Laurel Felon Exiled to Over 12 Years in Prison for Drug and Gun Offenses

GREENBELT, MD—U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. sentenced Carlos Ortiz, age 22, of Laurel, Maryland, today to 151 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine and being a felon in possession of a gun and ammunition.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Interim Chief Mark Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to Ortiz’s plea agreement, from April 16 to August 25, 2010, Ortiz conspired with others to distribute between 500 grams and five kilograms of cocaine, and between 280 grams and 500 grams of crack cocaine in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. Ortiz received the drugs from sources in Maryland and elsewhere. On multiple occasions, Ortiz converted cocaine hydrochloride into cocaine base by cooking it at a co-conspirator’s kitchen.

A search warrant was executed on August 17, 2010 at Ortiz’s and another co-conspirator’s residence. Two pistols and $6,652 belonging to Ortiz were seized from the co-conspirator’s residence where Ortiz stored the guns. Ortiz was previously convicted of a felony and thus prohibited from possessing the guns.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in this investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Mara Zusman Greenberg and James A. Crowell, who prosecuted the case.