Laurel Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang sentenced Christian Diamond Byrd, age 44, of Laurel, Maryland today to 15 years in prison followed by four years of supervised release for distribution of heroin.  Judge Chuang also ordered Byrd to forfeit $440,000, as the proceeds of his drug distribution.

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; Assistant Director in Charge Andrew G. McCabe of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Kelly of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, Byrd admitted that from May 2012 through September 2014 he regularly distributed heroin in 50 gram and 100 gram quantities.  For example, Byrd sold a confidential source 100 grams of heroin for $11,000 on June 11, 2014, and again on July 9, 2014.  On July 24, 2014, Byrd sold a confidential source 50 grams of heroin for $5,500.  Each transaction took place in Laurel, Maryland and was video and audio recorded.

On October 1, 2014, a search warrant was executed at Byrd’s residence and law enforcement recovered $31,400, including some of the money given to Byrd by the confidential source on June 11^th.  Byrd was arrested on October 1, 2014 and agents seized approximately one gram of heroin and $8,510 in cash from Byrd.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised DEA, FBI, IRS-CI and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Thomas Windom, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.