ALEXANDRIA, VA – Carrington Hammond, 29, of Alexandria, Virginia, will spend the next 15 years behind bars after being sentenced today for a large-scale fentanyl and firearm trafficking operation that saturated the Eastern District of Virginia with lethal drugs. Hammond conspired with suppliers in Arizona and local dealers to push kilogram quantities of fentanyl, often disguised as legitimate oxycodone pills.
Federal prosecutors detailed how Hammond’s network utilized the U.S. Postal Service to ship massive amounts of the deadly drug. One package intercepted by law enforcement contained a staggering 50,000 counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. Beyond pills, Hammond also dealt in powdered fentanyl and cocaine, turning a substantial profit from the opioid crisis. The operation wasn’t limited to drugs; Hammond also peddled firearms, including at least one “ghost gun” – an untraceable weapon often assembled from parts and lacking serial numbers.
On August 10, 2023, authorities raided an Alexandria apartment used as a hub for Hammond’s illicit activities. The search yielded a horrifying cache: over five kilograms of fentanyl-laced pills, more than two kilograms of fentanyl powder, over one kilogram of cocaine, 2.5 kilograms of marijuana, and two firearms. One gun was stashed under a couch cushion, while a loaded semi-automatic weapon was found next to a safe containing a kilogram of fentanyl – a clear indication of Hammond’s willingness to use force to protect his operation.
This wasn’t Hammond’s first brush with the law. Court records reveal a history of prior convictions for drug and firearm offenses, as well as violent crimes. The sentencing of Hammond is the latest development in a broader investigation led by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency initiative aimed at dismantling major drug trafficking organizations. Three of Hammond’s co-conspirators are slated to be sentenced on February 20.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather D. Call and Kristin S. Starr, with assistance from the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force. The investigation involved a collaborative effort from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and local police departments in Alexandria and Fairfax County.
U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget, ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, Acting U.S. Postal Inspector Ajay D. Lall, Alexandria Chief of Police Don Hayes, and Fairfax County Chief of Police Kevin Davis all announced the sentencing, highlighting the coordinated effort to combat the flow of fentanyl and illegal firearms into the region. The 15-year sentence sends a message: those who profit from poisoning communities and arming criminals will face serious consequences.
Related Federal Cases
- Justin Udvardi, Fentanyl Distribution, Alexandria VA, 2024 · Virginia
- Terrence McGuirk, Methamphetamine Trafficking, W.Va. 2024 · Ohio
- Christopher Park, Cocaine Trafficking, West Virginia 2024 · Ohio
- Honduran National Sentenced to 3 Years for Meth, Fentanyl, and Reentry Crimes · New York
- Jesse James Bailey, Aryan Gang Drug Trafficking, Washington 2024 · Idaho
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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