Howard County Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison on Gun and Drug Charges

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Ayodele Amon Olukotun, a/k/a 40 Caliber and Bizzle, age 28, of Laurel, Maryland, today to 11 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and for possession with intent to distribute phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP.    

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Chief Gary Gardner of the Howard County Police Department; and Howard County State’s Attorney Dario Broccolino.

According to his guilty plea, from June through November 2015, Olukotun distributed significant quantities of PCP in Howard County, Maryland, primarily in the Whiskey Bottom Road area of Laurel.  Olukotun also admitted that he distributed heroin. On at least nine occasions during the investigation, undercover officers purchased drugs from Olukotun.  The officers purchased a total of 306 grams of PCP and five grams of heroin from Olukotun for $7,965.

In connection with an undercover buy on November 4, 2015, Howard County Police Department detectives saw Olukotun place two backpacks in the trunk of a vehicle.  The detectives knew from their investigation that Olukotun used the vehicle as a “stash” location for his drugs.  Law enforcement conducted a canine scan of the vehicle and the canine alerted to the presence of narcotics.  A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 5,177.2 grams of PCP and a loaded .38 caliber revolver, which was found in close proximity to the PCP in the trunk. Olukotun admitted that he used the gun for protection and to advance his drug trafficking business.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, Howard County Police Department, and Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek E. Hines and Leo J. Wise, who prosecuted the case.