Maryland Man Receives Seven-Year Sentence for Cocaine Trafficking and Firearm Offenses

A Maryland resident has been sentenced to federal prison for his involvement in drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Alcedo Hodge, Jr., 30, of Parkville, will serve seven years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. His conviction stems from charges related to possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, all connected to a multi-state investigation by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF).

The investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating in Richmond, Virginia, began in 2024. Law enforcement identified Hodge as a supplier for the organization, alongside another individual referred to as Co-Conspirator 1. In December of the same year, intercepted wiretap conversations revealed plans for a cocaine resupply in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. Surveillance on December 5th led investigators to observe a member of the drug trafficking organization drive from Virginia to Owings Mills, Maryland, to meet with Co-Conspirator 1. During this time, Hodge was seen arriving at a shopping center parking lot, and subsequently, both Co-Conspirator 1 and the drug trafficking organization member were observed following Hodge in their vehicles. Investigators later intercepted Co-Conspirator 1 exiting Hodge’s vehicle and then calling the drug trafficking organization member over to his own car. A subsequent traffic stop of the drug trafficking organization member as he returned to Virginia resulted in the recovery of one kilogram of cocaine from his vehicle.

Further suspicious activity linked to Hodge was observed in January 2025, and on March 17, 2025, investigators initiated a traffic stop on Hodge in Baltimore County following another suspected drug transaction. A K-9 unit alerted to the presence of controlled substances in Hodge’s vehicle, leading to the discovery of three kilograms of cocaine, a loaded Glock semi-automatic handgun with an extended 22-round magazine, and approximately $78,000 in cash. Following Hodge’s arrest, a search of his Parkville residence uncovered an additional three kilograms of cocaine, another loaded firearm that was reported stolen, and two digital money counters. Hodge admitted that the recovered firearms and U.S. currency were intended to facilitate his drug trafficking activities.

The Homeland Security Task Force, a collaborative effort involving numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, is dedicated to dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling operations. Its work emphasizes interagency cooperation to investigate and prosecute a wide range of crimes, with a particular focus on child trafficking and the removal of violent criminal aliens. The HSTF Baltimore component includes agents and officers from agencies such as the FBI, ICE-HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service, Maryland State Police, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore County Police Department, with prosecution led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes acknowledged the significant contributions of the DEA, Baltimore County Police Department, Baltimore Police Department, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to this investigation.

This sentencing underscores the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession in the region. Residents in communities affected by these issues can be assured that investigations and prosecutions are actively ongoing.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland

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