October 16, 2014
Contact: Public Information Officer
Number: 202-307-3936

OCT 16 (BALTIMORE) – A federal grand jury has indicted nine defendants – seven men and two women – who are alleged to be members of the Jenifer drug trafficking organization (Jenifer DTO) for conspiring to distribute kilograms of cocaine in the Baltimore metropolitan and Woodbridge, Virginia areas.  The indictment seeks the forfeiture of $15 million.  The indictment was returned on September 3, 2014 and unsealed on October 9, 2014 upon the arrests of defendants.

The search warrant affidavit was unsealed after the execution of 25 search warrants.  During the searches, law enforcement recovered 27 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $3 million; several hundred thousand dollars in cash recovered from the residences of some of the defendants; over $2 million in jewelry, including a 16 carat diamond ring; and luxury vehicles.

« The arrest of these alleged Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) members emphasizes the proactive work that the Drug Enforcement Administration and our law enforcement partners undertake every day to stop the flow of drugs from entering the Baltimore metropolitan area,” stated Gary Tuggle, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Baltimore District Office.  “DEA’s investigation of this DTO was a long-term, highly complex effort which used a myriad of investigative techniques to expose this DTO. Additionally, by hitting drug trafficking organizations where it hurts them most and seizing drug proceeds, in this case cash, vehicles and properties, we are crippling their ability to ever return.”

The indictment was announced by Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle; United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Kelly of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.

The arrests and searches were the result of coordinated operations by the DEA, IRS – Criminal Investigation, Baltimore City Police Department and Baltimore County Police Department, with the assistance of agents from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives.

The indictment charges the following defendants, all of whom are presently in federal custody:

Kedrick Arnold Jenifer, a/k/a “Ricky Jenifer,” “James Howard Collier, Jr.” and “Rick,” age 43, of Bowie, Maryland;
Tyrone Allen, age 42, of Bel Air, Maryland;
Brooke Renee Lunn, a/k/a “Brooke Thomas,” and “Brooke Renee,” age 48, of Baltimore;
Tracy Muse, a/k/a “Kimberly Scott,” age 41, of Pearland, Texas;
Thomas Simmons, age 37, of Hampton, Virginia;
Andre Brewer, age 35, of Elkridge, Maryland;
Michael Williams, age 40, of Baltimore;
Kermit Clark, age 44, of Baltimore; and
William Hegie, age 54, of Baltimore.

“The indictment and affidavit describe how drug organizations transport cocaine to Baltimore and move cash out of the city by relying on a network of suppliers, couriers, distributors, dealers and money launderers, and by using vehicles with hidden compartments,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.  “The affidavit also explains how law enforcement agents catch drug dealers by using physical and electronic surveillance, wiretaps and cell phone data.”

All of the defendants were arrested last week Thursday, October 9, 2014, except for Michael Williams who turned himself in on Friday, October 10th.

According to an affidavit in support of search warrants, law enforcement started investigating the Jenifer DTO in March 2013.  The Jenifer DTO is a Baltimore-based drug trafficking and money-laundering organization with ties to Houston, Texas; Staten Island, New York; and Woodbridge, Virginia.

From September 2012 to September 2014, the Jenifer DTO allegedly obtained kilogram-quantities of cocaine from Houston and distributed the cocaine throughout the Baltimore area and in Woodbridge, Virginia.

Kedrick Jenifer is the alleged leader of the drug organization.  He directed the collection and transportation of money from Baltimore to Houston, and the transportation of cocaine from Houston to Baltimore.

The affidavit alleges that the drug organization concealed money and cocaine in hidden compartments in vehicles that were driven between Baltimore and Houston. The vehicles were sometimes transported on car carriers. Cocaine and cash were stored at the homes of the defendants, their family members, and at a business complex called RCH Plaza on West Franklin Street in Baltimore. Vehicles with hidden compartments were brought to the business complex, where DTO members concealed large amounts of cash or cocaine.

The affidavit alleges that in October of 2009, while traveling from Baltimore to California, Jenifer and Tyrone Allen stopped in Phoenix, Arizona.  At the Phoenix airport, police seized $97,020 and three cell phones from Jenifer, and $70,680 and eight cell phones from Allen.

On September 27, 2012, the affidavit alleges, Brooke Lunn and a man named John Moore were arrested near Houston with approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a vehicle. Tracy Muse, believed to be a girlfriend of Jenifer, posted bond for the release of Lunn and Moore.  Lunn and Moore returned to Maryland.

On October 20, 2012, Moore was fatally shot in the back of the head in Baltimore. According to the affidavit, his murder is believed to be related to the cocaine seizure.

On July 2, 2013, Arkansas Highway Patrol searched a vehicle transported by the Jenifer DTO from Baltimore to Houston by car carrier, while it was being driven back to Baltimore.  From a hidden compartment in the rear of the vehicle, 23.8 kilograms of cocaine were seized. Following the seizure, Jenifer allegedly returned to using Lunn to transport cash and cocaine between Baltimore and Houston. Since August 2013, Lunn is believed to have made 30 trips between the cities, transporting cash and cocaine.

In June 2014, agents saw Simmons give Jenifer a black bag in a parking lot in Woodbridge, Virginia.  Virginia State Police pulled Simmons over 60 miles away and seized two kilograms of cocaine from a black bag concealed in a hidden compartment in Simmons’ vehicle.

Jenifer owns World Fed Apparel, Inc., a clothing store in Baltimore.  Jenifer is also a co-owner of Flavor Factory, LLC, which is believed to own an ice cream franchise in Baltimore.

Jenifer and his companies currently own the following vehicles:

2013 Rolls Royce Ghost valued at $296,000,
2014 Ferrari 458 Italia valued at $271,000,
2014 BMW M6 valued at $113,925,
2015 Ford F-250 truck valued at $56,000,

and a 2012 Acura ZDX, a 2010 Honda Crosstour, a 2006 Acura and a 2009 GMC Denali truck.  Jenifer kept some high end vehicles at a storage unit in Laurel, Maryland.  Brewer allegedly bought a 2014 Mercedes S63 AMG, worth approximately $156,900.

The defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

The defendants had their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Virginia and Texas last week. Hegie and Clark consented to detention.  A detention hearing was held on October 14, 2014, in federal court in Baltimore for Lunn and she is detained.  A detention hearing in federal court in Baltimore is scheduled for Jenifer, Allen and Brewer on October 16, 2014 at 11:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively, and for Muse on October 17 at 10:00 a.m.  Williams is detained until arrangements are completed for his release on home detention with electronic monitoring.  Simmons is in custody in the Eastern District of Virginia. No date has been set for a hearing for him in Maryland.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

http://www.justice.gov/dea/divisions/wdo/2014/wdo101614.shtml

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