Convicted Murderer Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Crimes in HSTF Investigation

Baltimore, Maryland - A Baltimore man, who a Baltimore City jury recently convicted of a gang-related murder, received a federal-prison term, today, for drug-trafficking crimes. This prosecution is in connection with a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) drug investigation.

U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Jarvis Joyner, 35, to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after he pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) - Washington Division, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to the indictment, in fall 2022, federal and state law enforcement officers began investigating a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Maryland. Beginning in October 2022, and continuing until at least March 2023, investigators observed DTO members conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Throughout the conspiracy, the DTO members obtained bulk quantities of fentanyl from various source suppliers and then distributed the drugs to wholesale customers in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.

Between February and March 2023, an undercover (UC) law-enforcement officer conducted three controlled fentanyl purchases from Joyner. On Feb. 6, the UC contacted one of Joyner's co-conspirators and offered to purchase a quantity of fentanyl from the DTO. The co-conspirator agreed to the sale and arranged to meet. Later that day, the UC traveled to the meeting location, where the officer met Joyner. During the meeting, Joyner provided the UC with 250 fentanyl pills.

Then on Feb. 9, the UC met with the same co-conspirator and again offered to purchase a quantity of fentanyl from the DTO. The co-conspirator agreed to the sale, so Joyner contacted the UC to arrange to meet. Joyner later met the UC who then purchased 500 fentanyl pills. On Feb. 28, the UC contacted Joyner to offer to purchase a quantity of fentanyl. Joyner agreed to the sale and arranged to meet with the UC. Then on March 1, Joyner met the UC who then purchased 1,000 fentanyl pills.

The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and BPD for their work in the investigation, along with the FBI Baltimore Field Office, for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keelan Diana who is prosecuting this federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.

# # #