From the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baltimore:
U.S. District Judge Benson Everett Legg sentenced Jarian Ricks, a/k/a “Bigga Bills,” a/k/a “Biggs,”age 32, of Aberdeen, Maryland, today to 15 years in prison followed by nine years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Legg enhanced Ricks’s mandatory sentence upon finding that he has a prior drug conviction.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Chief Henry Trabert of the Aberdeen Police Department; Harford County Sheriff L. Jesse Bane; Colonel MarcusL. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief Teresa Walter of the Havre de Grace Police Department; and Harford County State’s Attorney Joseph I. Cassilly.
According to his plea agreement, law enforcement agents from the Harford County Task Force observed Ricks traveling to the same location in New York City every few days where he would purchase cocaine. Ricks made 11resupply trips from January to March 2009, each time purchasing 300 grams of powder cocaine, for a total of approximately 3.3 kilograms. Ricks would return from New York City to Maryland late at night and visit three locations in Aberdeen: 314 Stevens Circle,Apt. 1B; 31 Roosevelt Apt. B2; and 1410 Perrywood Court, Apt. 202. Ricks used these locations to store drugs and his drug proceeds, and to “cook” the cocaine into crack.
Law enforcement officers learned that Ricks would be making a resupply trip and returning on March 11, 2009. Task Force members arrested Ricks that evening as he returned from New York. Officers executed search warrants at the three locations and seized: drug proceeds of $14,020 from a safe; items commonly used to package and store cocaine, and to manufacture crack cocaine; and a stolen, loaded semi-automatic handgun, ammunition, 80 grams of cutting agent used to increase the volume of powder cocaine, and ecstasy and Percoset pills from a second safe.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Harford County Task Force whose members include the Aberdeen Police Department, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, the Havre de Grace Police Department and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office, for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Peter M. Nothstein, who prosecuted the case.
Seriously??? says
Come on now… I know that one guy that’s BFF’s with Deputy Marston and States Attorney Tabone wants to get on here and give his independent study and review comment!!!
John Meadowcroft says
Why on earth would you want that guy to comment? Everyone knows that Marston has troubles and that the Assistant State’s Attorney Christopher Tabone is a fraud and a racist, whats new?!? I want to know how much is the percentage that this task force gets from the seized funds, 20% I think, in bonuses to their checks for doing no more than their job demands. How come Marston and Tabone gave a child Molestor a free ticket so they could get information on a drug dealer? I think molesting children is way more serious than a pot dealer. Marston wants to make deals with the devil, thats his business. But, Tabone is supposed to have integrity. Any man that foregoes the prosecution of a child molestor just to get information on a marijuana dealer is half the man he is supposed to be…..
ForRealinBelAir says
To Meadowcroft and Seriously: What planet are you two people from? Please tell us you have something intelligent to say besides the silly banter you spew. Has this website become the new home for the stupid?
disgusted says
I agree with FORREALINBELAIR. I am all for locking up child abusers and drug dealers, but do you have to mention names of the Police and ASA? Would you want your name out in the public. I know both individuals, on a professional basis, and find them decent people. Sure there are aspects of the job that most people find disgusting. BUT I am sure these people do not deserve to have their names made public because someone doesn’t like their job performance. Try being a police officer or ASA and having your name made public!
Big Black Attack says
Seriously??? – Did you call my name? Disgusted – let me give you some breakfast for your head – You see, in an independent study of the arrests made by Sean Marston of the Harford County Narcotics Task Force in 2010, a stunning 65% of the arrests were African American. In the course of the same study it was determined that all his cases were prosecuted by Christopher Tabone of the Harford County State’s Attorney Office, who accompanied them in all the raids, wearing a Harford County Narcotics Task Force police badge. During the same study, Mr. Tabone’s recommended bail bond amounts for african americans to the Harford County Circuit Court, were 75% higher than the recommended bonds for caucasion offenders of the same offenses. Even though the outcome for some of these cases have yet to be finalized, the majority of the sentences handed down to black offenders are greater than the white offenders. This obviously shows that the Harford County State’s Attorney Office holds a discriminatory view toward african americans, what do you think Disgusted? Try being an African American and having to deal with a racist agenda in the Circuit Courts of Harford County! Their names deserve to be made public because men such as these are the ones that are holding society back from becoming an society of equality. These are the men that will trample the rights of any man that is not white! You don’t like the comments then maybe you can get together with your racist friends and persecute more African Americans while letting whitey go free because of his skin color……….
Paul says
“You see, in an independent study” – WHo conducted this study and do you have a link to the site?
“of the arrests made by Sean Marston of the Harford County Narcotics Task Force in 2010, a stunning 65% of the arrests were African American.” – So, what you are saying is 65% of the crimes were committed by African Americans? That is a shame. An interesting fact for you, African Americans make up roughly 12.5% of the population in the US, yet, commit 49.3% of the murders, 55.5% of the robberies and roughly 33.3% of the forcible rapes and aggrivated assaults. I think maybe before you accuse someone of being a racist, you check the facts a little bit more.
“In the course of the same study it was determined that all his cases were prosecuted by Christopher Tabone of the Harford County State’s Attorney Office, who accompanied them in all the raids, wearing a Harford County Narcotics Task Force police badge.” – This is relevant how?
