Final defendant sentenced to 12 years in prison for her role in a fentanyl and firearm trafficking conspiracy

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Sterling woman was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine and straw purchasing firearms and ammunition for convicted felons.

From at least June 2022 through August 2023, Kaitlyn Marie Hammond, 26, her husband Carrington Hammond, 30, and co-conspirator Mohamed Amine Haddou, 29, received frequent and large shipments of drugs through USPS, UPS, and FedEx from suppliers Aaron Mitchell and Iram Leyva in Arizona, and redistributed them throughout Virginia. The drugs included cocaine, powdered fentanyl, and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl each month.

Law enforcement identified at least 19 such packages mailed by Mitchell and Leyva to Carrington Hammond, Haddou, and Kaitlyn Hammond. On average, Mitchell and Leyva sent packages twice per month, with each package containing 10,000 to 20,000 fentanyl pills and one to two kilograms of cocaine. On at least one occasion in late July 2023, Kaitlyn Hammond coordinated and received a shipment containing 50,000 fentanyl pills from Mitchell.

On August 10, 2023, federal authorities searched an apartment Kaitlyn Hammond shared with Haddou in Alexandria while Carrington Hammond was incarcerated. During the search, law enforcement seized 2.2 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 50,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, 1.7 kilograms of cocaine, and 2.5 kilograms of marijuana. Most of the fentanyl pills also contained xylazine. Authorities also found a loaded CZ Scorpion assault weapon that had been purchased by Kaitlyn Hammond next to the drug stash.

After the August 2023 search and before her arrest, Kaitlyn Hammond attempted to intimidate another witness from speaking with law enforcement.

During the drug trafficking conspiracy, Kaitlyn Hammond, who possessed a concealed carry permit that allowed her to purchase multiple firearms on the same day, purchased numerous firearms that she and Carrington Hammond possessed in furtherance of the conspiracy. Kaitlyn Hammond knew that Carrington Hammond, for whom she was purchasing the firearms, was a convicted felon and had pending drug and firearms charges in Maryland and, therefore, could not legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

Kaitlyn Hammond also purchased firearms that she and Carrington Hammond resold for profit, some of which were later recovered in connection with criminal activity or from individuals prohibited from possessing them. A semi-automatic pistol was recovered from a domestic violence kidnapping incident just 10 days after it was purchased by Kaitlyn Hammond from a firearms dealer in Virginia. Another semi-automatic pistol Kaitlyn Hammond purchased from a firearms dealer in Virginia was recovered following the arrest of a drug trafficker, who was a convicted felon, in Oxon Hill, Maryland. When law enforcement seized the firearm, it was equipped with an extended magazine and 12 rounds of ammunition.

Carrington Hammond pled guilty on Oct. 24, 2023, to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced on Feb. 13 to 15 years in prison.

Haddou pled guilty on Oct. 31, 2023, to conspiring to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced on Feb. 20 to 10 years in prison. Mitchell pled guilty on Nov. 1, 2023, to conspiring to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced on Feb. 20 to 14 years in prison. Leyva pled guilty on March 20 to conspiring to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced on June 11 to 15 years in prison.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Raul Pedroso, Interim Alexandria Chief of Police; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr and Heather D. Call prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:23-cr-166 (Carrington Hammond), 1:23-cr-169 (Haddou), 1:23-cr-175 (Mitchell), 1:24-cr-45 (Leyva) and 1:24-cr-86 (Kaitlyn Hammond).