Hyattsville Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Distributing Marijuana through the U.S. Mail

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Kirt Omar Gibbs, age 26, of Hyattsville, Maryland today to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with a conspiracy to distribute marijuana through the U.S. mail by bribing a U.S. Postal Service employee.  A federal jury convicted Gibbs on December 7, 2015.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Postal Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Paul L. Bowman of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief David B. Mitchell of the University of Maryland Police Department, as part of the Maryland State Police HIDTA Metropolitan Area Drug Task Force.

According to court documents and testimony at his five day trial, from May 2013 through September 27, 2013, Gibbs conspired with Kenneth Teasley and others to distribute marijuana.  Gibbs and his co-conspirators bribed Teasley to induce him to: provide addresses along his route that they could use to send packages of marijuana to Maryland; and deliver the contraband packages to them. 

According to trial testimony, in the Spring of 2013, one of Teasley’s co-workers introduced him to Gibbs and advised him that Gibbs was looking for USPS letter carriers who would provide addresses to Gibbs and his co-conspirators which they could use to send packages of marijuana into Maryland.  Beginning in May 2013, Teasley used text messages to provide addresses that were on his delivery route to Gibbs and/or other members of the conspiracy.  When a contraband package arrived at the U.S. Post Office, Teasley picked up the package and notified Gibbs or another conspirator, who would meet Teasley along his mail route to pick up the package. In exchange, Gibbs paid Teasley between $150 and $400 for each delivery.  According to trial testimony, Gibbs received a package approximately every week.  Evidence showed that in addition to his role intercepting packages and coordinating with the postal carriers, Gibbs was also responsible for purchasing marijuana from suppliers in other states.

Telephone records introduced at trial showed text messages reflecting that Gibbs was distributing marijuana as far back as December 2012 and had made approximately $100,000 from the marijuana business.  At today’s sentencing, the Court found that Gibbs was responsible for distributing between 80 and 100 kilograms of marijuana during the time of the conspiracy.

Former U.S. Postal Service letter carrier Kenneth Teasley previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and Maryland State Police HIDTA Metropolitan Area Drug Task Force for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Michael T. Packard, who prosecuted the case.