BALTIMORE, MD—The Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office has announced the indictment of 12 members of an alleged drug trafficking organization.

The alleged drug trafficking organization, which is based in the Collins Avenue and Frederick Avenue areas, was responsible for trafficking heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana throughout the Baltimore area. The organization operated openly, and the members were identified as part of a four-month-long investigation by the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Baltimore Police Department’s Group Violence Unit (GVU).

In November of 2023, a four-month-long investigation conducted by the State’s Attorney’s Office and BPD culminated in executing 10 search warrants on a DTO operating in the Irvington neighborhood as part of Baltimore’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy.

“GVRS’s core mission is to provide a choice to those responsible for driving violence in our city and inflicting harm upon our communities — take a pathway out of the life with our help or ultimately be removed from our streets and held accountable to the full extent of the law,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “We always want them to take the first option, but when we’ve exhausted efforts to make that happen, they must be held accountable. I want to thank the State’s Attorney’s Office’s Major Investigations Unit and BPD’s Group Violence Unit for their diligence in holding these group members accountable. Together, we are sending a unified message that those who violate our anti-violence mandate and continue to be involved in group violence will be held accountable.”

The investigation revealed two main leaders, Joseph Barnes and Chris Tomlin. The organization was responsible for at least three homicides, but police are hopeful that the indictments will lead to further convictions and the dismantlement of the organization.

Police Commissioner Richard Worley praised the efforts of the State’s Attorney’s Office, the Baltimore Police Department, and the other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the successful effort. The indictment sends a clear message to drug traffickers that they will be held accountable for their crimes, and it demonstrates the commitment of the Baltimore City government to reduce violence and improve the quality of life for all.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels