United States Drug Enforcement Administration

GREENBELT, Md. - U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel, sentenced Steven Patrick Bruce, age 32, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, today to seven years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, being a felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy to obstruct justice. 

The sentence was announced by Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; and St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron.

According to Bruce’s plea agreement, from July 2013 until approximately July 2014, Bruce conspired with others to distribute heroin to drug customers in and around Prince George’s and Saint Mary’s Counties, Maryland.  Bruce obtained heroin from one or more suppliers, and used his residence on Lindsay Road in Oxon Hill, as a base of operations for storing and distributing narcotics. 

In late July of 2014, the DEA conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from Bruce utilizing a confidential source.  During a recorded meeting at Bruce’s residence, Bruce distributed a quantity of heroin to the confidential source for $100.  Based on his involvement in the conspiracy, Bruce admitted that he distributed between 100 grams and 400 grams of heroin.

On July 31, 2014, DEA and other law enforcement officers and agents executed a search warrant at Bruce’s residence.  During the execution of that search warrant, law enforcement officers recovered the following items, among others: an Israeli Military Industry Uzi 9 millimeter submachine gun; 346 rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition; 32 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition; and three high-capacity magazines.  Law enforcement also recovered drug paraphernalia and packaging, a bottle of Inositol (used by narcotics distributors as a cutting agent), and a small zip-lock bag containing heroin. 

On July 31, 2014, Bruce was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, and was subsequently detained by order of the court.

On August 2, 2014, while Bruce was incarcerated, he called a friend and asked a relative of that person to falsely tell Bruce’s attorney and law enforcement that the firearms, ammunition and narcotics found during the search warrant executed at Bruce’s residence belonged to the friend’s relative, not Bruce, in an attempt to obstruct the government’s investigation.