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Kenneth L. Wainstein PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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Fifth leader of major PCP drug trafficking organization in Northeast Washington, D.C. sentenced to 2 terms of life in prison without parole
Washington, D.C. - A fifth leader of a major PCP drug trafficking organization in Northeast Washington, D.C., William Dee Robinson, has been sentenced to two terms of life in prison for his role in the organization’s drug trafficking activities, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Wainstein announced today.
Robinson, 30, of the 1700 block of M Street, NE, Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before the Honorable Rosemary Collyer to two terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole for engaging in a narcotics trafficking and federal racketeering conspiracy. The Court also imposed concurrent sentences of 20 years each for three additional offenses of distribution of phencyclidine (PCP), and sentences of four years for each of three additional offenses of use of a communication facility for drug trafficking. On May 25, 2006, Robinson was convicted after a three-month long jury trial along with four others who had leadership roles in a criminal racketeering drug distribution organization known as the “M Street Crew.”
“Today’s sentencing marks the end of the road for the leaders of the 18th and M Street Crew,” stated U.S. Attorney Wainstein. “With three of its leaders sentenced to life imprisonment without parole and the other two serving sentences of 35 and 22 years, this notorious drug organization will never again pose a threat to the neighborhood it controlled for so many years. I commend the officers and agents of the Safe Streets Task Force for their tremendous investigative efforts, and I thank the community members who stepped forward to help us put the 18th and M Street Crew out of business for good.”
Mr. Wainstein pledged that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to seek stiff federal sentencing penalties against those who participate, conduct and lead large criminal drug trafficking organizations like the M Street Crew.
Earlier this Spring, on May 25, 2006, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against William “Dee” Robinson, Joseph Blackson, William “Mike” Simmons, John L. Franklin and George “Shug” Wilson for their roles in drug trafficking activity committed by the M Street Crew. The crew conducted a notorious PCP and ecstacy distribution ring that operated in the neighborhood of 18th and M Streets, NE, Washington, D.C., between 2000 and 2004. The jury found that Franklin had managed, organized and supplied a drug enterprise that distributed more that 30 kilograms (more than 12 gallons) of liquid PCP. Evidence at trial established that as leader of the M Street Crew, John Franklin’s PCP and ecstacy distribution activity generated profits for him alone of $15,000 to $30,000 per week during 2002 and 2003.
Robinson was the last of the leaders of the M Street Crew to be sentenced. On August 31st, Judge Collyer sentenced co-conspirator Joseph L. Blackson, 29, of the 2700 block of Shipley Terrace, SE, Washington, D.C., to 35 years in prison for engaging in the same narcotics trafficking and racketeering conspiracy and for federal firearms violations. The Court imposed concurrent sentences of 30 years for 14 other offenses involving distribution of PCP and ecstacy. Blackson is the brother of John Franklin, the king-pin of the organization.
On August 25, Judge Collyer sentenced co-defendant William “Mike” Simmons, 32, of the 1200 block of G Street, NE, Washington, D.C., to a term of 22 years in prison for engaging in the same narcotics trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. She also imposed concurrent sentences of 22 years without parole, for three convictions of distribution of liquid PCP. Evidence at trial and at sentencing characterized Simmons’ role in the conspiracy as a personal assistant to the convicted drug king-pin and leader, John L. Franklin.
On August 18th, Judge Collyer sentenced John L. Franklin, 33, formerly of 1300 block of Belmont Street, NW, Washington, D.C., to multiple periods of life in prison without possibility of parole and to an additional 30 years consecutively imposed for various federal firearm violations. Franklin was convicted by the jury of leading the “M Street Crew” and violating the federal drug king-pin statute.
On August 17th, Judge Collyer imposed two sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole against George “Shug” Wilson, 37, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, for his role in the narcotics and racketeering conspiracies.
In imposing the sentences, the judge ruled that the evidence at trial demonstrated Robinson, Blackson and Wilson performed leadership roles in the M Street Crew as that of “street lieutenants.” Franklin’s role as principle administrator of a continuing criminal enterprise was determined by a special verdict returned by the jury.
Six other defendants indicted for narcotics conspiracy and racketeering are scheduled for trial in January 2007. One of these defendants, Larry Gooch, 27, formerly of the 1900 block of M Street, NE, Washington, D.C., is charged with multiple homicides committed in furtherance of the M Street Crew’s racketeering enterprise, and under federal law, faces a possible death penalty if convicted.
At sentencing, prosecutors stated in pleadings and in court that this prosecution represented the culmination of a concerted effort to disrupt and dismantle the entire M Street Crew. Over 30 participants in the M Street Crew were arrested and charged in a massive coordinated effort on March 16, 2004.
The prosecution grew out of a long-term FBI/MPD alliance called the Safe Streets Task force that targeted violent drug trafficking gangs in the District of Columbia. 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.
In announcing today’s sentence, U.S. Attorney Wainstein commended the actions of FBI Special Agent Richard Stallings and MPD Detective Joseph Sopata, who lead the investigative team. In addition, the U.S. Attorney commended the two prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Darlene Soltys and John P. Dominguez, who presented the evidence during the long trial and who argued in favor of imposition of the sentence.