Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced Charles Gilliam, Jr., a/k/a “Big Head Charlie," “Big C," and “Chuck," age 51, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 210 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Baltimore District Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
“Charles Gilliam led a drug organization that also used guns and violence as part of their business model," said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We will not tolerate those who bring death through drugs and gun violence to our neighborhoods. Gilliam now faces more than 17 years in federal prison, where there is no parole-ever. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove those who would commit violence from our community. "
According to his guilty plea, Gilliam was the leader of a drug trafficking conspiracy which operated an open-air drug market near the 600 block of Glenwood Avenue in the Woodbourne-McCabe neighborhood of Baltimore, where they sold the organization's signature orange-top vials of crack cocaine. The organization also distributed crack cocaine and heroin at other locations in Baltimore. The members of the organization purchased cocaine and heroin, then used residences in and around North Baltimore to cut, package, and store the narcotics, as well as to convert the powder cocaine to crack by cooking it in the stash houses.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Gilliam was responsible for distributing wholesale quantities of heroin on behalf of the organization. Gilliam and other members of the conspiracy sold large quantities of heroin, and used stash houses to process and repackage these narcotics for distribution. On several occasions, Gilliam was recorded on video in a stash house, engaging in drug trafficking activities, including mixing heroin with cutting agents and packaging heroin for distribution.
On Aug. 22, 2016, Gilliam was recorded on video in the stash house preparing heroin with co-conspirator Theodore Smith. During the recording, Gilliam discussed the organization’s sales of crack cocaine at the street shop and provided advice to Smith about how Smith could increase street sales of crack cocaine. Smith’s responsibilities in the organization included overseeing and managing the distribution of crack cocaine on the streets, collecting proceeds from sales, making sure the organization had a sufficient supply of cocaine, and cooking cocaine into crack cocaine.
Some members of the conspiracy committed acts of violence in furtherance of the organization's activities and routinely carried firearms. In an attempt to avoid detection, Gilliam and his co-conspirators frequently changed phones and conducted counter surveillance of law enforcement. The proceeds from the sale of the narcotics were used to expand the drug operation and to pay for legal counsel for other members who were arrested for trafficking narcotics.
Twelve members of the conspiracy were convicted in this case, including Gilliam and Theodore Smith, a/k/a “40 Money," age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, who was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. The remaining defendants received sentences ranging from 50 months in federal prison to 14 years in federal prison.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derek Hines and Leo Wise, who prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
