Maryland man sentenced to 8 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine

BALTIMORE — A Frederick, Md., man was sentenced to eight years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation, Maryland State Police, Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Frederick Police Department and with the assistance of the Frederick County State Attorney's Office.

Roger Francel Evans Jr., 26, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Benson Everett Legg, who enhanced Evans' sentence upon finding that Evans had a 2004 narcotics conviction. Judge Legg also ordered Evans to forfeit $28,000 in cash and a 2000 Dodge van, as property involved in and used to commit or to facilitate the commission of the crime.

According to Evans' plea agreement, on Dec. 7, 2010, local law enforcement in Frederick County began intercepting communications over two telephones used by Evans, where he was heard speaking with customers, including co-defendant Lamont Young, 33, also of Frederick, about prices for various drugs, including kilograms of cocaine and grams of crack cocaine.

For example, on Dec. 11, 2010, while Evans was in southern Florida, he was contacted by a customer in Hagerstown, Md., and agreed to provide narcotics to the customer. Evans then called Tyanna Oram and asked her to deliver drugs to the customer in Hagerstown in exchange for cash, then wire some cash to him in Florida. Officers watched Oram leave her house in a cab that had been arranged to take her to the Hagerstown customer, and when the cab got onto I-70 west leaving Frederick, officers stopped the cab. Officers seized the bag that Oram carried into the cab and recovered 86 grams of marijuana in 210 containers, 117 grams of crack cocaine in three baggies and $958 in cash. Oram was not arrested. Afterward, Oram called Evans to report what had happened. Evans later complained that it was "six thousand dollars gone."

According to his plea, on Dec. 12, 2010, law enforcement overheard Evans arrange to purchase two kilograms of cocaine from his source of supply, and to deliver half a kilogram of cocaine to Lamont Young for $17,000. After the source of supply delivered the drugs into Evans' van, which was parked at the restaurant where Young and Evans were meeting, Young left the restaurant and drove to a nearby gas station where he was arrested. Evans approached his van and was immediately arrested. Inside the van, officers recovered 1.18 kilograms of cocaine and approximately 98 grams of marijuana. Officers recovered $17,048 in cash from Young's vehicle. Officers intercepted calls from the Frederick County Adult Detention Center where Evans directed someone to deliver something to his "baby mother's house." Agents intercepted that delivery and seized $28,000 concealed in a safe. Officers also seized the defendant's 2000 Dodge Van, which he used to conduct this offense.

Evans admits that in furtherance of the conspiracy, he distributed between 500 grams and two kilograms of cocaine.

Lamont Young pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. Tyanna Oram pleaded guilty in Frederick County Circuit Court and was given a suspended sentenced and placed on probation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea L. Smith and A. David Copperthite, of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.