Combined Effort In Harford County Results In Arrests Of Heroin Kingpins

(Perryville, MD) – A combined law enforcement effort led by the Carroll County Drug Task Force led to the arrest of two suspects believed to be involved in a large scale distribution of heroin in the region.

The accused are identified as Shani McDonald, 32, of the 2400 block of Battersea Place in Windsor Mill and Vernon Kidd, Jr., 49, of the 1300 block of Sykesville Road in Finksburg, Maryland. Both were arrested during a traffic stop on Monday in Harford County. The Organized Crime Unit of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General is prosecuting the case and both were charged with drug kingpin, possession with intent to distribute, and CDS (Controlled Dangerous Substance) import into the state. They are currently being held at the Harford County Detention Center.

Over the course of an intensive six-month investigation, investigators from the Carroll County HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) initiative to include the Maryland State Police, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Westminster Police, and Homeland Security Investigations, identified a narcotics dealer distributing large amounts of heroin throughout Carroll and Baltimore Counties. McDonald was identified as the dealer distributing heroin in Hampstead, Manchester, Finksburg, and Westminster City in Carroll County and parts of Baltimore County. Police believe McDonald and Kidd were transporting the drugs from New York into Maryland for the distribution.

On Monday, September 12,2016 at 5:30 p.m., troopers from the JFK Barrack conducted a traffic stop of a 2007 Mazda CX 7 on I-95 at exit 89 in Harford County. Kidd was the driver and McDonald was seated in the rear passenger side of the vehicle. Over 1,000 grams of cocaine were recovered from the trunk.

Based on further investigative efforts, two residences were established for McDonald along with two additional stash houses being used to store the illegal drugs, material to package the drugs for distribution and currency from the drug proceeds. Court authorized search and seizure warrants were issued for those residences, located in Baltimore County and Baltimore City. The warrants were executed by members of the Carroll County HIDTA initiative, Maryland State Police and Maryland State Police Gang Enforcement Unit which resulted in the recovery of almost 600 grams of heroin, $10,827.00 in U.S. currency, and two hand guns, one of which was found to be stolen in 1995.

The Carroll County HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), is a drug task force and is comprised of Maryland State Police, Westminster City Police and deputies from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. The unit focuses on the investigation and prosecution of mid to upper level drug dealers distributing controlled dangerous substances to and around Carroll County, Maryland and subsequently following the drugs to the source of distribution.

Cooperative law enforcement investigations like this will continue as police focus efforts on the distribution and use of heroin throughout Maryland. For information about heroin, or how to get help for someone believed to be using heroin, call 211, or visit http://bha.dhmh.maryland.gov/.

The investigation continues…

(Kidd is pictured on left. McDonald is pictured on right.)