US Attorney

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
December 13, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/md

FORT WASHINGTON COCAINE DEALER SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON

Greenbelt, Maryland - Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Peter Purvis, Jr., age 45, of Fort Washington, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division.

According to Purvis’ guilty plea, from February 2007 through February 2009, Purvis was part of a Suitland, Maryland-based drug trafficking organization. From March to July, 2008, Purvis was overheard by law enforcement in weekly drug-related conversations with co-conspirators. On February 25, 2009, a search warrant was executed at Purvis’s residence in the 2300 block of Pioneer Court in Fort Washington and agents seized approximately 18 grams of crack, which was packaged for further distribution; $1,244 in cash, which represented the proceeds of prior drug transactions; and drug packaging paraphernalia. Purvis has admitted that he is responsible for the distribution of between 11 and 33 pounds of cocaine.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Drug Enforcement Administration for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Barbara Skalla, Christen Sproule and Adam Ake, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.