Baltimore Drug Dealer Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Damonan Irby, age 33, of Baltimore, Maryland today to 12 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 3, 4-methylenedioxy-N-methylcathinone or MDMC.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to Irby’s plea agreement, on October 17, 2014, law enforcement received information from a confidential source of information that a multi-kilogram shipment of the controlled substance 3, 4-methylenedioxy-N-methylcathinone or MDMC, known on the street as “Molly,” would be delivered to Baltimore City later that afternoon.  Information provided by the source was corroborated and independently verified by law enforcement.

Members of the Baltimore Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore, established surveillance in the area of Northern Parkway and Harford Road, where the delivery was scheduled to take place. Law enforcement officers observed a silver Camaro, that matched the description supplied by the source, parked behind a restaurant in the 6600 block of Harford Road.  A short time later, law enforcement observed a vehicle, being operated by Irby, pull into the parking lot and park one car away from the Camaro.  Irby, carrying a grey shopping bag, got into the Camaro.  Law enforcement officers were able to observe the two individuals exchange packages.  At the conclusion of the exchange, Irby got out of the Camaro with a large black backpack in his hand.  Law enforcement officers, believing a narcotics transaction had just occurred, approached Irby and detained him.  The black backpack was found to contain four kilogram sized plastic bags containing an off white substance.  A search of the Camaro recovered the grey shopping bag that Irby had brought into the vehicle.  The bag contained three large bundles of cash, totaling $39,920.  A subsequent lab analysis of the drugs from the backpack revealed that the bag contained a total of 3,970 grams of MDMC.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised HSI Baltimore and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano and Jason D. Medinger, who prosecuted the case.