Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force arrest three Maryland men for felony drug and firearm violations

On Tuesday, March 2, 2021, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force conducted an operation that led to the arrest of three Maryland men for various felony drug and firearm related charges. Jerrod Allen Baker, 23, of Baltimore, MD, was arrested for one count of Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance, one count of Distribution of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance, and one count of Transporting more than one ounce of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance into the Commonwealth. Robert Dwayne Carter Smith Jr, 18, of Baltimore, MD, and Andre Maurice Bell Jr, 19, of Baltimore, MD, were arrested for one count of Possession with the intent to Distribute a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance, one count of Distribution of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance, one count of Transporting more than one ounce of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance into the Commonwealth, one count of Possession of a Firearm while in Possession of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance, and Conspiracy.

As part of an ongoing investigation, an undercover Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force officer contacted Jerrod Allen Baker and arranged to purchase an amount of crack cocaine. Baker agreed to travel from Baltimore, MD to Strasburg, VA to deliver the crack cocaine. When Baker arrived at the prearranged location he was arrested. Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force officers seized approximately 57 grams of crack cocaine with a street value of $2,600.00 from Baker.

Additionally, an undercover Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force officer contacted Robert Dwayne Carter Smith Jr and arranged to purchase an amount of fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid fifty to one hundred times more potent than morphine. Two milligrams of fentanyl is potentially deadly for the average person. Smith agreed to deliver the fentanyl to the undercover officer in Strasburg, VA. When Smith arrived at the prearranged location he and Andre Maurice Bell Jr were arrested. Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force officers seized approximately 500 capsules of fentanyl with a street value of $15,000.00, one firearm, and $1,800.00 that was in Smith and Bell’s possession at the time of their arrest.

Capsules of fentanyl seized by the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force.

The Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force is comprised of law enforcement personnel from Clarke, Frederick, Page and Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Departments, Front Royal, Luray, Strasburg, and Winchester Police Departments and the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Culpeper Field Office.