A St. Mary's County man was sentenced to 14 years in prison Wednesday after becoming the 15th person to plead guilty in a wide-ranging drug distribution operation.

Continue reading

Prosecutors say that 37-year-old Jonathan Latif Chase, of California, Md., conspired with others between 2007 and 2009 to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine throughout the state.

During the conspiracy, authorities say Chase was responsible for distributing as much as 15 kilograms of cocaine and 1.5 kilograms of crack cocaine from St. Mary's County.

Chase is the 15th person involved in the ring to be charged and plead guilty. The accused ringleader of the operation, 35-year-old Rodney Matthew Estep of Mechanicsville, also received 14 years in prison for his role in the crimes.