05 Jan Annapolis man pleads guilty to serving as kingpin for gang distributing drugs
The organizer of an Annapolis drug ring pleaded guilty Thursday to leading the gang responsible for spreading heroin and fentanyl across Anne Arundel County and the state, despite not believing himself a “kingpin.”
The Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office in July indicted Traymont Wiley, 28, of Annapolis, on 33 charges for the possession and distribution of drugs and running a gang that police say sold those drugs in the Newtowne 20 community as well as across the county.
Wiley submitted an Alford plea Thursday to the top count: serving as the kingpin for a gang distributing drugs.
Someone submitting an Alford plea admits not guilt, but rather that the prosecution has enough evidence to convince a jury to convict.
Defense attorney Brian Bishop, who represents Wiley, said he submitted the Alford plea because Wiley would most likely be found guilty on the kingpin charge. But Wiley disagrees with the “very vague” way the law itself is written, Bishop said.
The state defines a “drug kingpin” as “an organizer, supervisor, financier, or manager who acts as a co-conspirator in a conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, dispense, transport in, or bring into the state a controlled dangerous substance.” It does not define the size of the organization the “kingpin” must oversee, only the amount of drugs, according to the state.
Wiley will serve 20 years maximum, with no possibility of parole. When Wiley is sentenced on the kingpin charge, the rest of his charges will likely be dropped.
Police and prosecutors have connected Wiley to a number of drug sales over the last three years and allege members of his organization could have carried out a shooting that injured an Annapolis man.
Police have described Wiley’s movements in a series of filings stemming from a three-year investigation and a wiretap into an alleged Annapolis drug trafficking ring. In 2015, Maryland State Police dug into Wiley and several associates, including his “lieutenant” Vincent Clark, who spent and gambled lavishly at the Live Casino in Hanover, despite reporting little to no income.
Prosecutors also suspect a March 24 shooting in Annapolis ties back to Wiley. The day prior, Jamarri Boykin was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2016 shooting death of Shawn Crowdy, a friend of Wiley’s. The next day, another Wiley associate shot an unnamed person, prosecutors wrote in court filings.
At the time of Boykin’s conviction, Annapolis police spokeswoman Sgt. Amy Miguez told The Capital Annapolis police were “on alert” for any altercations between associates of Boykin and Crowdy.
Police saw heroin sales spike, which led them to question lower-level drug suspects about Wiley and Clark. They said Wiley led the gang.
Wiley alone racked up at least $68,001 renting at least 82 vehicles, prosecutors said.
Investigators saw Wiley meet with Richard Mattingly, an associate, on April 30. Mattingly left the meet up, speeding as he drove, and police pulled him over. After searching, detectives found about 40 bags of brown powder. It tested positive for fentanyl and heroin. Prosecutors say Wiley sold Mattingly the drug mix for $2,000.
The next day, Mattingly met up with Wiley again to purchase more drugs, prosecutors say.
On May 10, Wiley fled from a traffic stop, discarding more than 480 grams of the heroin and fentanyl mixture in the process.
Prosecutors wrote that when Wiley ran, Clark called 911 from a wiretapped phone and reported a black male running near the Wawa along Bestgate Road, more than a half-mile away from where police spotted Wiley. Police called the report a diversion.
Ten of the 11 people indicted alongside Wiley in the investigation already pleaded guilty to various drug distribution and gang charges. One, Carlos Wallace, has still not been arrested.
Cornell Corey Contee was also indicted on four weapons charges related to an alleged illegal weapons sale picked up during the investigation. A judge sentenced Bdonshee Antonio Wells, 25, of Annapolis, to 25 years but suspended all but 12 years.
Spokeswoman Emily Morse declined to comment on behalf of the state’s attorneys office, citing Wiley’s upcoming sentencing on March 20.
Reporter Phil Davis contributed to this article.
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