United States Drug Enforcement Administration

FEB 21--Greenbelt, Maryland - Steven Andre Fenwick age 34, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland was sentenced today to 140 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland  Rod J. Rosenstein. U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte also ordered that Fenwick forfeit several vehicles and $16,971 seized from one of his homes.

According to his guilty plea, from 2000 to 2003 Fenwick coordinated the distribution of large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine to customers, by obtaining bulk quantities of cocaine from others, including Henry Saunders, and providing the cocaine to Antoine Powell, Eric Lyles and Johnny Fenwick for redistribution.  Investigators intercepted hundreds of conversations from Fenwick’s cellular phone in which he directed his co-conspirators where to meet him to conduct drug transactions.  Over 1.5 kilograms of cocaine base are attributable to Fenwick.

Fenwick also conspired to use drug proceeds to commit money laundering by purchasing and refinancing several homes in Forestville, Oxon Hill and Fairmont Heights, Maryland, through submission of false loan applications and supporting documents.  Fenwick would purchase the home and refinance the mortgage several times for larger amounts, each time submitting falsified loan documents.  Fenwick would then take the cash obtained through refinancing the mortgages and invest in other homes.  The amount of laundered funds exceeded $400,000. 

Saunders, age 29, of Washington, D.C.; Powell, age 39, of Clinton, Maryland; Lyles, age  35; and Johnny Fenwick, age 29; both of Waldorf, Maryland, previously pled guilty to charges arising from their participation in the drug conspiracy and were sentenced to 181 months, 121 months, 188 months and 188 months in prison, respectively.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Charles County Sheriff's Office for their investigative work, and  commended Assistant United States Attorney Gina Simms, who prosecuted the case.