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Hagerstown Man Sentenced for Cocaine Trafficking
A Hagerstown man has been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a cocaine trafficking operation in the Hagerstown area. Eric Christopher Smallwood, a/k/a “Big Baby” and “E,” age 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Smallwood, who was a key player in the operation, regularly obtained bulk quantities of cocaine from Abdul Smith, which he re-sold to customers in the Hagerstown area. The proceeds of these sales were then used to pay for prior supplies of cocaine, according to his plea agreement.
Agents obtained a wiretap on phone lines used by Smith and Smallwood, intercepting numerous calls between them discussing the distribution of cocaine. Over the course of the conspiracy, Smallwood obtained at least 400 grams of cocaine from Smith, which he then re-distributed to customers in Maryland.
Smallwood’s sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, who praised the FBI, DEA, Hagerstown Police Department, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark and Matthew C. Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.
Smallwood’s co-defendants, including Abdul Jamel Smith, Rory Slade Jenkins, Altonia Sylvester Henderson, and Johnathan Woodley, all from Hagerstown, previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the drug conspiracy and were sentenced to varying terms, ranging from five years of probation to 51 months in prison.
The sentence brings a close to a long-running investigation into the cocaine trafficking operation in the Hagerstown area. The operation was believed to have supplied large quantities of cocaine to customers in Maryland, causing significant harm to the community.
Smallwood’s five-year sentence is a significant blow to the operation, and serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of engaging in cocaine trafficking. The case is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement agencies in the region, who worked tirelessly to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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