Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Rolando Oneal Thorpe, age 32, of Largo, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Danny L. Board, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Stanley Johnson, of the Maryland National Capital Park Police, Prince George’s County Division; and Chief Antonio DeVaul of the Maryland National Capital Park Police, Montgomery County Division.

According to his plea agreement, between September and November 2013, during an investigation of narcotics trafficking, Thorpe was overheard by law enforcement discussing with Marvin Taaff the various types of marijuana that Thorpe was distributing in Maryland. On November 22, 2013, a search warrant was executed at Thorpe’s residence. Law enforcement recovered 12 large ziplock bags containing over five kilograms of marijuana; a scale with drug residue; drug packaging materials; approximately $6,413 in cash; a 10mm handgun, with one round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine; a 27 round capacity ammunition magazine, loaded with 23 rounds of 45 caliber ammunition; and a black laser site for a handgun. Thorpe was at home during the search and admitted that everything found in the apartment belonged to him.

Marvin Taaff, age 29, of Takoma Park, Maryland, was sentenced on June 9, 2016, to 140 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, cocaine base and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Prince George’s County Police Department, and Maryland National Capital Park Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston, Lindsay Eyler Kaplan, and Menaka Kalaskar, who prosecuted the case.