Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Benjamin K. Bray, age 30, of Davidsonville, Maryland, to eight years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and oxycodone and to being a felon in possession of an explosive device. 
 
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; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Marc S. Bashoor of the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS.
 
According to his plea agreement, from at least January 2011 through December 2012, Bray conspired with John Frank Jenkins and others to distribute oxycodone.  Bray and his co-conspirators presented forged prescriptions for oxycodone pills to different pharmacies approximately twice a week from the spring of 2011 through the summer of 2012.  Bray and his co-conspirators consumed some of the pills and sold the rest. During the conspiracy, Bray began to use and distribute heroin as a cheaper substitute for the oxycodone, selling heroin to pay for the heroin he used.

In November 2012, Jenkins refused to sell oxycodone to one of his drug customers, resulting in an argument.  After the argument, Jenkins built two pipe bombs which he intended to use to blow up the drug customer’s vehicle. Bray supplied the black powder for the pipe bombs. 

Another drug customer owed Jenkins $50 for oxycodone that Jenkins had supplied in June 2012.  On December 18, 2012, Bray and Jenkins were out of heroin and needed money to purchase heroin. Jenkins contacted the customer, but could not collect the debt.  Bray and Jenkins carried one of the pipe bombs to the customer’s home.  Bray placed the pipe bomb on the front porch and lit the fuse.  The bomb exploded, damaging the front door.  The drug customer was sleeping in the bedroom adjacent to the door at the time of the explosion.

John Frank Jenkins, age 31, of College Park, Maryland was previously sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by 14 months of home detention as part of three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and oxycodone; and to 10 years in prison for making an explosive device and being a felon in possession of an explosive device.  The sentences are to be served concurrently. Judge Grimm also ordered Jenkins to pay restitution of $475. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Prince George’s County Police Department and Prince George’s County Fire/EMS for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Leah J. Bressack, who prosecuted the case.

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