Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Anthony Hardy, age 43, of Nanticoke, Maryland, today to nine years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Wicomico County Sheriff Michael A. Lewis; Salisbury Police Chief Barbara Duncan; Chief Michael Phillips of the Fruitland Police Department; U.S. Marshal Johnny Hughes; and Wicomico County State’s Attorney Matthew Maciarello.
According to his guilty plea, Hardy conspired with Maurice Hardy (no relation) and others to distribute cocaine. Anthony Hardy supplied Maurice Hardy with cocaine on several occasions during the course of the investigation and was overheard on by law enforcement discussing drug transactions with Maurice Hardy. Maurice Hardy’s primary source of supply was Austin Roberts. On May 11, 2011, Hardy indicated in a telephone call to Anthony Hardy that Roberts would be supplying him with seven kilograms of cocaine for $31,500 per kilogram. The next day in Salisbury, Maryland, Andrew Jackson, under Roberts’ direction, provided several kilograms of cocaine to Maurice Hardy. Subsequent to this meeting, law enforcement stopped Jackson’s vehicle and seized over $160,000 from a hidden compartment.
On June 28, 2011, during a telephone call, Anthony Hardy told Maurice Hardy that he had 12 kilograms of cocaine. Maurice Hardy agreed to purchase two kilograms of cocaine at $33,000 per kilogram. According to his plea agreement, Anthony Hardy did not actually have 12 kilograms of cocaine in his possession. This is reflected by the fact that the next day, Anthony Hardy met Maurice Hardy in Nanticoke, and provided Maurice Hardy with 1.027 kilograms of cocaine, not two kilograms as had been agreed upon. After the meeting, law enforcement stopped Maurice Hardy’s car and seized the cocaine.
During the course of the conspiracy, Anthony Hardy and his co-conspirators distributed over 5 kilograms of cocaine.
Maurice Kenneth Hardy, age 37, of Bridgeville, Delaware, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Austin Roberts, III, age 37, formerly of Elkridge, Maryland; Andrew Jackson, age 39, of Baltimore, Maryland; and Tereek Nutter, age 30, of Salisbury, Maryland, also pleaded guilty to their participation in the drug conspiracy and were sentenced to 19 years in prison,10 years in prison and 151 months in prison, respectively.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force, comprised of the Maryland State Police, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, Salisbury Police Department, Fruitland Police Department, and the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Martinez, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
