Fugitive Drug Trafficker Sentenced To Eleven Years In Prison

RICHMOND, Va. – Lorenzo Brooks, a.k.a. Tyrone Brown, 38, formerly of New York City, was sentenced today to 132months in prison, followed by a 5 year term of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute between 50 and 150 kilograms of cocaine.  A forfeiture order in the amount of $1,500,000.00 representing the proceeds of Brooks’ drug trafficking activities was also entered.   

            Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Robert Brisolari, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement today after sentencing by United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

            Brooks was charged in early 2007; however, he remained a fugitive until his arrest in California in August, 2012.  He pled guilty on November 13, 2012, to Conspiring to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Five Kilograms or More of Cocaine Hydrochloride. 

            According to court documents, beginning as early as 2004 Brooks was supplying numerous members of a large-scale drug trafficking organization based in Richmond, Virginia with cocaine hydrochloride.  All of the members of that organization were arrested and convicted in 2006 and 2007. 

            As part of his efforts to avoid detection by law enforcement, Brooks operated vehicles with concealed compartments or “traps” built into them.  He used these compartments to conceal the narcotics he was transporting from New York to Richmond, and to conceal his profit upon his return to New York. One of these vehicles was seized by law enforcement in 2007.

Brown admitted that he conspired to distribute between 50 kilograms and 150 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride from approximately January 1, 2004, through December 30, 2006.

            This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.