Heroin Trafficking, Maryland 2023

BALTIMORE, MD – Forty-one kilograms of suspected heroin are off the streets and three men are facing serious federal charges following a bust at a Jessup truck stop. The takedown, the culmination of a lengthy investigation, highlights the continued flow of deadly narcotics into the heart of Maryland.

A federal criminal complaint was filed June 1, 2017, charging Perry Brown, age 53, of Baltimore, Maryland; Juan Olvera Morales, age 34, of St. Anthony, Idaho; and Alfredo Manuel Nevares, age 41, of West Valley, Utah, with intent to distribute narcotics and conspiracy to distribute narcotics. The charges stem from an investigation that began back in October 2015, focused on the drug trafficking activities of multiple individuals.

According to court documents, investigators received a tip regarding a potential drug transaction, leading them to focus on Brown. Surveillance on May 31, 2017, caught Brown, Morales, and Nevares transferring numerous bags from a truck to a van at the Jessup truck stop. That’s when law enforcement moved in, seizing the 41 kilograms of suspected heroin and taking all three men into custody. The affidavit doesn’t detail the origin of the heroin or the intended destination, but the quantity suggests a large-scale operation.

Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Stephen M. Schenning, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office, jointly announced the charges. Schenning praised the DEA’s work on the case, emphasizing the importance of interagency cooperation in combating drug trafficking.

If convicted of either conspiracy to distribute or possession with the intent to distribute narcotics, Brown, Morales, and Nevares each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. However, a criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. Each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hanlon is prosecuting the case.

Beyond the DEA, Schenning specifically thanked the Baltimore City Police Department, Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, Baltimore County Police Department, Immigration Custom Enforcement (ICE-ERO), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Maryland Transportation Authority Police (MTAP) for their contributions to the investigation. The agencies worked in concert to bring the operation to a close, but the fight against drug trafficking in Maryland is far from over. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on its developments.

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