BALTIMORE (Jan. 20, 2016)—Capping a months-long undercover investigation, prosecutors with the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Unit obtained indictments from a Baltimore grand jury, charging 26 individuals who were operating as part of five separate drug organizations with allegedly conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine in Northwest Baltimore.
The indictments were announced by Attorney General Brian Frosh; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge William McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Baltimore Field Office; United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
The indictments allege that the drug organization is responsible for daily trafficking of illegal narcotics in neighborhoods near Park Heights Avenue, West Belvedere Avenue, Oakley Avenue, and Pimlico Road. According to the indictments, members of five organizations operating in the area sold heroin and cocaine to undercover officers from early September through late December. Some members are alleged to have used juveniles to make sales; others are alleged to have sold illegal narcotics near neighborhood elementary schools.
Search warrants executed last week also led to the recovery of hundreds of vials and bags of heroin and cocaine packaged for distribution, along with a stolen loaded firearm. The area has been subject to gun violence that police say may be related to drug trade in the neighborhood.
Many of those charged in the indictments have arrests and convictions for crimes of violence including attempted murder, armed robbery, assault, burglary, and handgun violations.
The following indicted individuals are in custody:
• Nigel Gross, 26, charged with one count of conspiring with others to distribute narcotics, and one count of heroin distribution.
• Darryl Harris, 18, charged with one count of conspiring with others to distribute narcotics, three counts of cocaine distribution, two counts of distributing narcotics within 1000 feet of a school, and one count of using a minor to distribute narcotics.
• Tino Hayes, 23, charged with one count of conspiring with others to distribute narcotics, four counts of cocaine distribution, four counts of distributing narcotics within 1000 feet of a school, and one count of using a minor to distribute narcotics.
• Derrick Holmes, 19, charged with one count of conspiring with others to distribute narcotics, two counts of cocaine distribution, and one count of distributing narcotics within 1000 feet of a school.
• Christopher Jones, 22, charged with one count of conspiring with others to distribute narcotics, three counts of cocaine distribution, and three counts of distributing narcotics within 1000 feet of a school.
• Michael Key, Jr., 27, charged with one count of conspiring with others to distribute narcotics, one count of cocaine distribution, and one count of distributing narcotics within 1000 feet of a school.
• Jaqwuan Owens, 20, charged with one count of conspiring with others to distribute narcotics, one count of cocaine distribution, three counts of heroin distribution, and two counts of distributing narcotics within 1000 feet of a school.
• Robert Rather, 40, charged with one count of conspiring with others to distribute narcotics, and five counts of heroin distribution.
• Troy White, 23, charged with one count of conspiring with others to distribute narcotics, and one count of cocaine distribution.
“These criminal organizations are selling near schools where children go every day to learn,” said Attorney General Frosh. “I commend the city detectives and federal agents who build these investigations and work with our prosecutors to make our communities safer.”
“I am pleased that as we start a new year our local, state, and federal partnerships remain strong and committed to working together,” said Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis. “We are collectively showing these criminal organizations that we are working together to impact their drug trade.”
Attorney General Frosh commended the Baltimore City Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Frosh thanked Katie Dorian, Chief of the Organized Crime Unit, Gary Musgrave, Assistant Attorney General, and troopers from the Maryland State Police assigned to the Organized Crime Unit, which is responsible for the prosecution of this case .
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. A person is innocent unless and until proven guilty. A representative indictment is attached.