4 members of heroin distribution ring plead guilty

BALTIMORE — A man from the Bronx and another from Maryland pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. A co-defendant from Maryland pleaded guilty Tuesday and two others pleaded guilty Monday. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in cooperation with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Maryland State Police, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Hagerstown Police Department.

Reginald Jones, 26, of the Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. Co-defendant Jeffrey Michael Anderson, 35, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Co-defendants William Ulysses Robinson, 38, of Grasonville, Maryland and Shawn Christopher Malley, 25, of Crofton, Maryland, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy Monday.

According to their plea agreements, beginning in September 2013, Anderson and Jones worked with Rahdel Sharbaan to obtain bulk quantities of heroin from sources in New York and transport the heroin to Maryland for further distribution.  Anderson would either travel to New York himself, or have Sharbaan and Jones bring the heroin and cutting agent to him in Maryland via commercial bus. With Malley’s assistance, Anderson used stash locations to store and cut the heroin, including a storage unit in Gambrills, Maryland, and Malley’s home. Once diluted, Anderson sold the heroin in bulk to several Maryland-based dealers who in turn sold to other dealers and end users. Robinson obtained drugs from Anderson which he distributed in street-level quantities.  Jones used the drug proceeds from Anderson to pay the source in New York.

On May 15, investigators executed search warrants seizing 40.1 grams of heroin, cutting agents, packaging materials and paraphernalia from the storage unit, 49 grams of heroin from Anderson’s vehicle, and $2,957 in currency, other drugs, multiple cell phones, and digital scales from Malley’s home.

Anderson admitted that he agreed to distribute at least one kilogram of heroin.

Jones faces up to 40 years in prison for the conspiracy.

Anderson and the government have agreed that if the court accepts his plea agreement, he will be sentenced to 192 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Malley and the government have agreed that if the court accepts his plea agreement, he will be sentenced to either 96 or 60 months in prison, depending on whether he is found to be a career offender, followed by four years of supervised release.

Robinson and the government have agreed that if the court accepts his plea agreement, he will be sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. 

U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Robinson and Malley Jan. 6 and 7, 2015; Anderson Jan. 30, 2015; and Jones Jan. 9, 2015.

Rahdel Sharbaan, 41, of the Bronx; Gary Barham, 52, of Easton, Maryland, and Amanda Jo Palmer, 32, of Hagerstown, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy. Barham is scheduled to be sentenced November 17, Sharbaan Jan. 8, 2015, and Palmer Jan. 21, 2015.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth S. Clark is prosecuting the case.