Maryland Man and Illegal Alien Indicted in Connection With Southern Maryland HSTF Drug Investigation

Greenbelt, Maryland - The U.S. Attorney's Office announced, today, that it filed a two-count indictment against two drug traffickers, a Maryland man and an illegal alien, stemming from a federal drug investigation.

Jamar Rashard Whitaker, 42, of Waldorf, and Pedro Antonio Guardado Rivera, 33, of El Salvador, made their initial appearances to face the charges.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) - Washington Division; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Charles County Sheriff's Department (CCSD); and St. Mary's County Sheriff's Department (SMCSD).

According to the indictment, beginning in July 2025, and continuing into at least October 2025, Whitaker and Guardado Rivera conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. On July 22, 2025, the co-conspirators sold approximately 594 grams of cocaine to an undercover officer. They are both charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

If convicted, Whitaker and Guardado Rivera face a minimum mandatory of five years and up to life in prison for conspiring, distributing, and possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, DEA, MSP, CCSD, and SMCSD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Elizabeth Wright who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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