Stephen Lovell Morgan

Leonardtown, MD — A Lexington Park man has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for possession with intent to distribute narcotics. Stephen Morgan, 43, was sentenced Wednesday in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court by Judge Michael Stamm in connection with two indictments charging possession of cocaine in sufficient quantities to indicate intent to distribute.

Judge Stamm sentenced Morgan to 15 years for each indictment but made the sentences concurrent. He was given credit for 195 days he has spent in jail.

Morgan was among more than 40 people arrested in June as part of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office operation dubbed “Operation Undivided Attention.” The sheriff’s office was assisted in the operation by the Baltimore Field Office of the FBI.
Morgan was represented at the sentencing hearing by two attorneys for the separate indictments: John Slade, IV and Cynthia Panos. Slade told Judge Stamm that his client has had a drug problem since he was 12 years old. Morgan is married and has children and grandchildren but has more recently “been living on the street,” according to Slade

“He has been hooked on drugs most of his life. He has used it as a crutch most of his life,” Slade said. Slade added, “He has been silently dealing with this problem.”
Since his recent incarceration, Slade said Morgan “has looked in the mirror and realized he has squandered everything in his life.”

Morgan apologized to the judge for his behavior. “I just want to be a better person,” he said.

But Stamm noted that Morgan had been given several other treatment opportunities to right himself. “Mr. Morgan, your record is atrocious,” the judge said.

Morgan will have that opportunity to become a better person in jail. The judge authorized that Morgan be sentenced to the Patuxent Institution, a state penal facility with drug treatment opportunities. It will be up to the state penal system, however, to authorize Morgan admittance into Patuxent.

“I hope it works,” Stamm said of the treatment he will receive will incarcerated.

Contact Dick Myers at news@thebaynet.com