Last week, U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Vincent Edison, 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, to ten years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and unlawful possession of a person. Edison oversaw a fentanyl trafficking organization that transported huge quantities of fentanyl across Maryland.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence alongside Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS), and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to the guilty plea, in 2022, the DEA identified Edison as the leader of a narcotics business on Winchester and North Dukeland Streets in West Baltimore. During the inquiry, Edison’s drugstore sold fentanyl capsules to a large number of people, including undercover cops, every day for 10-12 hours for several months. The probe also revealed that Edison often sent text messages to street dealers asking them to “open his drug shop on time,” at 7 a.m., otherwise he would “dock” half their earnings. Law enforcement also discovered more text messages from Edison canceling street sellers’ employment at his drug outlet and collecting drug sales revenue.
Edison sold fentanyl to buyers from all over the country, in addition to those in Baltimore. On December 7, 2022, investigators used closed-circuit cameras to monitor the narcotics business. Law enforcement officers witnessed Edison coming to the street store in the afternoon, where he delivered a black plastic bag to one of his dealers. Drug users had parked their cars near the drugstore.
Investigators searched the registrations of the parked cars and discovered a Chevy registered to a resident of Washington County, Maryland. The customer who owned the Chevy returned from the drugstore, got into the car, and drove away. The DEA informed local law enforcement to perform a traffic stop on the Chevrolet. When the Chevy arrived in Washington County, Maryland, law enforcement stopped and searched it, recovering 500 gel caps of fentanyl inside a black plastic bag weighing 263 grams.
As the investigation developed, investigators discovered Edison’s stash location in Baltimore County, Maryland. The stash area was used to prepare fentanyl for distribution. Investigators watched Edison visiting the stash place on a daily basis and suspected he obtained cocaine hidden inside black plastic bags. Then Edison gave them to his street-level dealers.
On the afternoon of December 11, investigators surveilled the storage spot with a concealed camera and saw Edison leave with a black plastic bag. Edison drove to the street shop and presented the bag to the street vendors. Soon after, authorities discovered an uptick in drug activity at the drugstore.
Then, on January 27, 2023, investigators served search warrants on Edison’s Baltimore City home and his Baltimore County stash location. Edison was there when detectives searched his home. During the search, law enforcement discovered five firearms, including an AR-type rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, and three loaded semi-automatic handguns. Investigators also discovered 70 grams of fentanyl, several fine jewelry items worth around $150,000, and approximately $90,805.
Additionally, authorities discovered a fentanyl lab at the stash location. The lab contained hundreds of capsules, 22 Cap-M-Quick capsule fillers, a digital scale, several latex gloves, and packaging materials for fentanyl distribution. Investigators also found 133.28 grams of fentanyl powder from a clear bag, as well as 400 pills containing fentanyl powder, for a total of 307 grams.
U.S. Attorney Hayes praised the DEA, DPSCS, BCPD, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office for their efforts in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin C. Miner, who is prosecuting the case.
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