Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury today convicted Andracos Marshall, a/k/a “Draco,” age 41, of Bowie, Maryland, for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and for money laundering conspiracy.
The conviction 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 Paul M. Abbate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office; Interim Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief of Police Robert D. MacLean of the U.S. Park Police; Postal Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police;.
According to evidence presented at his 13-day trial, from at least January 2011 through January 2015, Marshall conspired with Anthony Torrell Tatum, Ishmael Ford-Bey and others to distribute cocaine and heroin in Prince George’s County, including Oxon Hill, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Testimony showed that in from January 2011 until August 2012, Ford-Bey, assisted by Marshall, received multiple kilogram shipments of cocaine from a source in California.
According to witness testimony and court documents, on August 15, 2012, the Texas Department of Public Safety stopped a refrigerated box truck that was transporting 13 boxes, each containing approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine. The boxes were to be delivered to Ford-Bey in Temple Hills, Maryland. A controlled delivery of the boxes was arranged. On August 17, 2012, law enforcement established surveillance at the meeting location in Marlow Heights, Maryland. A few minutes after the truck arrived, a vehicle registered to Ford-Bey at a Mitchellville address arrived at the location. Law enforcement observed the truck driver and Ford-Bey unloading the drugs into Ford-Bey’s vehicle. As Ford-Bey left the area, he was followed by another vehicle being driven by Marshall. As law enforcement officers pursued Ford-Bey, Marshall drove his vehicle in a manner to thwart law enforcement efforts to stop him. Ford-Bey and Marshall eventually abandoned their vehicles after a high-speed chase on I-495 and ran away. Agents recovered the vehicles, the cocaine, cell phones, and other evidence. Marshall remained a fugitive until he was arrested in January 2015.
In an effort to disguise and hide their drug proceeds, Marshall and his co-conspirators used aliases and false identifications and created numerous business entities, which had little, if any, legitimate business. Evidence showed that the co-conspirators used the aliases and false identifications to rent facilities used to further their drug trafficking activities. According to information presented at trial, Marshall and his co-conspirators also rented storage facilities and apartments that were used in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. For example, on February 22, 2013, a third party leased an apartment for Marshall in the 3800 block of Tunlaw Road in Washington, D.C. Investigation revealed that Tatum and Ford-Bey were visitors to the apartment. On October 1, 2013, a search warrant was executed at the apartment. Agents located a safe which contained $823,640 in cash, several expensive watches, and jewelry. In addition, agents recovered scales, three heat sealers, a coffee grinder, a currency counter, and other drug paraphernalia, as well as approximately 150 grams of cocaine base.
Marshall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of life in prison for the conspiracy, and for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for June 6, 2016, at 11 a.m.
Five defendants, including Marshall, were convicted federally for their participation in the conspiracy. Co-conspirators Anthony Torrell Tatum, age 37, of Arlington, Virginia; Ishmael Ford-Bey, age 40, of Mitchellville, Maryland; Terrin Tamal Anderson, age 29, of Waldorf, Maryland; and David Allen Jones, age 40, of District Heights, Maryland; previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 27 years in prison, 33 years in prison, 12 years in prison and 45 months in prison, respectively. Judge Chasanow also entered an order requiring Tatum and Ford-Bey to pay a $108 million money judgment, and a forfeiture order for personal property, including luxury vehicles, jewelry and cash.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, FBI, Prince George’s County Police Department, U.S. Park Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS-CI, ATF and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston, Ray D. McKenzie, and Thomas P. Windom, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.