DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
District of Maryland

For Immediate Release

Thursday, December 17, 2015
Rod J. Rosenstein
, United States Attorney
Contact: AUSA Vickie LeDuc or Marcia Murphy

Three Conspirators in Baltimore Heroin Distribution Organization Sentenced to Prison

13 Conspirators Convicted to Date

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Brian Nettles, age 24, of Baltimore, today to 78 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin.

On December 15 and 16, 2015, Judge Quarles sentenced Bruce Jeffries, age 37, of Baltimore was sentenced to seven years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and Kevin Gray, age 32, also of Baltimore, was sentenced to 77 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the same charge.

The sentences were 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 J. Mosby.

According to their plea agreements, Jeffries, Nettles and Gray conspired with others to distribute heroin in Baltimore. Nettles joined the conspiracy in June 2014, Jeffries joined in August 2014, Gray joined in October 2014. During the conspiracy, Jeffries met with a co-conspirator to provide heroin for distribution by members of the conspiracy. Between September and November of 2014, law enforcement intercepted communications on the cellular phones of Jeffries and other conspirators. During this time Nettles, Gray, Jeffries and others were heard discussing the distribution and payment for various amounts of heroin. Jeffries was also intercepted giving members of the conspiracy instructions regarding the distribution of narcotics. On November 14, 2014, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a “stash” house used by members of the conspiracy. During the search, law enforcement recovered 400 gel capsules of heroin from inside the stash house, along with another 100 gel capsules of heroin from a co-conspirator. This seizure precipitated intercepted phone conversations between Jeffries and other co-conspirators regarding the seizure.

Jeffries and Nettles agree that during their participation in the conspiracy, they were responsible for the distribution of between one and three kilograms of heroin. Gray admits that he was responsible for between 100 and 400 grams of heroin.

Ten other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to their roles in the heroin distribution conspiracy. Brian Carr, age 26; Walter Timmons, age 27; Darrell Randolph, age 27; Pernell Randolph, age 28; Marvin Germany, age 26; and Vincent Jones, age 52, all of Baltimore, have been sentenced to between 70 and 84 months in prison. The remaining defendants are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Matthew Hoff, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney, part of the Baltimore initiative to combat violent crime, who is prosecuting the case.

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Baltimore Field Division