Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Lateef Fisher, age 37, of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, today to 13 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin or 28 grams or more of cocaine base in Hagerstown, Maryland, and the surrounding counties in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Shawn R. Ellerman of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Hagerstown Police Chief Mark Holtzman; and Washington County Sheriff Douglas W. Mullendore.
According to evidence presented at his seven day trial, Fisher sold heroin to an individual who agreed to cooperate with law enforcement. On Feb. 19, 2014, law enforcement arrested Fisher after he parked his car in a lot in Hagerstown, Maryland, and seized two plastic bags of heroin.
Law enforcement made controlled purchases of heroin using confidential informants on five occasions from March 19 to July 23, 2014. These purchases totaled over 28 grams of heroin. In addition, from May to September 2014, two customers purchased approximately one kilogram of heroin from Fisher. Other customers purchased over 600 grams of heroin in July and August, 2014.
On September 4, 2014, law enforcement executed search warrants at Fisher’s residence and a storage unit he rented, seizing 709.5 grams of heroin, 40 grams of crack cocaine, 10 handguns, ammunition, $240,000, a press designed to compress kilogram packages of narcotics, vacuum sealers, digital scales and plastic baggies.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, Hagerstown Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Washington County Narcotics Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Seema Mittal and Evan T. Shea, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
