Maryland Man Sentenced for Heroin, Fentanyl, and Cocaine Distribution

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – In a major blow to the Eastern Panhandle’s narcotics trade, 44-year-old Marcus Deon Longus of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base, and cocaine hydrochloride.

According to evidence presented in court, Longus worked with other individuals to distribute the illicit substances from a Hagerstown, Maryland appliance store named Top 3 Sources. He supplied a number of drug dealers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, often traveling to New York to pick up the drugs and transport them back to Hagerstown for redistribution.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher led the prosecution on behalf of the government, working tirelessly to dismantle the large-scale operation.

The investigation, which involved multiple agencies, was a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement in the region. Participating agencies included the FBI-Pittsburgh Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Virginia Air National Guard, and several others.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over the case, handing down the sentence in a Martinsburg courtroom. As Longus begins serving his 14-year sentence, the Eastern Panhandle can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that one major player in the region’s narcotics trade has been brought to justice.

Longus’s sentence serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of engaging in large-scale narcotics distribution. As the region continues to grapple with the opioid epidemic, it is imperative that law enforcement and prosecution efforts remain vigilant in their pursuit of those responsible.

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