A Baltimore man was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for his role in a cross-country cocaine smuggling operation, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland announced.
Gregory Fitzgerald, 46, of Baltimore was sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to coordinating with two other men to ship cocaine from California to Baltimore.
According to a statement from U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein, Fitzgerald and two other men, Curtis Bird and Tommy Heard, were targeted by the DEA in May. After receiving information that Fitzgerald had arranged for cocaine to be shipped in concealed compartments or “traps” inside vehicles, DEA agents began intercepting communications between the three.
Fitzgerald and the other two men were arrested May 14 as they inspected a vehicle to be used for cocaine transport. A total of 13 kilograms of cocaine were recovered from the vehicle.
Bird and Heard have both pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Bird is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 31, while Heard will be sentenced Jan. 17, Rosenstein said.