Frederick County Felon Facing Federal Charges for Large-Scale Cocaine and Heroin Distribution Operation

Law Enforcement Officers Seized Three Guns, $270,000 in Cash, and More Than 21 Kilograms of Cocaine and 1.5 Kilograms of Heroin

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal information has been filed charging Lamonte Montae Young, Sr., a/k/a “Fats,” age 41, of Frederick, Maryland, on the federal charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm and ammunition by prohibited person, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  The criminal information was filed on June 12, 2020.  Young had his initial appearance and arraignment in U.S. District Court late on July 24, 2020, and was ordered to be detained pending a detention hearing on Friday, July 31, 2020, at 10:00 a.m.

The federal charges were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Frederick Police Acting Chief Patrick Grossman; Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins; and Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith.

According to the criminal information and other court documents, members of the Frederick Police Department and agents with Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) began investigating Young in December 2019 in connection with the large-scale distribution of cocaine in Frederick, Maryland.  On February 25, 2020, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance of Young and followed him into Virginia, where they observed Young engage in what they believed to be a drug transaction.  As Young was driving back into Maryland from Virginia, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on Young’s vehicle for windows that were illegally tinted.  Officers called a canine unit to the scene.  The canine alerted to the exterior of the vehicle for the odor of drugs.  Law enforcement recovered two large boxes from the trunk of the vehicle and the boxes were found to contain more than 21 kilograms of cocaine and 1.5 kilograms of heroin.

Members of the Frederick High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force then executed search warrants at four addresses in Frederick and Hagerstown, Maryland associated with Young.  During a search of these locations, detectives seized an additional 344 grams of heroin, 3 handguns (1 reported stolen), and $270,000 in United States currency.

If convicted, Young faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin; a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person; and a mandatory consecutive minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

A criminal information is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by criminal information is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI, the Frederick Police Department, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police, and the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant, who is prosecuting the case.