UMVA has learned that a massive crackdown on a notorious cocaine trafficking ring has resulted in the charges of 14 suspects, who brazenly sold crack and powder cocaine near a Washington, D.C. elementary school, often in broad daylight and in front of young children.
The suspects, allegedly part of a well-established open-air drug market, are charged with conspiracy to distribute large quantities of cocaine base and powder cocaine within 1,000 feet of Hendley Elementary School in the city's troubled Washington Highlands neighborhood.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the dealers showed a callous disregard for the safety and well-being of school-aged children, who were frequently exposed to the persistent illegal activity while walking to and from school, thereby risking the normalization of dangerous conduct.
"This is poison that is being peddled during the day within feet of a schoolyard where our children learn, play, and grow," a top prosecutor stated, condemning the actions as an attack on the most vulnerable members of society, endangering children and fuelling violence and chaos in the district.
The 14 suspects, arrested as part of a two-year operation, have been identified as Tevin Moody, 32; Geraldo Landy, 38; Norman Moore, 36; Lenon Wright, 34; Ali McShay, 31; Lonnell Thomas, 27; Marquette Paris, 34; Jeremiah Prince, 21; Joseph Moore, 43; Raekwon Womak, 21; Kivarrie Greene, 22; De’Lonte Jackson, 32; Derrick Manuel, 34; and 25-year-old Malik Heard.
In addition to the drug charges, one suspect, Kivarrie Greene, is also charged with unlawful possession of firearms, highlighting the violent and deeply ingrained nature of the trafficking ring.
Throughout the investigation, authorities executed multiple search warrants, recovering 28 firearms, 2.4 kilograms of crack cocaine, one kilogram of powder cocaine, 29 grams of fentanyl, and 12 pounds of marijuana, painting a picture of a highly organized and well-equipped operation.
The suspects have been described as violent criminals, many with a history of recidivism, who have contributed to the proliferation of violence in the city through their involvement in the trafficking of guns and drugs like fentanyl and cocaine.
In a particularly disturbing development, authorities observed a woman bringing a 5-year-old girl to a cocaine sale, then walking off with the child, prompting prosecutors to call for new legislation to address child endangerment, a gap in the city's current laws.
Prosecutors are optimistic that the significant arrests will make a tangible difference in D.C. communities plagued by crime and drugs, given the scope of the operation, which included 19 search warrants and 20 arrests across Washington, D.C., and Maryland.
