Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled in the Gay Street Neighborhood

Baltimore, Md. (July 18, 2024) - Today, the State’s Attorney’s Office (SAO), Baltimore Police (BPD), and the Mayor’s Office announced the takedown of a drug trafficking organization that was operating in the 900 block of N. Broadway Street.

“Once again, we have dismantled another criminal group proliferating illegal drugs and violence in our city,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “I want to thank my Narcotics Unit, BPD’s Group Violence Enforcement Team, and the Mayor’s Office for their hard work and collaboration to secure the indictments of the seven individuals trafficking drugs in the Gay Street neighborhood. Taking down these types of criminal enterprises allows us to return a better quality of life for those Baltimoreans who live, work, and play in these communities.”

In January of 2024, the Baltimore Police Group Violence Enforcement Team (GVET) began investigating a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in and around the 900 block of North Broadway Street in East Baltimore. This area was operating as an open-air drug market that has been the recent location of notable violence and illegal activity, including numerous shootings.

“Today’s announcement showcases the strong coordination necessary to successfully implement GVRS and improve public safety outcomes for all of our residents,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “We have been clear since launch, anyone who chooses to ignore GVRS’s anti-violence mandate will face swift, certain, and legitimate accountability and today we are once again following through on that promise. I want to thank State’s Attorney Bates and his Narcotics Division, the brave men and women at BPD, and our team with the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement for doing the difficult work necessary to ensure this strategy continues to achieve results, especially when accountability is needed.”

Due to the recent uptick in violence, investigators from Baltimore Police GVET, along with Central District police officers, began efforts to dismantle this DTO’s operation to curb not only the narcotics trafficking but also the associated violence. During the course of the investigation, detectives employed multiple investigative methods, including physical and electronic surveillance, to identify the members of the DTO and distinguish street-level narcotics dealers from the other higher-ranking members running the operation. As a result of the investigation, the following individuals were identified as key members of the DTO:

“The Baltimore Police Department is proud to stand here with our partners in the takedown of another criminal organization responsible for gun violence and bringing illegal drugs into our communities,” said Police Commissioner Richard Worley. “Our residents deserve safe communities, and the men and women of the BPD continue to work tirelessly to create a safer city for all. I want to thank each of our members and all of our partners for their ongoing collaboration and working together to reduce crime and hold criminals accountable.”

Beginning in January of 2024, detectives conducted physical and electronic surveillance of the above-listed DTO members conducting suspected narcotics sales on a near daily basis in and around the 900 block of North Broadway.

“GVRS depends on a delicate balance of opportunity and consequence,” said Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement Director Stefanie Mavronis. “We want people to change their lives around. However, those – like the seven individuals included in this takedown – who make the decision to inflict harm and perpetuate violence in our communities, face swift, certain, and legitimate accountability through the strategy.”

On February 28th, the Grand Jury returned indictments for all seven of the above-listed DTO members for Distribution and Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics. In addition, five search and seizure warrants were secured for the following locations:

223 Silver Court
1504 N. Bond Street
1605 E. Eager Street
1610 E. Eager Street
1924 Hillenwood Road

On March 1, 2024, Baltimore Police GVET members, along with fellow law enforcement partners, including Baltimore County, BPD SWAT, BPD K-9, BPD Central District, and the FBI, executed all five of the above search warrants and served all seven arrest warrants.

The following items were recovered from all five locations: six guns, including two assault-type rifles, approximately 80 grams of crack cocaine, approximately two pounds of cannabis, packaging materials for narcotics, scales, ammunition, and over $10,000 in U.S. currency.