Baltimore Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake, sentenced Lamont George Thomas, age 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.  Judge Blake enhanced Thomas’ sentence after finding he was a career offender based on three previous felony drug convictions.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

According to his plea agreement, from December 2013 through April 2014, Thomas was a member of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine.  As part of the conspiracy, Thomas obtained kilograms of cocaine from a New York supplier.  Law enforcement overheard co-defendant Tyrone Bailey discussing drug activity over court-ordered wiretaps on a co-conspirator’s phones.

For example, on March 10, 2014, Bailey was overheard telling a co-conspirator that he was traveling to New York that day to obtain cocaine. As Bailey returned from New York, Maryland State Police conducted a traffic stop of Bailey’s pick-up truck for speeding.  Thomas was driving the vehicle and Bailey was the front seat passenger.  After a K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics, law enforcement located an electronically controlled false compartment in the seat back of the rear bench seat.  The compartment contained approximately 4.2 kilograms of cocaine.  Law enforcement recovered $1,600 in cash and multiple cell phones from Bailey.  One of the cell phones recovered was the phone Bailey used to talk to his co-conspirator.

Tyrone Robert Bailey, age 28, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Thomas and Bailey have been detained since their arrest on March 10, 2014.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, Baltimore Police Department, Maryland State Police, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Romano and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Flagg, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney assigned as part of the Baltimore initiative to combat violent crime, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.