An Anne Arundel County man has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for his role in a drug distribution conspiracy involving fentanyl, cocaine, and other controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox handed down the sentence to 36-year-old Kelly Bowers following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland, along with officials from the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD), and Annapolis Police Department (APD).
According to court documents, FBI investigators identified Bowers in August 2022 as a member of a drug trafficking organization known as Newtowne 20 DTO that operated in the Annapolis area. Law enforcement used authorized wiretaps on electronic devices belonging to members of the group, intercepting conversations that helped identify Bowers and others involved in drug trafficking activities.
Other individuals charged in connection with this case include Leonard Simms, who received a 57-month sentence; Amber Naylor, sentenced to time served; Isiah Naylor, who pled guilty; Raheem Allsup, sentenced to 48 months; and Keith Williams, sentenced to 68 months.
Bowers was described as one of the main distributors for the Newtowne 20 DTO. Investigators recorded several calls between him and customers as well as co-conspirators. Surveillance efforts led police to observe Bowers engaging in a hand-to-hand drug transaction on November 27, 2023. Officers conducted a traffic stop afterward and recovered cocaine from both Bowers' vehicle and from the buyer. During the same stop, officers also found fentanyl on Bowers.
The investigation culminated in an operation on January 25, 2024. Law enforcement executed search warrants at eight locations and four vehicles connected with the Newtowne 20 DTO around Annapolis. Drugs were recovered from three sites and a firearm was seized from one co-conspirator’s residence.
U.S. Attorney Hayes stated: "I commend the FBI, AACOPD, and APD for their work in this investigation." She also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai Everett and Jon Tsuei for prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an initiative under Executive Order 14159—Protecting the American People Against Invasion—through which Homeland Security Task Force Baltimore targets criminal organizations operating within or affecting United States communities.
For more information about resources provided by the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office or its community outreach efforts, visit justice.gov/usao-md or justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
