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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

Jeremy Bethea, 47, was sentenced by a federal judge for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl and other controlled substances.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 21, 2026, 12:25 p.m. ET
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A federal judge Jeremy Bethea, 47, of Baltimore, to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland. The sentence was announced on August 20, 2026, by U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, along with DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis and Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley. Court documents state that from August 2022 through October 2023, Bethea conspired with others to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in the Baltimore area. Undercover investigators conducted 15 controlled purchases from Bethea between November 2022 and May 2023. In January 2023, Bethea sold more than 40 grams of fentanyl to an undercover investigator. A federal wiretap intercepted communications from three cellphones, including Bethea's, from June 2023 through August 2023, leading to the recovery of several hundred gelcaps containing fentanyl with a total weight of more than 400 grams, as confirmed by a DEA laboratory analysis. During the investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a Sharp-Leadenhall residence used by Bethea to store drugs, uncovering 105 grams of crack cocaine packaged for retail sale and more than 300 grams of marijuana. Bethea pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2026. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei.

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  1. Version 121 Aug 2026, 16:25current

    First published.

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