February 26, 2015

Dealer for Atlantic City Dirty Block Gang Admits Participating in Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

CAMDEN, NJ—An Atlantic City, N.J., man today admitted engaging in a conspiracy to distribute heroin with several members of the “Dirty Block” criminal street gang—several of whom were convicted after a six-week jury trial in January—which used threats, intimidation and violence to maintain control of the illegal drug trade in Atlantic City, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Ronald Davis, a/k/a “Black,” 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph E. Irenas in Camden federal court to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of public housing, 100 grams or more of heroin.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Davis acted as a dealer, helping Dirty Block to distribute heroin in and around the public housing apartment complexes of Stanley Holmes, Carver Hall, Schoolhouse, Adams Court and Cedar Court, in Atlantic City. Davis was arrested on March 26, 2013.

The drug conspiracy in a protected zone charge to which Davis pleaded guilty carries a minimum penalty of one year in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, a maximum potential fine of $2 million and a minimum period of supervised release of six years. Sentencing is scheduled for June 5, 2015.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Division, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel; the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor James P. McClain; the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Chief Henry White; and the South Jersey Safe Streets Violent Incident and Gang (Safe Streets) Task Force, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

He also thanked the N.J. State Police; the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Northfield Police Department; the Vineland Police Department; the Brigantine Police Department; the Millville Police Department; the Mullica Township Police Department; the South Jersey Transportation Authority; and the U.S. Secret Service for their contributions.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Justin Danilewitz of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmund Burgos of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.