Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Earl Hamman Musheer, age 60, of Baltimore, today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts.
According to his plea agreement, Musheer had a co-conspirator retrieve packages containing a total of at least five kilograms of cocaine from a store in Baltimore County, Maryland. The cocaine was destined for sale in and around Baltimore.
On November 6, 2014, DEA investigators became aware that a suspicious package was in route to the store. When the parcel was delivered a couple days later to the store, the investigators detected a strong odor emanating from the box. A drug detection dog alerted on the parcel, indicating the presence of a controlled substance. The investigators subsequently opened the parcel pursuant to a search and seizure warrant. The parcel contained more than five kilograms of cocaine, which has a wholesale value of roughly $150,000. After obtaining a second warrant authorizing the installation of a tracking device within the parcel, the investigators inserted the tracking device and returned the package to the store.
On Nov. 10, 2014, the co-conspirator retrieved the package, and was observed driving to meet Musheer in Baltimore City. Musheer placed the package in his own car, after which both were arrested. At the time of his arrest, Musheer had over $40,000 in cash and numerous pre-paid cell phones in his car.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. Warwick and Joshua T. Ferrentino, who prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
