Glen Burnie Area Men Plead Guilty to Drug Distribution and Sex Trafficking

David Tico Brown, 45, (top picture) and his close associate Michael Anthony Copeland, 42, (bottom picture) both of the Glen Burnie area, pleaded guilty to multiple offenses for their role in the “Brown Drug Trafficking Organization.”  The organization engaged in the distribution of numerous controlled dangerous substances, including cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and marijuana in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City.  Brown and Copeland also engaged in sex trafficking of numerous women.  

Brown pleaded guilty to the charges of gang leader, volume dealer, conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.  He was sentenced to 40 years in prison with all but 28 years suspended, the first 5 years of which are to be served without the possibility of parole.  Copeland pleaded guilty to participating in a criminal gang, volume dealer, conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.  He was sentenced to 40 years in prison with all but 24 years suspended, the first 5 of which are to be served without the possibility of parole. 

The investigation began in 2019 when Anne Arundel County police detectives learned of a large organization selling controlled dangerous substances out of a local hotel.  The leader of the organization, David Brown, used hotel staff and his co-defendants to thwart efforts of law enforcement while keeping members of his organization stocked with illegal narcotics.  Brown’s co-conspirators kept him so well insulated that he rarely left the hotel.  Copeland often met with drug suppliers off-site and returned to the hotel to cook, package, and distribute the controlled substances.  

Other members of the organization traveled throughout Maryland and to other states to obtain the illegal narcotics that were later sold by the organization.  Some members of the organization furthered the efforts of the gang by forcing women to engage in sex trafficking and encouraging those victims to provide CDS to their “dates.”

For approximately eight months, Anne Arundel County detectives conducted surveillance of members of the gang and the activities occurring at the hotel and surrounding areas.  During the course of the investigation, detectives observed members obtaining and distributing the controlled dangerous substances, made purchases from members of the organization, and observed hand-to-hand drug transactions.  Detectives learned how David Brown, Michael Copeland and other members of the organization forced women to engage in sex trafficking in exchange for rooms at the hotel, money and illegal narcotics.

Upon the arrests of David Brown, Michael Copeland and other indicted members of the organization, detectives located and seized 2 assault rifles and 7 handguns, as well as 502 grams of crack cocaine, 119 grams of powder cocaine, over 3000 grams of marijuana, over 200 grams of heroin/fentanyl, 38 grams of MDMA, 1,316 grams of methamphetamine, and 13 strips of suboxone in addition to $27,000 in cash.