February 4, 2015

Members of Atlantic City Dirty Block Gang Sentenced for Participating in Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

CAMDEN, NJ—An Atlantic City, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for engaging in a conspiracy to distribute heroin with Mykal Derry, a leader of the “Dirty Block” criminal street gang that allegedly used threats, intimidation and violence to maintain control of the illegal drug trade in Atlantic City.

Raymond Mack, a/k/a “Bread,” 21, of Atlantic City, N.J., previously 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. Judge Irenas imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court:

Mack was arrested on March 26, 2013. He acted as a heroin dealer on behalf of Mykal Derry, 34, of Atlantic City, helping Dirty Block distribute heroin in and around the public housing apartment complexes of Stanley Holmes, Carver Hall, Schoolhouse, Adams Court and Cedar Court in Atlantic City.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Irenas sentenced Mack to serve eight years of supervised release. Mack’s sentencing follows the sentencings last week of two conspirators: Kasan Hayes, 28, was sentenced to 108 months in prison and eight years of supervised release; and Dwayne Townsend, 21, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and eight years of supervised release. Both Hayes and Townsend previously pleaded guilty before Judge Irenas to charges of conspiring to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin, within 1,000 feet of a public housing complex.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Division, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Welling; 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 sentencing.

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 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.