plea agreement, an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Howard County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies established that Gregory David Horne is a heroin, cocaine, and marijuana distributor, who supplied these narcotics to and/or conspired to distribute these narcotics with several individuals.

Through the use of court ordered wiretaps, law enforcement heard conversations between Horne and his co-conspirators discussing his drug trafficking. In many of these conversations Horne uses coded language to discuss the cost of the drugs and the amount of drugs he is trying to sell and/or purchase.

On March 3, 2011, law enforcement executed search warrants at Horne’s auto shop located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and Horne’s residence. From the auto shop law enforcement recovered approximately 531.1 grams of heroin, a .357 magnum handgun, and a .45 caliber handgun. Law enforcement also recovered $1,131 in cash; two digital scales and a money counter; and drug packaging material. The search of Horne’s residence led to the recovery of a .38 caliber pistol and $774 in cash.

Horne admitted that he and his co-conspirators are responsible for the distribution of more than 3.5 kilograms of cocaine and 28 grams of crack cocaine during the time of the conspiracy, which operated from February 2008, to March 2011.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, Howard County Police Department and Anne Arundel County Police Department for their work in this investigation and thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Ayn Ducao and Joshua Kaul, who prosecuted the case.