Maryland drug dealer sentenced to more than 10 years in prison

BALTIMORE – David Isaac Parker, 31, of Silver Spring, Md., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz to 121 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine, importing cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, following an investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to evidence presented at his three-day trial, on July 17, 2011 an inspector at a mail center in Miami, Fla., pulled out a package addressed to Parker that had originated from Bolivia. The inspector found three foil packets labeled pepper sauce which did not feel like a sauce. One of the packets was opened and field tested positive for cocaine.

A controlled delivery of the package was made to Parker at his Silver Spring residence July 20, 2011. A search warrant was executed at the residence and his car, and subsequently HSI special agents seized a plastic bag containing 30 grams of powder cocaine; receipts for three wire transfers of money to recipients in South America, two of which were dated the morning of July 20, 2011; a semi-automatic pistol; the three foil packets contained in the delivered package which were found to contain approximately 1,310 grams of cocaine mixture, and cocaine mixture on the bathroom floor.

HSI special agents also seized a cell phone from Parker that contained text messages between Parker and another individual who had arranged for Parker to receive parcels containing cocaine paste from South America. The text messages referred to concerns that packages were taking too long to clear "U.S. Customs," communication regarding wire transfers, and suggestions on how to dry out the cocaine paste.

The investigation was conducted by HSI Baltimore, Montgomery County Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Metropolitan Area Drug Task Force.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Paul K. Nitze.