Zaid Rushdan, age 41, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to federal charges of conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute controlled substance, and to possession of stolen firearms.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Charlie Patterson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince Georges’ County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from at least December 2020 until February 11, 2021, Rushdan conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over one kilogram of phencyclidine (“PCP”) and over 28 grams of crack cocaine.
Specifically, the DEA began investigating Rushdan, a co-conspirator, and others for distributing narcotics in Southern Maryland and the District of Columbia. Agents determined that Co-Conspirator 1 was transporting drugs and drug proceeds to facilitate Rushdan’s drug trafficking business after seeing Co-Conspirator 1 at Rushdan’s apartment on multiple occasions, leaving and picking up bags at the apartment while traveling to and from drug trafficking locations.
On February 11, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Rushdan’s apartment and seized: over a gallon (4,486 grams) of PCP with a purity of between 7% and 12%; approximately 299 grams of powder cocaine; approximately 31 grams of crack cocaine; plastic baggies containing pills and powders, subsequently identified to include 50 grams of heroin and 81.35 grams of Eutylone; approximately seven pounds of marijuana; seven handguns; two rifles; approximately 652 rounds of ammunition; and $14,485 in cash.
Rushdan admitted that the $14,485 in cash were proceeds of his drug trafficking business and all of the firearms were used, or were intended to be used, to facilitate his drug trafficking. As detailed in his plea agreement, Rushdan also knew, or had reasonable cause to believe, that four of the firearms were stolen, specifically, a Glock .40 caliber pistol, a Springfield Armory .45 ACP pistol, a Smith and Wesson 9x19mm pistol, and an Auto-Ordnance Corporation .45 ACP pistol.
Rushdan and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Rushdan will be sentenced to at least 121 months, but not more than 151 months, in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for April 7, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.
Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the ATF, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Town of Vienna, Virginia Police Department, the Alexandria, Virginia Police Department, the Virginia State Police, the Arlington, Virginia Police Department, the Loudoun County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, and the Fairfax County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Kibbe and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake, who are prosecuting the case.
