Savannah rapper Quando Rondo reaches plea agreement with federal prosecutors on drug charges
The U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) announced that it has reached a plea agreement with Tyquian Bowman, a Savannah resident and rapper also known by the name Quando Rondo. The plea agreement disposes of the pending charges, according to a court document filed in federal court for consideration on June 25.
U.S. Attorney Jill Steinberg requested the Court schedule a hearing and accept the Bowman’s plea. The court document does not specify the agreed-upon terms.
The plea agreement is the latest filing in the federal case against Bowman, a saga that has continued since the federal court unsealed the indictment on Dec. 11, 2023.
The plea comes a little more than two weeks after Steinberg filed a notice in federal court of prosecutor's intent to call expert witnesses that specialize in criminal street gangs and drug distribution in the case against Bowman. That filing revealed that the U.S. attorneys intended to focus on Bowman’s alleged gang involvement.
Barry L. Paschal, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Georgia, said in an email that the office isn't allowed to discuss plea agreements prior to their acceptance by the court.
In a phone call, public relations consultant for Quando Rondo LLC, Kevin Grogan, declined to comment.
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What was Bowman being charged with?
In the indictment, federal prosecutors charge Bowman with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and one count to distribute controlled substances, as previously reported by SMN. The indictment alleges that beginning in January 2021, Bowman conspired with two other co-defendants to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and marijuana.
Bowman was out on bond for local charges at the time of his arrest on federal charges.
On June 14, a Chatham County grand jury indicted Bowman for conspiracy to violate the Georgia Controlled Substances Act and Violation of Street Gang Terrorism act, illegal use of a communication facility, and another count of conspiracy to violate the Georgia Controlled Substances Act. The June indictment alleged that Bowman is a member of the Rollin’ 60s gang and asked fellow gang members to provide him with guns and set up a marijuana sale in Macon, two and a half hours west of Savannah.
On Feb. 1, less than two months after the federal indictment was unsealed, Chatham County Superior Court Judge Tammy Stokes placed the upcoming trial of Bowman on a dead docket at the request of Chatham County Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Louis Annunziata. In placing the case on the dead docket, Annuziata cited the federal case, which included “charges arising out of the same transaction and occurrence.” A dead docket postpones the case indefinitely but allows the court to reinstate it at any time at its discretion.
In a separate incident, previously reported by SMN, Bowman was arrested by Savannah Police on Feb. 6 and booked into the Chatham County Detention Center for an incident that occurred on July 19, 2023, when he was charged with reckless driving and driving under the influence of drugs. That case was bound up to Chatham County State Court on June 13 of this year.
On June 19, a man filed a civil lawsuit in Chatham County State Court against Bowman, alleging that, on July 19, 2023, Bowman crashed into his car, causing “serious bodily injuries” and more than $8,000 in medical bills.
Drew Favakeh is the public safety and courts reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Federal prosecutors offer plea deal to Savannah rapper Quando Rondo