Darnell Morris to Serve 10 Years for Cocaine Distribution Related Charges

FREDERICK- Darnell Morris, 39, of Frederick, MD appeared before the Honorable Judge Julia A. Martz-Fisher today and was sentenced to a total of 40 years in the Division of Corrections, with all but 10 years suspended.  By statute, 5 years of that 10 year sentence is to be served without parole.  Upon release, he will be placed on 5 years supervised probation.

On October 25, 2018, Morris entered a guilty plea to count 4, Distribution of CDS/Cocaine – Large Amount and count 8, Conspiracy to Distribute CDS/Cocaine.

Authorities began investigating the defendant’s involvement in the distribution of cocaine in the Frederick area in 2017. In February of 2018, Detectives with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Narcotic Investigative Section and the Frederick Police Department’s Drug Enforcement Unit were granted authority by the Circuit Court for Frederick County to wiretap two mobile telephones utilized by the defendant.

On April 4, intercepted communications revealed the Defendant arranging to source a large amount of cocaine. Through physical and digital surveillance, investigators observed him conspiring with another individual to pick up the cocaine, and then depositing it at another associate’s house on April 5, 2018.

On April 6, 2018, a search warrant was executed on the defendant’s residence in the area of Charstone Court.  $43,049 in cash was seized, which was known to be drug proceeds based on facts of the investigation.   A search of one of the associate’s residence revealed a total of 480 grams of powder cocaine.

The State was represented by Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen Swanson.

J. Charles Smith, III

State’s Attorney for

Frederick County, Maryland