A single apartment located in a senior citizen building posed
a security risk for the residents of that building. The building
is owned by a non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable
housing for low income, disadvantaged tenants. During the summer
of 2004, The Community Prosecution team learned that this apartment
was being used to prepare and package drugs sold in the surrounding
neighborhood. The Community Prosecution team contacted MPD PSA officers
and a special narcotics unit to make an undercover purchase from
the apartment but those attempts were unsuccessful. Thereafter,
the Community Prosecutor directed the PSA officers to bring any
incident involving this building to his attention. Patience paid
off when officers informed the Community Prosecution team that the
tenant from the subject apartment threatened a maintenance worker
in the building. Prosecutors immediately went to work with MPD to
approve a warrant for the tenant’s arrest. She was then prosecuted
and found guilty at trial. This prosecution enabled the nonprofit
to begin eviction proceedings against the tenant. As of June, 2005,
she had vacated the apartment. The apartment no longer serves as
a drug packaging site for local dealers. The building Property Manager
related to Community Prosecution staff that he was very happy with
the result and praised those involved for improving the quality
of life of the tenants in the building.