A Waldorf man was sentenced to over seven years in federal prison on Friday for his participation in a multi-year conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine in Washington, D.C.
Michael Owens, 38, of St. Charles, was sentenced to 87 months in prison in federal court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden also ordered Owens to serve five years of supervised release and pay a $30,000 forfeiture money judgment.
According to federal authorities, Owens was part of a narcotics trafficking network in the District that trafficked fentanyl and cocaine from at least August 2022 to November 2023.
According to court documents, Owens was a redistributor in the conspiracy, collecting large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine from co-conspirator Ronnie Rogers and reselling them to other distributors and customers in smaller amounts.
According to prosecutors, Rogers provided Owens with fentanyl in two-gram bundles that were separated into ten distinct shipments. Owens paid Rogers back after he sold.
Investigators intercepted wiretap communications in which Owens and Rogers discussed drug debts, supply volumes, and contingency plans in case either was raided by law enforcement.
According to authorities, Owens told Rogers in an intercepted message in March 2023 that his consumers “loved” what he was supplying and requested stronger fentanyl. In another message, Owens stated that he was almost completed delivering a supply of fentanyl and cocaine and was ready to be resupplied.
Owens acknowledged having 400 grams to 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl and 500 grams to two kilos of cocaine as part of his plea agreement.
“Owens was an active participant in a drug trafficking network that moved massive quantities of fentanyl and cocaine into the District,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro in a statement. “When he realized his consumers ‘liked’ what he was offering, he sought an even stronger supply. That level of carelessness contributes to lethal overdoses.”
Rogers, 71, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 236 months behind bars. Co-defendant Wayne Glymph, 49, of Port Tobacco, was sentenced to 162 months in prison. Samuel Braxton, 57, of Temple Hills, who authorities say directed the organization while detained at FCI Fort Dix, was also sentenced to 162 months.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division Office, FBI Washington Field Office, United States Postal Inspection Service, Alexandria Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, and Metropolitan Police Department all contributed to the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew W. Kinskey handled the case.
The Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network, which receives grant funding and strategic support from the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy, contributed to the operation.
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