Drugs
Drugs
Drugs
v. CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
TRENELL D. ,-
MURPHY CASE NUMBER:I~~ 0 9 - 0,5 58 BPG"
3041 Presstman Street
Baltimore, MD
I, the undersigned complainant, being duly sworn state the following is true and correct to
the best of my knowledge and belief. On or about February 19,2009, defendant(s),
TRENELL D. MURPHY, did knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully possess with intent to
distribute a mixture or substance containing 5 or more kilograms cocaine, a Schedule II
controlled substance,'! in violation of21 U.S.c. 9841
I further state that I a!TIa Task Force Officer of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and
. Official Title
tLBwtL-
William Bearde, Task Force Officer
Drug Enforcement A:dministration ~
II
(Murphy) with possession with intent to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine, a Schedule II
Your affiant, Task Force Officer William Bearde (Bearde) has been a duly sworn member
of the Baltimore Police Department since 2002. -V6uraffiant is currently assigned a Baltimore-
area DEA task force. As such, your affiant is a law enforcement officer of the United States
within the meaning of Section 2510(7) of Title 18 of the United States Code, that is, an officer
empowered by law to conduct investigations of, and make arrests for, offenses enumerated in
During your affiant's tenure as a law enforcement agent, he has effected or participated in
the arrest of over five-hundred (500) individuals for criminal narcotics violations. Your affiant
has participated in the execution of over 250 search warrants that have targeted violations and
violators of Maryland's and the United States' criminal controlled substance laws. The
substances and related paraphernalia to include: crack cocaine, powder cocaine, liquid cocaine,
documents, U.S. currency, firearms and other weapons related to drug trafficking. Your affiant is
also thereby familiar with both packaging and distribution methods utilized by drug traffickers.
Your affiant has attended and successfully completed over 200 hours of specialized training in
the field of narcotics law enforcement. Your affiant has testified as an expert in the area of
narcotics law enforcement in Maryland's District and Circuit Courts, Maryland's Juvenile Court
What is related below concerns the arrest of Murphy and the law enforcement actions
surrounding that arrest. It is based not upon your affiant's observations, but upon his discussion
with detectives who have first-hand knowledge of the facts described below. It does not include
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every detail known toyour affiant about the described investigation.
During the autumn of2007, detectives of the Baltimore (Maryland) Police Department
received information from a confidential informant that an individual he/she knew as "Chuck"
was distributing large amounts of cocaine city-wide. The informant further indicated that
"Chuck's" base of operations was the west-side of Baltimore, and that "Chuck" resided with his
Presstman Street. The detectives subsequently identified "Chuck" as Trenell D. Murphy. During
the course of their investigation, the detectives actually saw Murphy going to and from that
residence.
According to tpose detectives, the confidential informant had a long track record (in
excess of one year) of,isupplying accurate information to law enforcement. Information imparted
by this confidential informant had been independently corroborated by other informants and by
other investigative techniques. For that reason, this confidential informant was considered by the
detectives to be reliable.
After receiving this information, the detectives were transferred to the east-side of
Baltimore, and at that time took no further investigative measures with respect to Murphy. When
in early 2009, the detectives were transferred back to the west-side of Ba~timore, they renewed
In the eveningthours of February 19, 2009, detectives set up surveillance in the vicinity of
3041 Presstman Street. Those detectives observed parked alongside 3041 Presstman Street a
black Chevy truck bearing MD registration 88V 422. According to Motor Vehicle
Administration records that truck was listed to Trenell David Murphy. During the course of their
surveillance, the detectives observed Murphy exit from the front door of 3041 Presstman Street
and go to the driver's side door of a blue HondaOdyssey minivan which was parked in front of
the house. Murphy then re-entered the dwelling through the front door. According to MV A
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Later that evening, the detectives observed a dark blue colored Honda Accord station
wagon park directly in front of 3041 Presstman Street. An unidentified African-American male
then exited the car. After knocking on the front door, the unidentified male was allowed to enter
the dwelling. Approximately one hour later, the same unidentified male and a second male (later
identified as Murphy) ,exited from the front door of 3041 Presstman Street. Each male was
carrying a white plastic bag; each of which were tied off at the top and appeared to be full to its
capacity. The first male put the bag he was carrying into the dark blue Honda station wagon and
the second male put the other bag into the bed of the black Chevy truck. Both then separately
J •
The black Chevy was followed by detectives to the 1400 block of Ellamont Street where
Murphy pulled to the curb, retrieved the white plastic bag from the bed of the truck, and
discarded that bag into the gutter. Murphy then re-entered the truck and fled the area at a high
rate of speed. Detectives recovered the discarded bag and found it to contain one (1) razor blade
with white residue, su$pected cocaine, one (1) Bicycle playing card with white residue, suspected
cocaine, and numerous pages of newspaper, dated February 4t\ 2009, with white powder residue,
suspected cocaine.
The investigating detectives recognized the white powder residue described above as
cocaine through its texture and the unique aroma given off by cocaine.
The dark blue Bonda Accord station wagon was also followed out of the area by
detectives. As the vehicle traveled through the 800 block of Ellicott Drive the driver discarded
the white plastic bag onto the street, and suddenly accelerated at a high rate of speed. The
detectives also recovered that discarded bag, and found it to contain numerous pages of
newspaper, dated February 4t\ 2009, with white residue, suspected cocaine, one (1) large silver
foil bag with residue, suspected cocaine, and numerous rectangular shaped saran wrap packages
and rubber bladders with white residue, suspected cocaine. Your affiant recognizes these items
to be consistent with the manner in which kilograms quantities of cocaine are packaged for
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transportation.
, Furthermore it has been the experience of your affiant that individuals involved
in the wholesale distribution of narcotics commonly discard the remnants of their activities at a
location remote from the locus of their illegal activity in an attempt .to avoid creating a nexus
between their activities and the location where they handle their product.
contemplation of obtaining search and seizure warrants. In that regard,dui"ing the early morning
hours of February 20, 2009, Judge John Hargrove reviewed and authorized a search warrant
targeting 3041 Presstman Street. At approximately 1:45 a.m., the detectives executed said search
warrant. Upon gaining entry Murphy was taken into custody and advised of his rights per
Miranda VS. Arizona by Detective Ivo Louvado. Murphy verbally acknowledged understanding
his rights. At that time Murphy related that he had U.S. currency in his room but that there were
no narcotics in the house. Detective Craig Jester asked Murphy if he had any vehicles near the
around the'house and Murphy stated that he had a Honda Accord minivan parked in front of the
house but no other vehicles. Detective Jester asked Murpny directly about the black Chevrolet
truck but Murphy denied knowledge of the truck multiple times, even though it was registered in
his name. The detectives located keys to the Chevy truck in the room in which they had
At that point, the detectives observed in the bed of the Chevy truck items that had
packaging identical to the packaging that had been recovered in the trash bags earlier discarded
by Murphy and the unknown male. The detectives then secured those items, and sought and
received a search warrant authorizing the search of the Chevy truck and items found therein.
Pursuant to that search warrant, the detectives further searched the items seized from the
bed of the Chevy truck and discerned that they in fact contained. approximately forty (40)
wrapped kilogram-sized bricks of suspected cocaine, which they recognized through their
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IIro 9-0558 BPG
manner in which the seized cocaine was packaged, that the seized cocaine was intended for
further distribution.
Based on the foregoing, your affiant believes that Trenell D. Murphy possessed with
Your affiant, William Bearde, affirms under penalties of perjury that the facts and
circumstances recounted in the foregoing affidavit are true and accurate to the best of his
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