Member of Cherry Hill Group ‘UDH’ Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III sentenced Clarence Shipley, age 27, of Baltimore, to 70 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy in connection with Shipley’s participation in the UDH organization, which operates in the Cherry Hill section of Baltimore.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.  

According to his plea agreement, Shipley is a member of the UDH organization, which operates in the area of Cherry Hill known as “Up the Hill” or “Up da Hill.”  UDH members and associates have been in a long-running dispute with members of an organization known as “Coppin Court” that is involved in criminal activity in the part of Cherry Hill known as “Down the Hill,” and since at least January 2011, have been in a dispute with members of “Little Spelman,” another organization that is involved in criminal activity in the Down the Hill section of Cherry Hill. UDH members and associates used violence and intimidation to protect themselves, the organization, and their control of the drug trade in part of Cherry Hill.

Shipley admitted that as a UDH member he distributed heroin in the Giles/Fisk/Slater area of the UDH section of Cherry Hill. During his participation in the UDH drug conspiracy Shipley was responsible for distributing between 700 grams and one kilogram of heroin.   

In addition, Shipley participated in two bank robberies with fellow UDH members.  On July 19, 2011, Shipley and other UDH members robbed the Chesapeake Bank of Maryland branch located in the2200 block of Eastern Avenue in Baltimore.  On August 5, 2011, Shipley, Bryan Turner, and other UDH member robbed the Chesapeake Bank of Maryland branch in Arbutus.  In each robbery Shipley served as the getaway driver, while other gang members went into the bank and presented the teller with a note demanding money.  Shipley and his associates stole a total of $11,405, in the two robberies, which was later divided between Shipley and the other UDH members who participated in the robberies, including Bryan Turner. 

Defendants charged in the racketeering conspiracy - including others who are alleged to have participated in these bank robberies - are scheduled to go to trial on April 4, 2016.

Bryan Turner, age 29, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, and Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea L. Smith, Seema Mittal, and Patricia C. McLane, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.