BALTIMORE, MD—A Baltimore man pleaded guilty Monday to distributing 80 kilograms of cocaine following a wiretap investigation, federal authorities announced.
Travis Sentell Howell, 46, of Baltimore, admitted to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that was investigated by the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) beginning in fall 2022.
According to his guilty plea, investigators obtained court-authorized wiretaps on Howell’s phones, intercepting calls where he and co-conspirators discussed cocaine distribution using coded language, arranged meetings, and talked about cash proceeds. Surveillance confirmed suspected drug transactions in various Baltimore locations.
Authorities learned that Howell obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine from the West Coast and then redistributed it to customers in and around the Baltimore area. He traveled to the West Coast to provide couriers with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash for the drugs.
On June 4, 2024, federal search warrants were executed at residences associated with suspected members of the drug trafficking organization, including one linked to Howell. Investigators recovered approximately $13,182 in cash, a money counter, a gold Rolex watch, and other jewelry from Howell’s associated residence. From other locations, agents found more than five kilograms of cocaine, a pill press, empty glassine wrappers, cutting agents, digital scales, and additional cash.
After the search, Howell admitted to receiving multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine for multiple years and redistributing it in Baltimore. He stated that he obtained approximately 80 kilograms of cocaine during the investigation period. Howell also explained that he transported $180,000 in U.S. currency to Los Angeles the week before the search warrant as payment for cocaine to bring back to Baltimore. He admitted to making multiple short trips to Los Angeles, with each payment being at least $100,000.
Under the plea agreement, Howell is expected to be sentenced to nine years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 18.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which aims to dismantle high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations through a multi-agency approach.
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