Washington D.C. Man Sentenced on Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Keith Pyndell, 34, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 186 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base, aka crack cocaine, and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In connection with this conviction, Pyndell forfeited $47,200 in cash that was seized from his residence by the DEA.

Pyndell pleaded guilty on March 16, 2015.  According to court documents, Pyndell ran an organization that distributed over 280 grams of cocaine base to customers in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C.  Through his organization, Pyndell employed individuals as runners to deliver drugs to his customers and to return cash to him.  One of those individuals, Angela Lemons, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine base and was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.  Pyndell admitted that a handgun with an obliterated serial number that was seized from his residence was used for protection in connection with his drug trafficking.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Dougherty Russell is prosecuting the case.

The case was investigated by the DEA’s Washington Office as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The OCDETF program is a federal, multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-24.

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