15 indicted in crackdown on 'open air drug markets' in Dudley Square
Federal and local officials today announced cocaine-related indictments as part of an effort to curb drug-related violence in the area surrounding the Dudley bus depot and the Orchard Gardens housing project.
Officials say drug activity over the past two years has meant "aggravated assaults, firearm arrests, robberies, and shootings," including last year's murder of Soheil Turner, 15, as he walked to school down Dudley Street.
"The violence associated with gangs, guns, and drugs has already injured and killed too many innocents," Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley said.
The indicted men range in age from 17 to 43 and face a variety of charges related to cocaine possession and distribution. Three remain at large. Details on the charges:
DEMETRIUS CALHOUN, A/K/A "PORK-C," A/K/A/ "PORK," 43
Charged with one count of Distribution of Heroin and Aiding and Abetting. He faces 20 years imprisonment, fine of up to $1 million, and supervised release of three years to life;
STEVEN CHAMBERS, 29. Charged with one count of Distribution of Cocaine Base and Aiding and Abetting. He faces 20 years imprisonment, fine of up to $1 million, and supervised release of three years to life. CHAMBERS REMAINS A FUGITIVE;
NICHOLAS COX, 24
Charged with one count of Distribution of Cocaine Base and Aiding and Abetting. He faces 20 years imprisonment, fine of up to $1 million, and supervised release of three years to life;
AKEIM FRANCIS, 22
Charged with one count of Distribution of Cocaine Base and Aiding and Abetting. Faces 20 years imprisonment, fine of up to $1 million, and supervised release of three years to life;
JIMMAL MARSHAL, 20
Charged with one count of Distribution of Cocaine; Distribution of a Controlled Substance within 1000 feet of a School; Aiding and Abetting. He faces 40 years imprisonment with a one-year mandatory minimum, fine of up to $2 million, and supervised release of six years to life;
CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ, 19.
Charged with one count of Distribution of Cocaine; Distribution of a Controlled Substance within 1000 feet of a School; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Aiding and Abetting. He faces 40 years imprisonment with a one-year mandatory minimum, fine of up to $2 million, and supervised release of six years to life on the drug charge; 10 years imprisonment, fine of up to $250k, and supervised release up to three years on the firearms charge;
VANCE TRAYNHAM, A/K/A "V," 35
Charged with Distribution of Cocaine Base and Aiding and Abetting. He faces 20 years imprisonment, fine of up to $1 million, and supervised release of three years to life. TRAYNHAM REMAINS A FUGITIVE;
KEVIN WIGGINS, 37
Charged with Distribution of Cocaine Base and Aiding and Abetting. He faces 20 years imprisonment, fine of up to $1 million, supervised release of three years to life. WIGGINS REMAINS A FUGITIVE;
KEVIN WOODS, 19
Charged with one count of Cocaine Base and Aiding and Abetting. He faces 20 years imprisonment, fine of up to $1 million, supervised release of three years to life, and a $100 mandatory special assessment;
TYRONE YOUNG, A/K/A "BIG E," 31
Charged with one count of Distribution of Cocaine; Distribution of a Controlled Substance within 1000 feet of a School and Aiding and Abetting. He faces 40 years imprisonment with a one-year mandatory minimum, fine of up to $2 million, and supervised release of six years to life;
KENNETH WHIGHAM, 28
Charged with Distribution of Cocaine Base and Aiding and Abetting. He faces 20 years imprisonment, fine of up to $1 million, and supervised release of three years to life;
ALONZO WHITE, 38
Charged with Distribution of Cocaine Base and Aiding and Abetting. He faces 20 years imprisonment, fine of up to $1 million, and supervised release of three years to life.
Three individuals were arrested and charged on state drug charges:
KEVIN FARROW, 38
Charged with three separate crack cocaine sales
He faces 10 years maximum in state prison;
WILLIAM HOWELL, 17
Charged with Distribution of Class B in a School Zone
He faces 10 years maximum in state prison;
GUTHRIE SMITH, 37
Charged with crack cocaine sale
He faces 10 years maximum in state prison.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
So a big coke ring was
So a big coke ring was running across the street from the police station? Christ!
Don't worry - there's building a new police station. Replacing a station house that's not all that old. A station that was built to help develop the square a generation ago. Nice to see how that worked.
Once again showing that drug prohibition is futile and evil
We do not have open-air beer and wine markets in Massachusetts, and we don't have gangs and guns associated with the beer and wine business. It is regulated and taxed and licensed. Why can't we learn from what works?
Which way does that go?
I'd kind of like to have an open-air beer and wine market...
I too am all in favor of beer
I too am all in favor of beer and wine gardens, but that's not quite the point Ron is making.
Dudley T stop?
Haven't seen that for a few decades...
OK, bus depot
Changed.
Still commonly called Dudley Station, though
and unlike any other bus stop that I know of, it has Charlie machines.
It is the terminal station
It is the terminal station for Boston's fifth rapid transit line, the Silver. Wouldn't a rapid transit line have stations, to distinguish it from simply being a bus route?