A Gambrills man was sentenced in federal court Friday to four years and eight months in prison on fentanyl distribution charges.
Robert Luke Simpson, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George L. Russell III to 57 months plus three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Court officials said as little as 2 milligrams of the substance can be fatal. Fentanyl is said to be largely responsible for the sharp increase in heroin related deaths.
According to his plea agreement, a search warrant was executed at Simpson’s residence on Oct. 11, 2017, where 6,200 fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 369 grams, were found in a hidden compartment in a wall-mounted shelf and on a desk.
Officers also found $8,578 in cash, as well as cellphones, computers, iPads and Bitcoin cryptocurrency mining equipment.
Simpson admitted that he purchased 10,000 fentanyl pills from a dark web marketplace for approximately $10,000 worth of Bitcoin cryptocurrency, delivered through U.S. mail. Simpson sold the fentanyl pills for $5 to $10 each to customers in Maryland, he said.
Simpson admitted he sold up to 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, the plea agreement stipulated.
“Drug traffickers are on notice that dealing in fentanyl increases their odds of federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We’re also targeting drug dealers who buy fentanyl on the dark web and re-sell this poison to our citizens … Working together with our local, state and federal partners.”
Russell also ordered Simpson must forfeit money, property and/or assets derived from or used to facilitate the commission of his illegal activities, including the items seized during the search of his residence.
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