Harford County Drug Dealer Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Sell Crack

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baltimore:

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Reginald Leon Bolden, age 37, of Harford County, Maryland yesterday to nine years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine. As part of his plea agreement, Bolden must also forfeit a Chevrolet Camaro and more than $3,000.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Harford County State’s Attorney Albert J. Peisinger, Jr.; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; Sheriff Jeff Gahler of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office; and the Harford County Narcotics Task Force comprised of members of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Aberdeen Police Department, Bel Air Police Department, and Havre de Grace Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, as a result of the Harford County Narcotics Task Force investigation Bolden, Tremayne Gerrad Murphy, and Joel William Hammond were identified as members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that was distributing powder and crack cocaine.

Law enforcement observed Bolden and his co-conspirators engaged in drug-related activities, including on February 24, 2020, when investigators surveilled Bolden and Murphy as they traveled to Wilmington, Delaware to meet with a cocaine supplier. After purchasing nine ounces of cocaine from the supplier, Bolden and Murphy returned to Harford County to distribute the cocaine.

Two days later, Murphy was observed traveling to a Wilmington, Delaware casino to return the cocaine to the cocaine source after customers complained about the quality of the cocaine. After meeting with the source, detectives followed Murphy back to Harford County where they saw Murphy conduct a hand-to-hand drug transaction.

As stated in his agreement, on March 15, 2020, Bolden was heard discussing the purchase of three ounces of crack cocaine from co-defendant Hammond. Bolden arranged the transaction through an intermediary, who gave money to Hammond in exchange for a small backpack, which investigators believed contained the cocaine.

Once the intermediary notified Bolden that he was home, Bolden arranged for Murphy to pick up the crack cocaine, then texted the intermediary. Investigators subsequently saw the intermediary leave his residence with the small backpack of suspected cocaine and get into a vehicle operated by Murphy. The intermediary quickly exited Murphy’s vehicle without the backpack and Murphy then traveled to Bolden’s residence.

Later, Bolden was seen leaving Hammond’s residence and driving back to Harford County. As Bolden returned to Harford County, members of the Harford County Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant on his vehicle and seized 16 grams of powder cocaine, 41 grams of crack cocaine, and $660 in cash. That same day, a search warrant was executed at Bolden’s residence and law enforcement recovered 12 grams of crack cocaine, $2,785 in cash, numerous items of packaging material, and a digital scale containing cocaine residue.

As a member of the DTO, Bolden agrees that it is reasonably foreseeable that the amount of crack cocaine sold was at least 280 grams but less than 840 grams.

On September 1, 2021, co-defendant Tremayne Murphy, age 40, of Harford County, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Murphy and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, he will be sentenced to between 60 months and 92 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for December 17, 2021 at 11 a.m.

On October 28. 2021, Judge Bennett sentenced co-defendant Joel Hammond, age 35, of Essex, Maryland, to six years in federal prison for his role in the drug distribution conspiracy.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Harford County Narcotics Task Force, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Romano, who is prosecuting the case.