Arizona Supplier Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Drug Distribution and Money Laundering Conspiracies

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Phillip Bingham, age 56, of Tucson, Arizona, today to 11 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, and three counts of attempted possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of money laundering; and two counts of interstate travel in aid of a narcotics enterprise.  Judge Grimm also entered a forfeiture order requiring Bingham to pay a money judgment of $500,000.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Acting Chief Stanley Johnson, of the Maryland National Capital Park Police, Prince George’s County Division; Chief Antonio DeVaul of the Maryland National Capital Park Police, Montgomery County Division; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police. 

According to his plea agreement, from at least 2011 through December 2013, Bingham conspired with Marvin Taaff, Fernando Gastellum-Rivas, and others to distribute marijuana.  Bingham, who was the leader of the drug operation in Arizona, identified sources of marijuana in Arizona and obtained marijuana for customers in Maryland and elsewhere.  In September 2013, Taaff and another conspirator, Annis Attar, traveled from Maryland to Arizona to meet with Bingham and Gastellum-Rivas.  Taaff and Attar purchased controlled substances, including marijuana, which Bingham packaged and provided to another conspirator, who took the packages to a shipper.

During the investigation, law enforcement overheard conversations and obtained text messages in which Bingham negotiated narcotics and money laundering transactions with Taaff and others located in Maryland and other states, and discussed the shipment of the drugs.  Law enforcement intercepted at least three packages shipped by Bingham to Taaff and other conspirators in Maryland which contained a total of 62 pounds of marijuana.

In order to disguise the source and the recipient of the payments for the drug sales, Bingham utilized the bank accounts of at least five individuals.  The individuals agreed to allow Bingham to use their bank accounts to receive payments for his narcotics trafficking activities and were paid in return for their assistance.  Taaff and other conspirators, including Mahmood Hussain, deposited money to pay for the purchase of narcotics into these accounts, and the recruited individuals would then withdraw the funds in Arizona, as directed by Bingham. Bingham also received bulk cash payments, generally through couriers.  For example, on October 28, 2013, law enforcement seized $102,000 bundled into a courier’s suitcase, after the courier checked in for his flight from Maryland back to Arizona.  The money was payment for marijuana purchased by a distributor in Maryland, for delivery to Bingham.

On December 5, 2013, search warrants were executed at locations in Prince George’s County, Montgomery County and Tucson, Arizona, in connection with the conspiracy.  Narcotics, drug paraphernalia, shipping materials, cash, and firearms were seized from locations associated with the conspiracy. 

The court concluded that at least five kilograms of powder cocaine and at least 400 kilograms of marijuana were attributable to Bingham and within the scope of his participation in the conspiracy.

Mahmood Hussain, age 31, of Laurel, Maryland, Fernando Gastellum-Rivas, age 43, of Tucson, and Annis Attar, age 30, of Largo, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and were sentenced to 10 years in prison, 42 months in prison, and 40 months in prison, respectively. Marvin Anthony Taaff, age 29, of Takoma Park, Maryland, also pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, 2016.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Prince George’s County Police Department, Maryland-National Capital Park Police and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Lindsay Eyler Kaplan, who prosecuted the case.