United States Drug Enforcement Administration

GREENBELT - , Md. - U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus, Jr. sentenced Rashard Wilson, age 22, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, today to 235 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute (PCP), crack cocaine and heroin.  Judge Titus enhanced Wilson’s sentence upon finding that he is a career offender based on four previous convictions for 2nd degree assault, carjacking, assault on a police officer and possession with intent to distribute PCP.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; and Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to Wilson’s guilty plea, from August 2011 through February 2012, Wilson participated in a conspiracy to distribute PCP and other drugs in the Prince George’s County and Washington, D.C. area.  During the conspiracy, Wilson bought PCP, cocaine and heroin from co-defendant Samuel Braxton, a/k/a “Fats.”  Wilson then redistributed the drugs to his customers.  Wilson and other members of the conspiracy used Braxton’s apartment in Temple Hills, Maryland, as a base of operations for storing and distributing narcotics.  Wilson often met Braxton at the apartment to obtain drugs.  Between November 2011 and January 2012, Wilson and Braxton were overheard by law enforcement using coded language to discuss their drug trafficking activities.  On December 8, 2011, Wilson was stopped by law enforcement in Washington, D.C., after visiting Braxton’s apartment.  As Wilson was pulling over, officers saw the front seat passenger throw a white plastic bag out the window.  Officers found the bag, which contained two bottles with a total of approximately eight ounces of PCP.

Over the course of the conspiracy, Wilson was responsible for the distribution of between one and three kilograms of PCP, between 28 and 112 grams of crack cocaine, and between 20 and 40 grams of heroin.

Braxton, age 44, of Temple Hills, pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 1, 2013.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Christen A. Sproule and Steven E. Swaney, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.