Catlett Crack Ring Busted: MD Kingpin Admits Guilt

WASHINGTON D.C. – Darnell Catlett, 46, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, has confessed to running a significant narcotics operation stretching across the District of Columbia and his home state. Catlett pled guilty yesterday to leading a nearly year-long conspiracy involving the trafficking of crack and powder cocaine, according to federal prosecutors. The bust represents another blow to the city’s ongoing struggle with drug-fueled violence.

U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara announced the guilty plea, secured before the Honorable Richard J. Leon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Catlett admitted to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and a detectable amount of cocaine. This charge carries a hefty mandatory minimum sentence of ten years behind bars, with the potential for life imprisonment. Sentencing guidelines suggest Catlett could face between 168 and 210 months in federal prison.

The FBI’s investigation, launched in early 2018, culminated in Catlett’s arrest on March 15, 2018, and a subsequent raid on his residence. Agents discovered a chilling arsenal: a loaded firearm, a staggering $70,813 in U.S. currency, and a money counter. But the real payoff came when they searched his BMW, parked in the garage, uncovering 234 grams of meticulously packaged crack cocaine. As part of the plea deal, Catlett acknowledged responsibility for a firearm found at a separate Maryland residence linked to the conspiracy, solidifying his position as the operation’s leader.

Catlett wasn’t operating alone. Five other individuals have already pled guilty in connection with the case: Everette Reel, 46, of Upper Marlboro, MD; Jamal Curtis, 41, of Washington, D.C.; Derek Holmes, 54, of Washington, D.C.; Russell Harrison, 40, of Temple Hills, MD, and Brian Jenkins, 44, of Brentwood, MD. Reel, Curtis, and Holmes are already serving time. Harrison and Jenkins await sentencing, facing their own significant penalties. Harrison, for possessing multiple firearms during drug trafficking, faces a mandatory minimum of five years and potentially life. Jenkins, for distributing cocaine and crack, could receive between five and forty years.

This case falls under the umbrella of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a federal initiative focused on dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The investigation highlights the interconnectedness of drug distribution and firearm possession, a deadly combination fueling crime in both Washington D.C. and Maryland. Catlett’s sentencing is scheduled for August 9, 2019, where Judge Leon will determine the fate of this convicted drug kingpin.

U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge McNamara praised the relentless work of the investigative team. They specifically cited the contributions of Paralegal Specialists Candace Battle and Teesha Tobias, Legal Assistant Emma Atlas, and attorneys Christopher Macchiaroli and Kevin Rosenberg of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Section, who painstakingly built the case, secured the indictments, and ultimately brought Catlett and his co-conspirators to justice. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing of the remaining defendants.