“During the same study, Mr. Tabone’s recommended bail bond amounts for african americans to the Harford County Circuit Court, were 75% higher than the recommended bonds for caucasion offenders of the same offenses.” – You do realize that there are numerous factors that go into determing bail, such as the crime, criminal history, ties to the community, flight risk, background of the offendor, and much more? Also how do you know what was recommended? Where you there? Also, you do know that Tabone doesn’t decide the bail, right, it is decided by the judge?
The purpose of bail is to make sure the offendor shows up to trial. If two people are arrested for the same crime, lets say possession with intent to distribute, 1 ounce of cocaine. One has no criminal history, has a good job, a college education, works daily, owns a house, goes to church, has children in school, while the other has numerous priors, no fixed address, travels to NY all the time, dropped out of school, who has the higher bail? Not difficult to determine, eh?
“Even though the outcome for some of these cases have yet to be finalized, the majority of the sentences handed down to black offenders are greater than the white offenders.” – Again, more information is needed. So many other factors play a part in the sentencing of an individual.
“This obviously shows that the Harford County State’s Attorney Office holds a discriminatory view toward african americans,” – Hmm, no, it doesn’t obviusly show that.
“Try being an African American and having to deal with a racist agenda in the Circuit Courts of Harford County!” – Come on. You seem to be the racist around here.
“Their names deserve to be made public because men such as these are the ones that are holding society back from becoming an society of equality.” – There will never be equality in the U.S.
“These are the men that will trample the rights of any man that is not white!” – Dude, seriously?
“You don’t like the comments then maybe you can get together with your racist friends and persecute more African Americans while letting whitey go free because of his skin color……….” You do know that drugs kill brain cells, right?
Anyways, have a nice day.
Paul
What? says
So let me get this straight, you allowed 11 resupply trips and a total of 3.3 kilos of cocaine to be imported and distributed to the citizens of Harford County while you were investigating. I think its time you started protecting and serving Harford County and not allow our county to be a distribution point for drugs while you guys are looking for approval of the feds. Allowing 3.3kg of cocaine to be cooked up and distributed is not a victory for the law, its a travesty. All in all, your disregard for the safety of our citizens allowed the use of this product by our citizens and also allowed for the continual addiction of our citizens and you want a pat on the back. I pay you guys through my taxes to protect the streets of our county so you can stand by and watch, what a load of BS. Protect and serve us, not the feds!
RWinger says
If members of the African American community ceased in activity associated with the import, storage, and sale of illegal drugs then they wouldn’t get arrested and adjudicated and Big Black Attack wouldn’t make an effort to defend the choice by some to join in the illegal drug trade. Cry racism all that you want but the reality is that those that choose to commit a crime must suffer the consequence. If there are three equal cases out there that mirror one another and each defendant is treated differently then there is a problem but is that the reality? There are a lot of factors that go into consideration for bail: flight risk, associated acts of violence, prior record. Unless I failed Civics class, each person appearing before a judge for bail review is entitled representation, shame on the defense attorney that doesn’t argue for a lower bail, and it all comes down to the judge having the final say. Christopher Tabone can ask for any bail he sees fit, but the judge has the final say and I would think that Mr. Tabone has to justify his request for certain amounts when it comes to bail.
That said, 11 trips seems a bit much, I understand wanting to show a pattern but the proven violence associated with the drug trade puts all of us at risk. It’s not just Harford County but across the US, seems that once the big fish is identified the powers that be let them dig themselves deeper and deeper but at what cost. I don’t think we will ever know the real numbers of victims lost when it comes to a prolonged drug investigation.
Abughdadien says
You are wrong about Christopher Tabone, he is a racist and a criminal. He has been the co-conspirator of wiretap violations and false statements of facts involving his cases in the circus of lies also known as the Harford County Circuit Court. Tabone gleefully attacks the black community with false charges that are covered up by the police and the racist Judges of the Harford County Circuit Court so that Harford County can defraud state and federal sources of funds handed out to the Harford County Detention Center and DOC facilities for housing inmates. Everyone in the legal system knows of the fraud committed in Harford County but they are afraid to react because of the influence of certain Harford County Judges with Federal Agencies and Judges. Joseph Cassilly and Christopher Tabone both hide behind their immunity as State’s Attorney and Assistant State’s Attorney that prevents them from criminal prosecution as both men should have been either jailed or disbarred years ago for violations against African Americans and basically any individual that tries to stand up for their rights. The sickening display of African American arrests and convictions via plea bargain is the true path of discord in this county’s judicial system and every member of the Harford County Judiciary should have to asnswer for it! Stop giving African Americans higher sentences and bails than the caucasian criminals! It is a total joke when you read the actual findings of statistical data involving my revelations. Continuing to deny that the obvious is happening on our doorstep is never going to solve the problem of the racism in our courts, police and State’s Attorney Office. To top everything off, Cassilly wants to be a Judge! Thats exactly what Harford County needs, another lying racist to hand down judgements on the innocent! With any luck, when these men go before their maker one day they will get the same treatment they levied out during their careers of dishonor.