Desmond Jones, a 45-year-old Baltimore resident, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, along with officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Baltimore County Police Department, and Baltimore City Police Department.
According to court documents, in 2023, federal agencies investigated a drug trafficking organization operating in Baltimore that distributed large amounts of cocaine. Investigators identified Jones as a member of this group through his connection with another member from California, referred to as Co-Conspirator 1 (CC-1).
In August 2023, law enforcement surveilled CC-1’s residence in Baltimore City and observed several meetings involving Jones and other individuals carrying bags suspected of containing drugs or money. On two occasions in mid-August, Jones was seen bringing weighted bags into the residence and leaving with smaller bags.
After CC-1 left Baltimore on August 24, investigators continued their surveillance. When CC-1 returned from California on August 30 via Baltimore Washington International Airport, authorities tracked his movements along with those of Jones. They observed co-conspirators transporting large duffle bags into a stash location in Timonium, Maryland.
Investigators followed Jones and CC-1 as they met with another co-conspirator at National Harbor before returning to the stash site. There, law enforcement intervened while Jones and CC-1 were unloading duffle bags; one bag had a tear revealing kilogram packages of drugs inside.
Authorities seized the duffle bags and detained Jones, CC-1, and another individual present at the location. In total, law enforcement recovered 32 kilogram packages of cocaine from the stash site along with equipment for processing bulk drugs such as a kilo press and digital scales. They also found marijuana, cash, a money counter, two firearms—one with an obliterated serial number—and personal documents belonging to Jones.
Jones admitted in his plea agreement that he possessed 75 kilograms of cocaine as part of the drug trafficking conspiracy. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and up to life imprisonment, followed by supervised release that could last for life. Sentencing is scheduled for November 18 at 10 a.m.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation targeting high-level drug traffickers using collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies.
Kelly O. Hayes stated: "U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, HSI, IRS-CI, BCPD, and BPD for their work in the investigation." She also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin C. Miner for prosecuting the case.
Further information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
