Federal Indictment and Arrests of Drug Ring Members Announced

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Eleven individuals have been arrested in connection with an ongoing Federal Bureau of Investigation/Metropolitan Police Department Safe Streets Task Force investigation into a drug ring operating in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Joseph Persichini, Jr., announced today.

Seized during today’s arrests were approximately 30 guns, over $35,000 in cash, and quantities of crack cocaine, heroin, ecstacy, pcp, and marijuana. The arrests followed the return of two federal indictments that were unsealed today, charging David A. Duvall, Sean V. Allen, Omar E. Bowman, Govan Blanton, Jr., Daryl D. Traynham, Mark D. Smith, Roger L. Prophet, Rodney Douglas, Preston G. Holmes, II, Donnell J. McCleod, Alton D. Taylor, Angelo Cannon, Marvin S. Broadus, Kevin H. Thomas, and Dennis L. Carroll with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of crack cocaine.

The defendants began making their initial appearances on the charges this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. If convicted, the defendants face sentences from ten years to life in jail.

The Safe Streets initiative is funded in part by the Baltimore Washington High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area as well as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The Safe Streets Initiative involves more than 150 Safe Streets Task Forces around the country that combat street gangs by combining federal, state and local police resources. The task forces, which began in 1992 in Los Angeles and the District of Columbia, address gang activity including drug-related crimes. Sharing resources, manpower and intelligence allows federal prosecutors to focus on securing the maximum sentences and penalties for gang members found guilty. By working through a Task Force, investigators can focus on the entire criminal enterprise, instead of the prosecution of individual gang members. Safe Street Task Forces and approximately 50 other crime task forces lead by the FBI in 2008 accounted for 2,762 criminal convictions and the disruption or dismantlement of more than 750 criminal enterprises.

In announcing today’s indictments and arrests, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillips and Assistant Director Persichini praised the efforts of the Washington, D.C., FBI Field Office, along with MPD Major Narcotics Branch Officers David Dessin and Steven Manley. He also commended the outstanding support provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office employees John Russell, Jr., Mia Beamon, Diane Brashears, Tammy Scott, Kim Hall, Supervisory Paralegal Mary Downing, and Criminal Intelligence Analyst Frank Morgan, all of whom assisted in the investigation of the case. Finally, Mr. Phillips cited the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty, Opher Shweiki, and Courtney Spivey who investigated and will prosecute the cases.

An Indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.