Washington – In a grim victory for law enforcement, Demetrius Muschetta, 33, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a staggering thirteen years in prison for his role as the head of a major narcotics conspiracy. The operation, which spanned the District of Columbia and Maryland, was one of the largest to have been dismantled in recent years.
Muschetta’s sentence was announced by top U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and other law enforcement officials from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and the FBI. The sentence stems from Muschetta’s leadership role in a conspiracy that involved the distribution and possession of large quantities of heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base.
The investigation into Muschetta’s activities began in January 2015 when the FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force focused on the Barnaby Terrace area of Southeast Washington. The evidence presented revealed that Muschetta, along with Myron Williams, was at the heart of a drug business that purchased large quantities of narcotics from multiple sources and then distributed them to co-defendants for sale.
Seizures during the investigation included kilograms of heroin, cocaine, firearms, and substantial amounts of cash. Muschetta’s own vehicle yielded three kilograms of heroin, while his Washington, D.C. residence held additional drugs drying on windowsills and several firearms in close proximity to children.
The Honorable Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell accepted a guilty plea from Muschetta in November 2016, with the sentence calling for 11 to 13 years in prison. In addition to his prison term, Muschetta will be on supervised release for five years and must pay $237,336 in forfeiture.
Over the past 18 months, Chief Judge Howell has also accepted guilty pleas from 15 others charged in the case, including Myron Williams, who received a nine-year sentence. The other defendants were sentenced to five years in prison each.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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