United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BALTIMORE - U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles Jr. sentenced Karl McDonald, 30, of Baltimore, to 151 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.  Judge Quarles enhanced McDonald’s sentence upon finding that he is a career offender based on two previous drug convictions.

The sentence was announced by Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein.

According to McDonald's plea agreement, from at least 2010 through June 2013, McDonald conspired with others to obtain cocaine from suppliers in Arizona and Texas. Once the cocaine arrived in Baltimore, McDonald converted the powder cocaine to crack cocaine for street level distribution.  McDonald operated a distribution shop in Baltimore where the crack cocaine was sold.  During the spring of 2013, DEA agents intercepted phone calls of members of the drug trafficking organization, including McDonald.  On June 6, 2013, law enforcement executed search warrants at locations used by the organization in the Baltimore metropolitan area.  DEA seized approximately 250 grams of cocaine, as well as packaged crack cocaine, from the main stash house of the organization. 
       
McDonald admits that he is responsible for the distribution of between 28 and 112 grams of crack cocaine.