Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Christopher Harris, a/k/a “Duce,” age 23, of Baltimore, today to 14 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise related to his gang activities as a PDL Blood.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy, Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.

According to Harris’s plea agreement, in the early 1970s, a street gang that went by the name of “the Bloods” was formed in Los Angeles, California. The Bloods spread to other states and broke into individual units or “sets” – a term for a smaller criminal organization within the larger Bloods entity. Each set was identified or affiliated with a certain street, neighborhood, or area. ATF agents in Baltimore have been investigating a Bloods set known as the Pasadena Denver Lanes (also known as “the Lanes,” “PDL,” and “L-Gang”). This Baltimore street gang was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of illegal narcotics, including crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. The PDL gang also committed acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, assaults, robberies, and other violent activities. Christopher Harris was a member of the PDL Bloods in Baltimore.

From at least January 2008 to May 2009, Harris participated in the PDL gang activities in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Specifically, Harris sold heroin and crack cocaine, and participated in gang sanctions and other violence against PDL members, rival gang members and random victims in Maryland. Harris was overheard on numerous calls discussing his involvement in drug trafficking and gang-related activities. The distribution of 500 grams to 1.5 kilograms of crack cocaine and 3 kilograms of heroin, and the possession of firearms, were reasonably foreseeable to Harris during the course of the conspiracy.

Mr. Rosenstein and Mrs. Jessamy praised the ATF’s Violent Crime Impact Teams and the Baltimore City Police Department, for their investigation of this case.

The prosecutors expressed their appreciation to Secretary Gary D. Maynard and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their assistance in the investigation.

Mr. Rosenstein and Mrs. Jessamy also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kwame J. Manley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci Robinson, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney assigned to EXILE cases, who are prosecuting the case, and Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorneys Staci Pipkin and Brandis Marsh, who assisted in the prosecution.