Date: 07-12-2018

Case Style:

Case Number: 1:17-cr-00330-RDB-1

Judge: Richard D. Bennett

Court: United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Baltimore County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Jason D. Medinger and Burden C. Walker

Defendant's Attorney: Michael S Oppenheimer - FPD

Description: Baltimore, MD - Lutherville Man who Illegally Distributed “Bath Salts” Obtained from China Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison

Some Substitute Substances Sent from China had Severe Adverse Effects on Drug Customers

U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Carlo D’Addario, age 48, of Lutherville, Maryland on July 12, 2018 to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances--specifically, “bath salts” chemically manufactured in China.

According to his plea agreement, at least between 2014 and 2016, D’Addario corresponded via e-mail with sources of supply in China to obtain “bath salts,” which are substances that are chemically manufactured to mimic, and create a “high” similar to MDMA (ecstasy) and methamphetamine. Specifically, D’Addario illegally imported alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (“a-PVP”), which became a controlled dangerous substance in March 2014, and 4-Chloro-alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone Hydrochloride (“4C-a-PVP”) and 1-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl)-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pentan-1-one (“TH-PVP”), both of which were manufactured to mimic the effects of controlled dangerous substances. D’Addario created and used fake e-mail addresses to mask his identity when corresponding with his Chinese suppliers. In his e-mails, D’Addario specifically requested a-PVP or substances that would have an equivalent effect, including TH-PVP. Between 2014 and 2016, D’Addario, either personally or through co-conspirators, sent more than $53,000 through Western Union and other wire services to his Chinese sources of supply for the purchase of “bath salts,” including a-PVP, TH-PVP, and other similar substances. After making these payments, the Chinese suppliers would send the bath salts to D’Addario, who would then in turn distribute them to his downstream customers. In a few instances, D’Addario received other unknown substitute substances and observed that the product sent from China had severe adverse effects on his customers, including vomiting and prolonged loss of consciousness.

On October 6, 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant at D’Addario’s residence. Law enforcement recovered: parcel boxes sent to D’Addario’s residence from China; approximately 659 grams 4C-a-PVP; drug paraphernalia, including packaging materials and digital scales; and $4,709.82.

At the time of this offense, D’Addario was on supervised release for a previous federal drug trafficking conviction. Judge Bennett ordered that the sentence be served concurrent to the one year in prison that D’Addario was ordered to serve for violating his supervised release in that case.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the DEA in Baltimore and Gulfport, Louisiana, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

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Defendant's Experts:

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