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Press Release

North Minneapolis Heroin Trafficking Organization Indicted For Conspiracy

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota


United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the indictment of eight members of “The Crew,” a North Minneapolis-based heroin trafficking organization, for conspiring to distribute heroin in Minneapolis. The indictment is the result of an investigation conducted by the Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force (SWHDTF), which is comprised of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minneapolis Police Department, Minnetonka Police Department, Edina Police Department, Hopkins Police Department, Eden Prairie Police Department, and the St. Louis Park Police Department. The SWHDTF has been investigating “The Crew” since May 2014, as part of an ongoing effort to reduce and eliminate the sale of heroin in Minnesota.

“Those who sell heroin are literally poisoning our children,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “This investigation and indictment will make North Minneapolis safer for the law-abiding residents who are simply trying to live their lives. Working in collaboration with local and federal law enforcement and prosecutors, we are together making Minneapolis a safer place for our children to grow up.”

Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek said: “This investigation was a collaborative effort, and partnerships such as the Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force are critical to combatting the heroin crisis in our communities. Law enforcement is fully committed to shutting down the ‘heroin highway’ and the organizations responsible for distributing this deadly drug around the Twin Cities metro area.”

Dan Moren, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA, Minneapolis-St. Paul District Office said: “When law enforcement officials and prosecutors announced the arrests of over 100 heroin traffickers as part of Operation Exile in April, we made a collective promise to our citizens that we would continue the fight against those dealing heroin in Minnesota. Today is yet another reminder to criminal organizations that we don’t go back on our promises.”

Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau said: “The Minneapolis Police Department was proud to partner with law enforcement teams throughout the metro. While the heroin epidemic is still extremely concerning to us, this type of success will let distributors and residents know that we are aggressively investigating and arresting the people who bring these drugs into our community.”

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said: “We are always pleased to work with U.S. Attorney Andy Luger and federal agents to stamp out heroin trafficking in our county. This has been a strong partnership, which is only getting stronger, as we try to eliminate this scourge that has taken too many lives in our communities.”

According to the indictment and documents filed in court, from January 2012 until September 2014, RICHARD LEE ENGLISH a/k/a “Nation,” and MILTON EUGENE INGRAM a/k/a “Meech,” led a heroin distribution network called “The Crew,” that sold heroin in North Minneapolis. ENGLISH was primarily responsible for obtaining wholesale amounts of heroin from out-of-state sources, including sources in Chicago, Ill., and INGRAM led the distribution network in Minneapolis.

According to the indictment, ENGLISH AND INGRAM traveled about two times per month to Chicago, Ill., to buy 300-400 grams of heroin per trip. They would bring the drugs back to Minneapolis, where it was sold in packets of .1 or .2 grams, at a price of approximately $40 per bag. INGRAM was responsible for dispatching drug runner members of The Crew, who together sold more than 5,000 packets of heroin per month for an approximate street value of more than $140,000. The runners included alleged conspirators JOHNNY MARTELL BROWN, LEE ANTOINE HOWELL a/k/a “Lee Ball,” SHANEQUA AMERSON, ORLANDO DONEE PRYOR, RUSSELL ANTHONY GREYER a/k/a “Rello,” DION TERRANCE FISHER, and others.

According to the indictment and documents filed in court, the runners were available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to deliver heroin to customers, who would call a dispatcher at one of three different cellular telephone numbers. Customers were typically directed to go to North Minneapolis and call back for a specific location, which was typically between 8th Street North and 27th Street North, and Oliver Avenue North and Morgan Avenue North. Once a customer would arrive at the specific location, they would place a third call to inform the dispatcher that they had arrived. The dispatcher typically indicated that a runner would arrive shortly with heroin for sale. The Crew would direct multiple customers at the same time to a single location.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force (SWHDTF), which is comprised of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minneapolis Police Department, Minnetonka Police Department, Edina Police Department, Hopkins Police Department, Eden Prairie Police Department, and the St. Louis Park Police Department.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Paulsen.

Defendant Information:

RICHARD LEE ENGLISH a/k/a “Nation,” 37
Chicago, Ill.

Charges:
• Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, 1 count

MILTON EUGENE INGRAM a/k/a “Meech,” 22
Minneapolis, Minn.

Charges:
• Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, 1 count

JOHNNY MARTELL BROWN, 22
Unknown

Charges:
• Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, 1 count

LEE ANTOINE HOWELL a/k/a “Lee Ball,” 32
Minneapolis, Minn.

Charges:
• Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, 1 count

SHANEQUA AMERSON, 20
Minneapolis, Minn.

Charges:
• Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, 1 count

ORLANDO DONEE PRYOR, 21
Chicago, Ill.

Charges:
• Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, 1 count

RUSSELL ANTHONY GREYER a/k/a “Rello,” 26
Minneapolis, Minn.

Charges:
• Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, 1 count

DION TERRANCE FISHER, 31
Chicago, Ill.

Charges:
• Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, 1 count

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The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 

 

Updated April 30, 2015