"The following information is forwarded regarding the conclusion of an investigation into the heroin distribution organization known as "Smackdown." The organization centered around the Pratt and Carey Sts intersection and extended into the Hollins Roundhouse and Union Square communities and quite possibly several others as well.
"None of the addresses where search warrants were executed were in the Southern District, however all the persons arrested conducted most of their drug sales in the listed communities. It should be noted that this is a Federal Case and those arrested are subject to extremely lengthy sentences. Several of those arrested will potentially get life in federal prison. The Federal system has no probation or parole and has a conviction rate of somewhere near 98%. This is a rock solid case and will end the Matthews drug dealing.
"The Southern District will continue to hit the area hard in an effort to prevent other drug organizations form attempting to operate in the area ... On 6/22/07 Sgt. Tom Smith's O.C.D. / D.E.A. / M.E.T. team executed 8 search and seizure warrants relative to the "Smack Down" heroin organization that operates in the Southern District in the area of Pratt and Carey St.
The following evidence was recovered:
2.8 Kilograms of Heroin - Street value in excess of $500,000.00
3 Handguns
Approx. $145,000.00 (Still Counting)
The following locations were raided:
5501 Todd Ave. (NED)
3808 Bayville Rd (Baltimore County)
507 Rose Hill Terr. (N.D.)
3621 Elmley Av. (N.E.D.)
5411 Jamestown Ct. (S.W.D.)
6012 Amberwood Rd. (N.E.D.)
2034 Walbrook Ave. (W.D.)
4304 Seminole Ave. (S.W.D.)
The Following Individuals were arrested:
Calvin Mathews SID#1676517
Jerome Gilbert SID#2123302
Jermaine Gilbert SID#1437715
Lennell Mathews SID#2250043
Michael Goodman SID#2248896
Donita Moore SID#1793142
Jaml Piles SID#3127619
Arthur Snowden SID# 96082
Keith Stevenson SID#2446374
The following persons have open Federal Indictment Warrants and have not yet been arrested:
Lionel Mathews SID#2273084
Bryant Snowden SID#1938277
The pistols recovered were .45 and .9mm.
All persons were transported to S.D. / D.D.U. One individual was debriefed by 2100 Det. Hunter as well in relation to 07H119.
All are expected to be Federally detained, although the detention hearings have not yet occurred.
I would especially like to thank the following:
Sgt. Smith and the D.E.A. / M.E.T. squad for making a great case!!
AUSA Wallner and Weinstein for their tireless efforts
ASA Siemek and Mason for there State side help
Lt. McKnight and QRT for making two of our entries
Balto. Co. SWAT / Narcotics for making a County entry
S.D. Operations, namely officers Creed and Moody who provided vital intelligence.
Deputy Major McDonald for his patience.
I'm sure I missed a few.
Most interesting to me in this is that this Southern District organization lived in 4 different City Districts, and Baltimore County. Not one S.D. location was raided! This shows what a City (and County) wide organization this really is (was)!"
-- Lt. Quick
17 comments:
While it's nice to see scumbags getting locked up, I immediately thought of what Ed Norris said in his crime plan summary.
"This country will never win the war on drugs and to waste vast resources on a futile battle is a poor use of resources."
"Filling the War Memorial from floor to ceiling with confiscated drugs is meaningless if people are still being slaughtered at a rate many times the national average."
The problem with "The War on Drugs" is how it is being fought. If it is a war then it should be fought like a war. All forces fighting and giving support in this drug war should be organized like a modern army. Complete with comand and control, intel and supply. Drug dealers, suppliers and other top level combatants should be sentenced to death. That sentence should be cared out with in 3 months of conviction reguardless of appeals. Body of excuted person would be buried in one of many mass unmarked graves.
Just what we need, Baltimore Polizei Einsatzgruppen. That'll finally provide a solution to the drug problem.
Maurice Crosby and Erica Ammenhauser, the alleged killers of Michael Simms, are in police custody according to the Sun.
Question: suppose we suddenly offered free addicts/users free drugs. Would the crime stop? No, you'd actually have to provide their sustanence and housing as well. Suppose you did.
Would the dealers go get minimum wage jobs in a warehouse or a Mickey D's ? No, they'd find an alternative form of contraband to deal in. When prohibition was repealed, the bootleggers moved into narcotics.
So, the hoodie boyz who now deal smack & crack would convert to.... selling firearms, bootleg videos, maybe fake ID's for illegal immigrants. And when some competitor infringes on their (profitable) turf, do you think they're going to file a grievance with the FTC ??
