County police closed down what they called one of the biggest crack houses in Odenton and foiled two suspected murder-for-hire plots during a drug operation in West County yesterday afternoon.
Steven RayFields, 33, of the 400 block of Patuxent Road in Odenton, was charged with two counts of distribution of cocaine, solicitation to commit murder and burglary and theft.
Narcotics investigators said he was a principal player in a drug ring that operated out of his home and preyed on the Odenton and Severn areas.
Sgt. Joseph Bisesi said detectives began investigating the suspected ring that worked out of Field's home in September. In October, undercover officers bought cocaine and crack from Fields alongwith antique rifles worth about $15,000, police said.
Fields, Bisesi said, hired one of the undercover detectives to kill his girlfriend's estranged husband, providing him with a picture of the man as well as a daily itinerary. Fields gave the detective a down payment in crack-cocaine, Bisesi said.
Undercover detectives also bought suspected stolen jewelry and credit cards that were being sold from the home. Stolen property would be taken to the Fields home and exchanged for cocaine, police said. Bisesi said Fields also sold undercover detectives guns and explosives.
Detectives nabbed Fields by offering to pick him up and take him on a private jet to Florida to "party," then bringing him to Western District, officers said. Fields had no comment when he arrived at the station.
Michael Lewis Tyler, 22, of the 7900 block of Telegraph Road, described as a drug supplier for Fields, was charged with distribution of cocaine and solicitation to commit murder. Bisesi said Tyler gave an undercover detective a down payment of $250 in cocaine to kill a man who lives in the Odenton area.
Undercover officers lured Tyler to Western District by asking himto meet them at a 7-Eleven, where they said they had a Christmas present for him.
"I felt kind of bad for him," one undercover officersaid. "He gave us a bottle of champagne, and we brought him here."
After the arrests, officers began serving search warrants at Fields' home; the home of his brother, Richard Lee Fields, 30, who lives next door; and Tyler's home. Police said they found 73 packets of cocaine in the trailer Tyler shares with his mother.
Richard Fields wascharged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, Bisesi said, and was arrested after he arrived with several grams of the drug on him.
A 17-year-old boy who was in Fields' home and lived acrossthe street was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, Bisesisaid.
"He's friends with those people up there, but he's not involved in this," the boy's father said.
Officers also served warrants in the 8200 block of WB&A; Road, the 700 block of 203rd Street in Pasadena and the 1400 block of Annapolis Road.