Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Heroin Distribution Conspiracy and for Illegal Possession of a Firearm
Defendant was Employed at a Drug Rehabilitation Facility at the Time He Sold Heroin and Cocaine
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Patrick Nathan Broxton, age 48, of Ellicott City, Maryland, today to 10 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for a heroin distribution conspiracy and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans; and Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
“Drug traffickers must know that gun crime will lead to federal time, which has no parole—ever,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove those who would commit violence from our community. Please, put down the guns and save a life—maybe even your own.”
According to his guilty plea from at least June 2016 through July 2017, Patrick Nathan Broxton conspired with Stephen Eugene Clark, Jr., Stephen Michael Kinnison, Robert Eugene Davidson, and others to distribute heroin in Calvert and Prince George’s County. Broxton was a regular source of supply to Stewart, who would then sell smaller quantities of heroin to Kinnison, Davidson, and others. Law enforcement obtained court-ordered wiretaps and intercepted Broxton’s communications with Stewart and others to arrange narcotics transactions. Those intercepted communications, as well as physical surveillance, show that Broxton distributed heroin and cocaine at commercial establishments, including convenience stores and a mall.
For example, between April 11 and 13, 2017, Broxton communicated with a co-conspirator by telephone to arrange a heroin transaction at a convenience store in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. As detailed in his plea agreement, Broxton was employed at a treatment and rehabilitation facility in Crownsville, Maryland, that assisted individuals affected by drug and alcohol dependency, mental health and other conditions. Law enforcement conducted surveillance of Broxton and saw him leave the facility to meet the co-conspirator at the convenience store, where Broxton supplied the co-conspirator with heroin in exchange for cash.
On July 6, 2017, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Broxton’s residence and recovered a 9mm handgun, 48 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a white ballistic vest, heroin which was in a plastic container in the back of a picture frame, a money counting machine, three digital scales with heroin and cocaine residue, and other drug distribution paraphernalia. Broxton, who was not at home at the time of the search, was subsequently arrested at his place of employment.
Broxton was on probation for a previous violent crime conviction at the time of the drug conspiracy and knew that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Co-defendants Stephen Eugene Clark, Jr., age 55, of Laurel, Maryland; Stephen Michael Kinnison, age 44, of Lusby, Maryland; and Robert Eugene Davidson, age 29, of Sunderland, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Clark was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison. Kinnison and Davidson are scheduled to be sentenced on November 19 and November 21, 2019, respectively. Co-defendant Charles Benjamin Stewart, Jr., age 46, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, remains detained pending trial, which is scheduled to begin on November 5, 2019.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA, the ATF, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Sykes and Erin B. Pulice, who are prosecuting the case.
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