Leader of Kentland Drug Organization Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Prison
Total of 22 Defendants Prosecuted in Federal Conspiracy Case Targeting Kentland Neighborhood
| U.S. Attorney’s Office December 16, 2013 |
GREENBELT, MD—U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. sentenced Philip Whitehurst, a/k/a Lil Phil, age 32, of Bowie, Maryland, today to 294 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute between 2.8 and 8.4 kilograms of crack cocaine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration-Washington Field Division; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.
“Federal authorities worked with the Prince George’s County Police Department and State’s Attorney’s Office to dismantle a criminal organization that dealt drugs and despair in the Kentland area of Landover, Maryland,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “This sort of coordinated effort contributes to the crime reduction in the county.”
According to court documents, from June 2010 to August 2011, Whitehurst organized and led a large-scale cocaine distribution conspiracy that operated in the Kentland area in Landover, Maryland. Whitehurst maintained a succession of distribution houses near the Kentland area, including a location in an apartment complex on Sheriff Road in Hyattsville, Maryland. Whitehurst was responsible for the distribution of between 2.4 and 8.4 kilograms of cocaine base during the conspiracy.
On September 28, 2011, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Whitehurst’s residence and seized a loaded semi-automatic firearm.
Co-conspirator Antonio Marshall, age 36, of College Park, Maryland, was sentenced to 78 months in prison this morning. Last week, Chris Vondell Rainey, age 43, was sentenced to nine years in prison; Jason Scrivner, age 34, was sentenced to 78 months in prison; and Kenneth Smith, age 30, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for their participation in the drug conspiracy. Other defendants who participated in the drug conspiracy and have been sentenced include Xavier D. Eccleston, age 36, of Bethesda, Maryland, who was sentenced to 210 months in prison after being convicted following an eight-day trial; Shawn R. Lomax, age 35, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, who was sentenced to 148 months in prison; Demeco Savoy, age 34, of Laurel; and John Holt, age 32, of Temple Hills, Maryland, who were each sentenced to 10 years in prison; Barnell Banks, age 34, of Landover, Maryland, who was sentenced to eight years in prison; Markus J. Humphries, age 34, of Washington, D.C.; and Rodney Jennings, age 41, of Suitland, Maryland, who were each sentenced to 70 months in prison; and Robert Sears, age 34, of Suitland, who was sentenced to five years in prison. Seven additional defendants have been convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, DEA, Prince George’s County Police Department, and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney David I. Salem, Arun Rao, and Thomas Sullivan, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.