Federal Grand Jury Indicts Eleven Baltimore Men for a Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy Allegedly Operating in the Gilmor Homes Area of Baltimore

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging 11 Baltimore men in a heroin trafficking conspiracy that operated in the Gilmor Homes area of Baltimore.  Several of the defendants are also charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and related gun and drug counts.  The superseding indictment was returned on October 16, 2018, and was unsealed late yesterday.

The defendants charged in the superseding indictment unsealed today are:

Rodney Blue, age 28;
Tyrek Butler, age 26;
Duane Day, age 26;
Dakwan Gray, age 20;
Juan Hill, age 25;
Diamonte Jackson, age 25;
Davon Johnson, age 30;
Allen Jones, a/k/a Wax, age 23;
William Stewart, a/k/a Pimp, age 31;
Anthony Washington, age 28; and
Andrew Webb, a/k/a Geetchi, age 32.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Interim Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle of the Baltimore Police Department; Baltimore City Sheriff John W. Anderson; Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

“Heroin dealers sell death and despair. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and disrupt drug trafficking organizations, especially those who use guns,” said Maryland U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.  “Before picking up a gun, drug dealers should understand that there are no suspended sentences or parole in the federal system, and that they will serve their federal sentences in prisons far from home.  Federal time is different.  Please put down the gun.”

According to the superseding indictment and other court documents, the indictment is a result of the investigation of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that allegedly distributes large amounts of heroin in and around the Gilmor Homes public housing development in Baltimore.  Court documents allege that the group generally operates drug “shops” that sell drugs from 7:00 a.m. to as late as 2:00 a.m., in the areas of Stricker, School, and Presstmen Streets.  Members of the DTO are alleged to have participated in street-level drug sales, supervised drug sales, and collected drug proceeds, and to have used firearms in the course of their drug trafficking.

Each of the defendants faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin.  Butler, Day, Jones, and Webb also face a maximum of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Day and Butler each face a maximum of life in prison for possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and 10 years in prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon.  Blue, Hill, Gray, Washington, Jackson, Johnson, and Webb also face a maximum of 20 years in prison for each count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.  

The defendants are expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.  Blue, Gray, and Stewart had initial appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson and were ordered to be detained pending trial.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA, HSI-Baltimore, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew DellaBetta and Christopher Rigali, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

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