May 13th, 2021 by WCBC Radio

The Office of the State’s Attorney for Allegany County, James F. Elliott, State’s Attorney, along with the Allegany County Narcotics Task Force, announced, John James Howard, Baltimore, Maryland pled guilty to, CDS distribution large amount of heroin, CDS distribution large amount of fentanyl and distribution of heroin in the Circuit Court for Allegany County, Maryland.

 After pleading guilty, the Honorable Jeffrey S. Getty, Circuit Court Judge for Allegany County, sentenced Howard to 55 years in the Maryland Department of Correction. All but 30 years of the sentence was suspended, with the first 10 years of the sentence being mandatory minimum, day for day.  

The investigation revealed Howard was the organizer, supervisor and manager of a drug trafficking organization.  Howard obtained fentanyl, heroin and cocaine from Baltimore City and distributed those drugs in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Washington County, Allegany County and West Virginia. 

The state was represented by Assistant State’s Attorney Samuel J. Lane. The defendant was represented by Stanley M. Ambridge Esq. and John L. Hughes Esq.

The Allegany County Narcotics Task Force is a cooperative effort between the Maryland State Police, Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, the Cumberland Police Department and the Allegany County States Attorney’s Office and is part of the HIDTA Allegany County Drug Initiative.  You can report suspected drug activity by leaving an anonymous tip at 301-759-4660, or by visiting the Crime Solvers website, www.allegany-mineralcrimesolvers.com.

Funding was also used under the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN). The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services provides grant funding and strategic support to MCIN member sites to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal organizations through inter-agency collaboration and data sharing to make Maryland safer.