Eight individuals have been sentenced for their involvement in a drug trafficking operation in the Eastern Panhandle. The indictment, returned in January 2024 against Gary Brown, Jr. and 81 others, alleged that the defendants distributed significant quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
The individuals sentenced this week include Eric Garner, also known as “Pops,” age 58, from Baltimore, Maryland, who received a sentence of 300 months. Gary Rodriguez, known as “Mr. T,” age 34, from Lanham, Maryland, was sentenced to 240 months in prison. Benjamin Paul Knotts, age 49, from Charles Town, West Virginia, received a sentence of 235 months. Damian Costello, age 28, from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia was sentenced to 180 months in prison. Michael Bradley Decker, age 44 from Inwood West Virginia was sentenced to 97 months. Gary Brown III age 20 from Baltimore Maryland was sentenced to 36 months Wendy Diane Crites age 58 from Charles Town West Virginia was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and Michael Regale Luckett age 47 from Martinsburg West Virginia was sentenced to nine months in federal prison.
Of the original group of defendants charged with these crimes one remains at large: Charles Delroy Singletary aged forty-four years old hailing outta Baltimore MD is still on-the-run; however eighty-one other people have already been convicted seventy having already faced sentencing including those eight mentioned above
Assistant U.S Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher along with Kyle Kane prosecuted these cases representing government interests while presiding over proceedings was none other than U.S District Judge Gina M Groh
This case involved multiple investigative agencies such as Federal Bureau Investigation (Pittsburgh Field Division & Baltimore Field Division) Drug Enforcement Administration US Department Homeland Security Investigations United States Postal Inspection Service Bureau Alcohol Tobacco Firearms Explosives United States Marshals Service Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force HIDTA-funded initiative West Virginia State Police Air National Guard Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office Ranson Police Department Martinsburg Police Department Charles Town Police Department Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Stafford County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia) Frederick County Sheriff’s Offices both Maryland & Virginia Winchester Police Department Clarke County Sheriff’s office(Virginia)
The investigation forms part Operation Take Back America nationwide initiative aimed at repelling illegal immigration eliminating cartels transnational criminal organizations protecting communities against violent crime perpetrators Streamlining efforts resources Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces OCDETFs Project Safe Neighborhood PSN
