Former Arlington Man Sentenced in Cocaine, Money Laundering Case

A man formerly from Arlington has been sentenced to 19 years and 7 months in prison for charges related to a plan to distribute more than 5kg of cocaine and money laundering. Darnell Antonio Parker, 43, pled guilty in December and must also forfeit $375,000 of assets, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Parker operated primarily in DC and Maryland selling “large amounts of cocaine,” the FBI announced, between 2010 and 2012.

Parker was arrested in March 2012 after the FBI and DC Metropolitan Police Department Safe Streets Task Force conducted surveillance on Parker. When searched following the surveillance operation, police found secret compartments inside Parker’s Honda Accord that contained drugs. They also found $17,000 in cash in the compartments and on Parker, the FBI reported.  

“Parker was among numerous people indicted in the case. More than a dozen defendants have pled guilty to charges in the investigation,” according to the FBI.

The Safe Streets Task Force began in DC and in Los Angeles in 1992 and has since spread nationwide.