Hagerstown Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison in Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana in Western Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett, sentenced David Lynch, age 26, of Hagerstown, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, as well as conspiracy to launder money.
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; Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric C. Hylton of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Hagerstown Police Chief Arthur Smith; and Washington County Sheriff Douglas W. Mullendore.
“This case illustrates DEA’s mission to take down drug trafficking organizations anywhere,” stated Ava Cooper-Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division. “Mr. Lynch pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute both cocaine and marijuana and now will serve federal prison time because of outstanding police work by all law enforcement agencies involved,” added Cooper-Davis.
“IRS Criminal Investigation plays a unique role in federal law enforcement’s counter-drug effort in that we target the profit and financial gains of narcotics traffickers which comprise a significant portion of the untaxed underground economy” said IRS Special Agent in Charge Eric Hylton. “IRS-CI is committed to fighting the war on drugs along with other federal, state and local agencies.”
According to Lynch’s guilty plea, upon his return to Maryland from military service in 2007, David Lynch joined a conspiracy to distribute drugs in Western Maryland. The conspirators would order marijuana and cocaine from a source in Texas and have the marijuana and cocaine shipped to Maryland. Once in Maryland, Lynch and the other members of the conspiracy would sell the marijuana and cocaine. The proceeds would be placed in a bank account, including one held in the name of David Lynch, at a branch in Maryland or New Jersey, and then be withdrawn at a branch in Texas and be used to purchase more marijuana and cocaine. Throughout the course of his participation in the conspiracy, over $500,000 in funds was deposited and then withdrawn from bank accounts associated with the conspiracy, and at least $138,780 in funds was deposited and then withdrawn from Lynch’s bank account. Through his involvement in the conspiracy, Lynch was responsible for the distribution of between five and fifteen kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 to 3,000 kilograms of marijuana.
Five other co-defendants have pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced in the next few months.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, IRS-CI, Hagerstown Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Peter M. Nothstein, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
