Convicted murderer to serve more time behind bars for trafficking drugs while incarcerated

A convicted murderer, Richard Bracey, will spend an additional 18 months in prison for conspiring to launder drug trafficking proceeds while incarcerated.

United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed Bracey’s sentence to be served consecutively to his sentence for first-degree murder. He was also sentenced to an additional year of supervised release at the heel of his sentence. 

Between 2017 and 2019, the 44-year-old conspired to launder the proceeds of the distribution of Schedule I synthetic cannabinoid controlled substances. According to the Federal Register, Schedule I narcotics have a high potential for abuse, with none are accepted for medical treatment in the United States. 

At the time, Bracey was incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary in Lee County, Virginia. Court records do not indicate when Bracey was convicted of murder. 

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, on June 21, 2019, Bracey was part of a larger superseding indictment by a federal grand jury. A total of 48 individuals were charged on several counts of distribution of Schedule I, II, and III controlled substances. The drugs included five kilograms or more of cocaine, one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a quantity of para-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, a quantity of carfentanil, a quantity of oxycodone and various other forms of narcotics. 

Some of the defendants were serving time in prison or had just been released from prison and on supervised release. Their criminal histories included drug trafficking, money laundering, firearms violations and interstate racketeering.

The success of the arrest and prosecution had been the result of the investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, according to prosecutors. 

The multi-agency task force consisted of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Internal Revenue Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Prisons, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Marshals Service and many local and state authorities.