Baltimore Area Drug Dealer Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison For Conspiracy To Distribute Kilograms Of Cocaine

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Vincent Cooper, age 47, of Washington, D.C., to 11 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 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; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department.

 According to court documents and his plea agreement, Cooper conspired to distribute cocaine from at least November 2013 through August 2014.  During the time of the conspiracy, Cooper purchased a total of at least 14 kilograms of cocaine on four separate occasions.

On August 11, 2014, Cooper told a cooperating individual (CI) that he wanted to purchase seven kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of heroin, but currently had the money to purchase six kilograms of cocaine.  According to court documents, Cooper instructed the CI to meet him at an apartment complex in Baltimore, where Cooper worked as a maintenance man.  Law enforcement saw Cooper and co-defendant Antoine Washington arrive at the apartment complex.  Washington was arrested in the parking lot.  Cooper was located coming up the basement stairs of the apartment complex.  Law enforcement found a key to the maintenance closet thrown near the stairs where Cooper was first seen by law enforcement. After obtaining consent to search the maintenance closet from the owner of the apartment complex, law enforcement recovered a brown paper bag containing $216,140 in cash.  Law enforcement also recovered $7,000 in cash from Washington’s car.

Four other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the scheme: Antoine DeMarr Washington, age 42, of Washington, D.C.; Guy Bordes Agnant, Jr., age 38, of Laurel, Maryland; Tavon Alexander Louis Hopkins, age 38; and Donte Eugene Taylor, age 39, both of Baltimore. All are awaiting sentencing.

On March 20, 2015, a federal jury today convicted co-defendants Jermaine Cannady, a/k/a “Main,” age 39; Cornell Dion Brown, a/k/a “Nelly,” age 29; Dominic William Parker, a/k/a “Nick,” age 30, all of Baltimore; and Ronald Timothy Sampson, a/k/a “Little Ronald,” age 35, of Windsor Mills, Maryland for conspiracy to distribute kilograms of cocaine and/or heroin, and for attempting to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and/or heroin. Each faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and/or heroin, and for attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine and/or heroin. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Sampson, Parker, Cannady and Brown on June 24, June 26, June 29, and June 30, 2015, respectively.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, DEA and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano and Seema Mittal, who are prosecuting the case.