Heroin courier and dealer plead guilty to Maryland heroin distribution conspiracy

BALTIMORE — A man from the Bronx and another from Maryland pleaded guilty Sept. 24, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in cooperation with the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Maryland State Police; Washington County Sheriff's Office; and Hagerstown Police Department.

Rahdel Sharbaan, 41, of the Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. Co-defendant Gary Barham, 52, of Easton, Maryland, pleaded guilty Sept. 15, to the same charge.

According to their plea agreements, since early 2014, Rahdel Sharbaan and Gary Barham conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin. During the course of the conspiracy, Sharbaan was working with co-conspirators to obtain bulk quantities of heroin from sources in New York and transport that heroin to Maryland for further distribution. Sharbaan would meet with sources in New York and obtain the heroin, then he would travel, generally via bus, to Baltimore, where he would provide the heroin to a co-conspirator. Barham obtained bulk quantities of heroin from that same co-conspirator, which he then re-distributed in and around the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Sharbaan would take the proceeds of prior heroin transactions from the co-conspirator in order to pay the source in New York.

During the investigation, law enforcement officers obtained a wiretap on phone lines used by a member of the conspiracy. Through those wiretaps, they intercepted numerous calls between Sharbaan and the co-conspirator discussing the heroin business and travel to and from Baltimore. Investigators also saw Sharbaan and the co-conspirator meeting at the Baltimore Travel Plaza to deliver new supplies of heroin.

Barham was also overheard by law enforcement on numerous calls discussing heroin sales with the co-conspirator. On April 2, Barham and the co-conspirator were overheard discussing meeting at a restaurant in Bowie, Maryland, so that Barham could obtain a supply of heroin. Barham and the co-conspirator were observed meeting at the restaurant to conduct the drug transaction.

Over the course of the conspiracy, it was reasonably foreseeable to Sharbaan and Barham that the conspiracy distributed at least 100 grams of heroin.

Sharbaan faces up to 40 years in prison for the conspiracy. Barham and the government have agreed that if the court accepts his plea agreement, Barham will be sentenced to 132 months in prison. Barham is schedule for sentencing Nov. 17, and Sharbaan will be sentenced Jan. 8, 2015.

Co-defendant Jeffrey Michael Anderson, 35, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, is scheduled to go to trial October 27. Charges are pending against co-defendants Reginald Jones, 26, of Bronx; Shawn Christopher Malley, 25, of Crofton, Maryland; Amanda Jo Palmer, 32, of Hagerstown, Maryland; and William Ulysses Robinson, 38, of Grasonville, Maryland.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth S. Clark.