Baltimore Man Exiled To 10 Years In Prison On Drug Charges

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Corey Brian Barnes, age 28, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Judge Bredar also found that Barnes is a career offender based on two previous drug trafficking convictions.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Gerido of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein; and Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to Barnes’ plea agreement, in January 2012, Corey Barnes and two co-conspirators, Edward Ellis and Dominic Thompson, were introduced to an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agent who proposed robbing a large scale drug trafficker of multiple kilograms of narcotics. Barnes and his co-conspirators agreed to commit the robbery and to resell the stolen narcotics to customers in the Baltimore area.

On February 2, 2012, Barnes, Ellis and Thompson met with the undercover agent to make their final preparations to commit the robbery. Barnes knew that Ellis and Thompson were armed, and they all expected the weapons to be used to commit the robbery. After confirming that they were ready to rob the stash house, Barnes and his co-conspirators followed the agent to a location in Baltimore where they were subsequently arrested.. Barnes fled as an arrest team approached, but was quickly apprehended.

Ellis, age 37, and Thompson, age 22, both of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme. Thompson was sentenced to 78 months in prison on December 21, 2012. Ellis is awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Clinton J. Fuchs, who prosecuted the case.

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