Source: United States Department of Justice News
WASHINGTON –Jonathan Montiethe Perry 39, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty this week to one count of importation of a controlled substance (Gamma Butyrolactone), announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon, of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. Field Office, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Perry entered the plea on May 9, 2023, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 18, 2023.
According to the Government’s evidence, on or about December 26, 2022, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport, New York, NY Mail Branch conducted an inspection of an international package that was addressed to the defendant in Washington D.C. The package was found to contain five unmarked plastic bottles filled with clear liquid, weighing approximately 6.07 kilograms (gross weight including the plastic bottles). CBP officers used a Gemini Thermo Scientific system to analyze the clear liquid and returned a presumptive positive match for Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL). The package contained approximately 5,000 milliliters of GBL which weighed approximately 5 kilograms. A subsequent laboratory analysis of samples taken from the five bottles further confirmed that the clear liquid contained GBL.
On January 5, 2023, at approximately 10:15 a.m., an undercover law enforcement officer conducted a controlled delivery of a package to an apartment complex where it was eventually retrieved by the defendant. Shortly thereafter, the defendant was followed and observed entering another apartment complex, then into a specific apartment with the target package in his hand. Law enforcement waited several minutes, knocked on the apartment door, announced their presence, and subsequently executed a search warrant. The defendant was present and detained without incident. Upon entering the residence, law enforcement observed the target package on the kitchen table next to a pair of scissors. On a separate nearby table, there was an open laptop computer with the USPS package tracking website open and the target package’s tracking number displayed. In addition, law enforcement officers recovered hundreds of empty, unfilled plastic pill capsules, a plastic bag containing several dozen empty plastic vials, a box containing six small empty, blue-colored vials and several glass droppers. Law enforcement also recovered one plastic bag that contained at least several dozen empty plastic vials and had a maximum capacity of 400 vials.
In announcing today’s plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Gordon, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from Homeland Security Investigations and the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledge the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Karla Nunez.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant United States Attorney Shehzad Akhtar who investigated and prosecuted the case.