WASHINGTON – Linwood Douglas Thorne, 51, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 30 years in jail for his position in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that resulted in one of many largest seizures of heroin within the District of Columbia’s historical past. The sentence, handed down March 31, 2023, by U.S. District Courtroom Choose Beryl A. Howell, was introduced by U.S. Legal professional Matthew M. Graves, FBI Particular Agent in Cost Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Discipline Workplace Legal and Cyber Divisions, and Appearing Particular Agent in Cost Michael Weddel, of the Washington Discipline Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
On March 25, 2022, a jury discovered Thorne responsible of conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or extra of heroin, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and a firearms cost.
“This sentence ought to ship a transparent message to all those that would even take into account working a large-scale drug community: doing so will lead to you probably spending the remainder of your life in jail,” mentioned U.S. Legal professional Graves. “We now have zero tolerance for these trying to poison our communities with large quantities of medicine—significantly when the drug trafficking includes firearms.”
“This joint investigation, which resulted in one of many largest seizures of heroin in our metropolis’s historical past, is a testomony to the energy of our federal and native partnerships,” mentioned FBI Particular Agent in Cost Jacobs. “The Washington Discipline Workplace’s Secure Streets Job Pressure stays dedicated to pursuing criminals who site visitors in medication and weapons. Let the defendant’s sentence function a reminder of the implications traffickers face for placing individuals’s lives at risk.”
“Immediately’s announcement sends an accountability message not solely to those that site visitors lethal medication and unlawful firearms, however to the households of victims as properly. ATF stands with our regulation enforcement companions to say, violent acts will value and can be addressed accordingly,” mentioned ATF Appearing Particular Agent in Cost Weddel. “We reaffirm our dedication to holding those who try and destroy our communities accountable for their unlawful and harmful actions.”
In 2018, the FBI’s Secure Streets Job Pressure started investigating Thorne, as a serious heroin provider. On Dec. 19, 2018, the FBI and ATF executed simultaneous search warrants on Thorne’s Maryland enterprise and D.C. residence, discovering 44 kilograms of heroin laced with fentanyl; 55 kilos of marijuana; 5 firearms; and vital drug paraphernalia. Along with the search warrants, the duty pressure’s investigation—which started in July of 2018—has led to the restoration of eight further firearms, roughly 1.5 further kilograms of marijuana, 260 further grams of heroin, and a number of other firearms magazines and equipment.
Throughout trial, the federal government introduced over a dozen civilian and regulation enforcement witnesses, together with digital and enterprise data establishing and corroborating the defendant’s guilt.
In saying the sentence, U.S. Legal professional Graves, Particular Agent in Cost Jacobs, and Appearing Particular Agent in Cost Weddel counseled the work of those that investigated the case from the FBI and ATF, in addition to these from the Metropolitan Police Division (MPD) who had been on the Secure Streets Job Pressure, and america Marshals Service. In addition they expressed appreciation for the help offered by joint regulation enforcement and prosecution companions, together with the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Center District of Georgia, the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Jap District of Virginia, and the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the District of Maryland. In addition they acknowledged the efforts of those that dealt with the case from the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace, together with Assistant U.S. Legal professional Gregory Rosen, in addition to Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson of the Capitol Siege and Federal Main Crimes Part, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Regan, Samuel Frey, and Andrea Duvall.
