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EASTERN SHORE MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR POSSESSING WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Rydell Washington, 37, of Salisbury, Maryland, to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
According to the guilty plea, on May 6, 2023, USPIS agents identified an inbound parcel, addressed to a residence in Federalsburg, Maryland, that contained suspected controlled substances. On May 9, USPIS obtained a federal warrant for the parcel, opened it, and discovered approximately two kilograms of white powder wrapped in two, roughly equal-sized, brick-shaped packages within the shipping box.
USPIS removed one kilogram of the substance to seize as evidence and repackaged the other to conduct a controlled delivery. Then on May 10, USPIS performed a controlled delivery to the residence. The parcel contained approximately one kilogram of cocaine, a GPS tracker, and a beacon that law enforcement placed in the parcel. Authorities identified Washington as the recipient of the package during the controlled delivery operation. Washington now admits that he knowingly possessed at least 1002.9 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Kalim and Patrick Rigney who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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