Nine People Indicted On Federal Charges in Narcotics and Firearms Trafficking Investigation

Defendants Accused of Distributing Crack, Cocaine, PCP, Fentanyl, and Firearms in the Washington Area

WASHINGTON – Nine people have been indicted on federal charges stemming from an ongoing investigation into a ring that allegedly distributed crack cocaine, cocaine, PCP, fentanyl, and firearms in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

To date, more than 500 grams of cocaine base and 100 grams of PCP have been seized as a result of the investigation, along with 13 firearms. Nine of the guns were seized today.

The charges are contained in three indictments unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Seven defendants were arrested today, including Darnell Catlett, 45, of Upper Marlboro, Md.; Jamal Curtis, 39, of Washington, D.C.; Pamela Davis, 56, of Washington, D.C.; Russel Harrison, 38, of Temple Hills, Md.; Brian Jenkins, 42, of Brentwood, Md., Tydell Mims, 48, of Upper Marlboro, Md., and Everette Reel, 45, of Upper Marlboro., Md. Two other defendants are still being sought.

Eight defendants are charged with taking part in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack. Numerous defendants are also charged with possessing and distributing various narcotics, including crack, cocaine, PCP and fentanyl, during the period of the investigation. The indictments also include a forfeiture count against all of those now charged in the investigation, which seeks all proceeds from the crimes.

Two defendants are alleged to have engaged in a conspiracy to traffic firearms based on the controlled purchase of firearms by law enforcement led by the FBI, with the assistance of MPD and ATF.

“This investigation is another example of our determination to target drug trafficking organizations that are bringing crack cocaine, cocaine, PCP and firearms into neighborhoods of the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Through this coordinated law enforcement effort, we were able to remove significant quantities of drugs as well as firearms from the streets.”

“Today’s arrests send a clear message that drug traffickers have no place in our community,” said Assistant Director in Charge Vale. “The FBI along with our local law enforcement partners is focused on stopping the movement and sale of drugs on our streets and ensuring that our neighborhoods are free from illegal firearms.”

“ATF is dedicated to removing those that use firearms to commit violence from our streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Chittum. “This investigation is a great example of how we actively collaborate with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime and keep our communities safe.”

In May 2015, the FBI, with the assistance of MPD, began a long-term investigation into a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Montana Terrace neighborhood of Northeast Washington and extended into Maryland. Earlier today, the FBI coordinated the execution of eight search warrants and the arrest warrants in the District of Columbia and Maryland. The search warrants were executed on five residences and three automobiles belonging to numerous alleged co-conspirators, resulting in the recovery of additional quantities of narcotics, firearms, narcotics paraphernalia, and approximately $80,000 in cash.

The defendants began making their first court appearances today.

This case is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, Chief Newsham, and Special Agent in Charge Chittum commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI, ATF, and MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI’s Baltimore Division, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

Finally, they cited the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Christopher Macchiaroli.