Former Philadelphia Police Officer Eric Troy Snell, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison for conspiring with a rogue member of the Baltimore Police Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) to traffic heroin and cocaine seized during police operations. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake handed down the sentence, which includes three years of supervised release, after Snell admitted to his role in the illicit drug ring that exploited law enforcement authority for criminal profit.
The case centers on Snell’s collaboration with former GTTF Detective Jemell Rayam, with whom he trained at the Baltimore Police Academy. After leaving the Baltimore force in 2008, Snell joined the Philadelphia Police Department on September 29, 2014. But instead of upholding the law, prosecutors say he used his badge as cover for crime. From October 2016 to June 26, 2017, Snell conspired with Rayam to distribute narcotics taken from suspects during official police actions—including a nine-ounce cocaine haul from a fleeing suspect, G.H., who tossed the stash from his car during a high-speed chase near Mondawmin Mall.
On October 3, 2016, GTTF Sergeant Wayne Jenkins and Rayam recovered the cocaine after G.H. crashed. Jenkins ordered Rayam to sell the drugs and hand over the proceeds. Days later, Snell reached out, demanding a cut of the stolen stash. On October 20, 2016, Rayam drove to Philadelphia, handed over the cocaine, and met with Snell and Snell’s brother to plan its sale. They negotiated prices, splits, and payouts—$2,000 from the first sale, half of which Snell wired to Rayam’s bank account on October 27, 2016. Additional payments, including a $2,500 deposit, followed.
Snell also admitted to arranging heroin deals with Rayam, including an October 23, 2016 agreement for Rayam to supply him with heroin for distribution. The operation relied on encrypted communication and cash exchanges, but began to unravel after Rayam was arrested on June 26, 2017. From jail, Rayam spoke with Snell on recorded phone lines—where Snell urged him to ‘say less’ to avoid tipping off investigators.
When federal agents questioned Snell, he lied, claiming the payments to Rayam were gambling debts. But on November 14, 2017, during transport to Baltimore for his initial appearance, Snell confessed: the money was for drugs. His admission, captured on record, sealed his fate. On November 1, 2018, after three days of trial, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.
“The community needs to know that when we have evidence of wrongdoing, we will follow that evidence and prosecute you—whether you wear a badge or not,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Prosecuting law enforcement officers is painful, but necessary if we are to restore the public’s trust in our justice system. No one is above the law.” The FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, led by Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore, called the case a stark reminder that corruption, especially when armed with a badge, will be met with full federal force.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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