Baltimore Wholesaler of Heroin Exiled to over 24 Years in Prison

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Charles Leonard Galloway, age 46, of Baltimore, today to 292 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Judge Bennett enhanced Galloway’s sentence upon finding that he was a leader of a drug organization, and that Galloway had attempted to persuade a government witness to lie about evidence at trial.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III of the Baltimore City Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein.

According to testimony presented at the five day trial, from January 2009 to December 2010, Galloway obtained heroin from a Mexican cartel through a broker, co-defendant Santos Chavez, who was located in California. Galloway sold the heroin to other conspirators for resale on the streets of Baltimore. A co-conspirator testified that he obtained 60 grams of heroin one to three times a week for approximately a year from Galloway, which is over three kilograms of heroin.

On March 21, 2012, while in custody pending trial, Galloway called a government witness and attempted to persuade her to lie about whether she took a photograph depicting Galloway holding approximately $100,000 in cash. The photograph was admitted into evidence at trial, along with the recorded jail call.

Sanchez and four other defendants pleaded guilty to their participation in the conspiracy, another defendant was convicted by a federal jury of the conspiracy. The defendants were sentenced to between one year and 90 months in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, Baltimore City Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Ayn B. Ducao and Philip Jackson, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.