Harford County Crack Dealer Exiled to 10 Years in Prison

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Victor Andre Thomas, a/k/a “Flak,” and “Flat,” age 40, of Abingdon, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by eight years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Judge Bennett enhanced Thomas’ sentence based on two previous drug convictions.

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; Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Harford County Sheriff L. Jesse Bane; Chief Henry Trabert of the Aberdeen Police Department; and Harford County State’s Attorney Joseph I. Cassilly.

According to evidence presented during Thomas' seven day trial, during an investigation being conducted by the Harford County Task Force (HCTF), calls were intercepted between Thomas and several co-conspirators in which Thomas negotiated the sale of both powder and crack cocaine. As a result of the intercepted calls, law enforcement was able to observe meetings between Thomas and several of his co-conspirators conducting drug transactions.

At trial, dozens of calls between Thomas and his co-conspirators were played in which Thomas, using coded language, arranged to sell crack cocaine in amounts ranging from 3.5 grams to 28 grams. The calls reflected sales totaling more than 112 grams of crack. On May 4, 2010, Thomas was arrested after meeting with an individual to conduct a drug deal. Seized from Thomas’s vehicle at that time was crack cocaine. A subsequent search of two residences associated with Thomas recovered four small baggies of crack cocaine, digital scales, drug packaging materials and paraphernalia, as well as several thousand dollars in cash, bundled in a fashion used by drug dealers.

The jury found that Thomas was guilty of conspiring to distribute 28 grams or more of crack and less than 500 grams of powder cocaine.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Aberdeen Police Department, and Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation and thanked Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Romano, who prosecuted the case.