No, they're going to shoot them to death on the 2300 block of Barclay. So there's no change, except the nature of the contraband. It's not a war on drugs; it's a war on smuggling. And the burden of those is part of the history of civilized societies.
You can take the money out of criminality, but you have to be willing to pay off the criminal. There ain't that much free money in the Treasury, hon.
The Smackdown guys from Pratt & Carey were earning $20,000 a day from the sale of heroin.
BTW, there was a police-involved collision at Fulton & Riggs.
if we offerred addicts and users free drugs they could go about their lives and get jobs and become far more productive members of society, at least in regard to heroin. crack/cocaine requires repeated dosages that would interfere with any functionality regardless of legality, heroin addicts take dosages to mantain "normality" and do so only every several hours. I know plenty of addicts so I know what I'm talking about. Some of them were customers of the people who just got arrested.
"if we offerred addicts and users free drugs they could go about their lives and get jobs and become far more productive members of society, at least in regard to heroin."
True. Heroin isn't really all that debilitating (not that I'm advocating that people use the stuff), at least compared to drugs like crystal meth. It's possible to be hooked on heroin and still be a somewhat useful member of society.
JOHN GALT: "Question: suppose we suddenly offered free addicts/users free drugs. Would the crime stop? No, you'd actually have to provide their sustanence and housing as well. Suppose you did."
We already provide their housing, health care, food...
We'd save a lot by not paying the police to chase around crack addicts and idiot kids selling dope on the corner. Not to mention no paying judges, correctional officers...
You really think it could get any worse if we legalized drugs? If you do, you're out of your mind. Take a drive in West Baltimore and then come back and tell me it could get worse.
Did I advocate the status quo ? No.
These people need to cease being parasites. They can work or starve. If they choose to be criminals, then the judges and cops are an unfortunate necessity for punishing them. Of course, a cheaper way would be to just flog them, if you prefer. ut no, they cannot simply continue to break the basic criminal laws.
I'm a junkie with a job and I can also tell you those dudes from Smackdown worked hard, I was a customer
Jay im srry for wat happen.. i miss u sooooooooooooooooo much and i still love u boo..
Peaches
know the family personally and this has been going on since at least 1996, so it was past time for them to get caught. Also the home in the Southern District wasn't raided because their family moved from the main house months before they searched any houses. I guess the drug dealing was paying mom good because she finally got out of that neighborhood after living there forever. It's a shame because now the woman has all of her male children in federal prison.
I love my husband..I will ALWAYS stick by his side.. this article sound so bad.. n hes not that person y'all making him out to be.. I LOVE MY EVERYTHING n cant wait til he come home...
Mrs Nicole Gilbert
Many years later I think about my days of "smackdown" . I remember long before the street raid saying ," ill get never get clean while smackdown is out". I hung in there for about ayear, but for me it was never the same. The Matthews clan changed the game & set the bar. I read the posts and articles and was there in the months leading up to the raid. These men, I dont feel deserve, the sentences they got. Rightfully so, that crooked a** Creed should be sitting next to them. Smackdown boys might have been drug dealers but at the end of the day they were loyal to their clientele. More so than the police department. Is loyal to the citizens of Baltimore City. Their product was top notch, never sold any dummy s*** & knew how to conduct business_ even if it was illegal. I guess authorities did have to take them out....They ran the south side from 7 until 6! Rain sleet or 4 feet of snow. They were Baltimores finest. 6 plus years of being sober & can honestly say from me, my friends, and many others-- no one will ever replace this crew & u ARE missed. One love
these boys ran there operation like a business. They set up shop he same time everyday except sunday and closed shop at he same time. They ALWAYS had the best product in town. I was in the rehab of Baltimore behavioral and health aka BBH trying to get clean when I discovered smackdown. They operated very close to bbh. This was another smart business move on there part. But the reason I posted here was to say that I understand that these dudes was breaking the law and selling a drug that killed many and ruined thousands of lives but these guys was stand up dudes. They was the only crew who treated all there customers with respect. They protected customers from being robbed, watched your back as you left the hole, and made sure you was happy with your product. I guess I wanted to add beauty to ugly situation. Im 8 years clean today and a large part of it is because they are no longer around so im glad they was taken down. But I wish it wasn't for so long, there familys and children are still suffering. Much luv Smackdown soldiers!!!
Ya next we'd have tanks and hummers with turrets on top driving down north ave, Monument Avenue, and other street that have drug activity on them shooting at will yeah that'll do it
Post a Comment