Cocaine Trafficker Exiled To 10 Years In Prison On Drug And Gun Charges

Greenbelt, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Marvin Bowden, Jr., age 31, of Colmar Manor, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and for conspiracy to carry and use firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler.

According to his plea agreement and court documents, from May 9 to 16, 2013, Bowden conspired with Shane Hare, Antonio Edwards and Gregory Williams to rob drug dealers operating in Baltimore, Maryland, and sell over five kilograms of cocaine, using firearms.

On May 9, 2013, Bowden and his conspirators were introduced to an undercover ATF agent who proposed robbing a stash house operated by a drug cartel of multiple kilograms of narcotics. Bowden and his coconspirators agreed to commit the robbery and intended to resell the stolen narcotics to customers in the Prince George’s County and Washington Metropolitan area.

On May 14, 2013, Bowden and his conspirators met again with the undercover agent and outlined their plan to carry guns and execute the robbery soon after the undercover agent entered the stash house. The conspirators told the undercover agent that they would wear black clothing with police insignias as disguises and yell “Police” upon entering.

On May 16th, the conspirators left the hotel room they used to prepare for the robbery and met with the undercover agent, telling him that they were ready to commit the robbery. The conspirators followed the undercover agent to a secluded location in Laurel where they believed they would be told of the location of the stash house. On arrival, the conspirators confirmed again that they were ready to commit the robbery and had weapons to be used during its commission. After discussing final preparations, law enforcement arrested them, and seized two loaded pistols from under and in the car used by the conspirators.

Between five and 15 kilograms of cocaine were reasonably foreseeable to Bowden’s participation in the conspiracy.

Shane Elliott Hare, age 27, of Hyattsville, Maryland; Antonio Edwards, age 40, of Capital Heights, Maryland; and Gregory Antoine Williams, age 28, of Washington, D.C., were all convicted at trial on July 27, 2014 of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine; conspiracy to carry and use firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking; and carry and use of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking. Edwards was also convicted of possession of ammunition by a felon. They are scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2014.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Prince George’s County Police Department and Maryland Attorney General’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant United States Attorneys Gerald A. A. Collins, a cross designated Maryland Assistant Attorney General assigned to Exile cases, and Jennifer Sykes, a prosecutor with the Department of Justice Criminal Division, who prosecuted the case.