Drug Enforcement Unit

Last week, a reputed 18-year-old drug kingpin, Anthony Jones, was arrested in East Baltimore. Police said a multi-million-dollar organization was organized when Mr. Jones was a juvenile and used children as young as 11 years old as street dealers.Over the last 20 years, according to prosecutors and police, local drug dealers have grown progressively younger and more dangerous, as the appetite of city drug addicts continues to switch increasingly from heroin to cocaine.During the reign of the "old school" traffickers -- mature adults -- heroin was Baltimore's drug of choice.

Baltimore police uncovered a large dog-fighting ring in the Howard Park neighborhood late Tuesday while investigating drug activity in the 2900 block of Silver Hill Ave. Police said Johnnie Taylor, 30, of the 2900 block of Silver Hill Ave., was charged with eight counts of animal cruelty and dog fighting as well as drug possession. Animal control officers rescued eight dogs and police seized training equipment used in dog fighting, along with medications, dog-fighting manuals and narcotics.

More than 100 police officers raided 21 residences in Southwest Baltimore last night and Monday morning and arrested nearly 30 people suspected of selling and possessing narcotics, police said.Called "Operation Township," the raids came in response to complaints from residents and after police conducted numerous undercover drug purchases, Sergeant Fred Bealefeld of the Southwestern District drug enforcement unit said last night.Police raided residences on Catherine, Shipley, Hollins and McHenry streets, Fairmount and Whitmore avenues, and Melvin Drive and Franklintown Road and arrested 27 suspects.

The Baltimore police officer who shot and wounded a man Monday night has been identified as Jonathan Riker, 28, who has been on the force three years, a city police spokesman said. Riker is assigned to the Northwestern District's drug enforcement unit. Police said the man wounded in the left shoulder is a 37-year-old Baltimorean with a long arrest record. He has been charged in a warrant with drug and handgun violations, but police have not released his name pending formal charges after his release from Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Baltimore City Southwestern District Drug arrests: District drug enforcement unit officers saw two men allegedly sell narcotics to a man Tuesday in the first block of S. Monroe St. and arrested all three. Police recovered more than $300 and four $10 plastic bags containing heroin. Neal Pinkney, 35, of the 600 block of Linnard St. and Darrell Walker, 35, of the 400 block of Allendale St. were charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin.

In Baltimore CityPolice arrest nine, seize drugs in raids on 3 housesPolice raided three Southeast Baltimore houses yesterday afternoon and arrested nine people, seizing nearly $4,000 and marijuana, cocaine and heroin, authorities said.Lt. Richard James said members of the Southeastern District's Drug Enforcement Unit raided one house in the 100 block of N. Curley St. and two in the 3100 block of McElderry St. about 2 p.m., after recent drug purchases by undercover officers at the former site and complaints by residents of the Ellwood Park neighborhood.

Baltimore Police swept through the Johnston Square community yesterday morning, raided eight rowhouses and arrested seven people on drug charges.In the raids, dubbed Operation Johnston Square, officers said they seized cocaine, heroin, two handguns and one rifle. Police described two addresses, in the 1600 block of Holbrook St. and the 1300 block of Ensor St., as major drug houses.During a six-week investigation, members of the Eastern District Drug Enforcement unit arrested 22 additional suspects and seized 387 packages of cocaine and heroin and $2,500.

The Baltimore police officer who shot and wounded a man Monday night has been identified as Jonathan Riker, 28, who has been on the force three years, a city police spokesman said. Riker is assigned to the Northwestern District's drug enforcement unit. Police said the man wounded in the left shoulder is a 37-year-old Baltimorean with a long arrest record. He has been charged in a warrant with drug and handgun violations, but police have not released his name pending formal charges after his release from Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

Baltimore police uncovered a large dog-fighting ring in the Howard Park neighborhood late Tuesday while investigating drug activity in the 2900 block of Silver Hill Ave. Police said Johnnie Taylor, 30, of the 2900 block of Silver Hill Ave., was charged with eight counts of animal cruelty and dog fighting as well as drug possession. Animal control officers rescued eight dogs and police seized training equipment used in dog fighting, along with medications, dog-fighting manuals and narcotics.

A $3-million-a-year heroin operation that flourished in East Baltimore because of the fear instilled by two kingpins known as "Eric and Eric" has been broken, local and federal authorities said.The end came Thursday night as members of the Eastern District's Drug Enforcement Unit and agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration ended a two-month investigation with raids in locations in Baltimore and Baltimore County.The two alleged kingpins, Eric L. "Big Eric" Johnson, 24, of the 900 block of North Belnord Avenue, and Eric L. "Little Eric" Coley, 22, of the first block of Emelia Woods Court in Raspeburg, were taken into custody on various drug charges along with an alleged lieutenant in the organization, Eric Farmer, 29, of the 2600 block of Ashland Avenue, according to police.

City police raided a Reservoir Hill apartment Thursday afternoon, arresting two adults and two youths and recovering $4,000 worth of drugs. The raid of a first-floor apartment in the 800 block of W. North Ave. stemmed from an undercover cocaine purchase on Aug. 19, according to Detective David Jones of the department's Central District Drug Enforcement Unit. As officers with the unit were about to raid the apartment about 1 p.m., they spotted a 15-year-old youth outside with marijuana.

Frederick police are investigating the fatal shooting Wednesday night by a police officer of a man suspected of selling drugs to an undercover officer in a Frederick apartment complex. Shortly after the officer made an arranged buy of what police thought were illegal drugs from a man about 7 p.m., backup police officers approached and attempted to arrest him, according to a news release issued by the Frederick Police Department. The release said that when confronted by Cpl. Steven Brown, the man tackled the officer, causing Brown to drop his gun. The man then removed a folding knife clipped to Brown's pants and stabbed the officer in the back and an arm, police said.

Maryland State Police have seized more than 40 pounds of cocaine and marijuana, arrested 14 people and recovered more than $100,000 since stepping up efforts to catch drug smuggling along the state's highways. Col. Edward T. Norris said yesterday that he formed a unit May 5 and increased drug interdiction efforts this month to stem the flow of drugs into Baltimore and other Maryland communities. On May 12, the unit stopped a car heading for Baltimore with half a kilogram of powder cocaine inside.

Baltimore police arrested two men yesterday and reported seizing large amounts of narcotics and cash after a four-month investigation of drug activity in the southwest section of the city. City police seized more that 3 pounds of cocaine, 4 ounces of raw heroin, 1.5 ounces of morphine and $10,000 in cash in raids at five locations, as well as three vehicles and two handguns allegedly used in the drug trade, according to Detective Mark Lunsford of the Central District Drug Enforcement Unit.

Two brothers were arrested and a third was being sought after drug raids Tuesday at three Forest Park dwellings. Seized in the raids were an estimated $184,000 worth of heroin and cocaine, $4,700 in cash, a .30-caliber rifle, a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun, ammunition, jewelry, cell phones, pagers and a computer believed to contain drug sales records, police said. The raids - in the 5300 block of Norwood Ave., 3800 block of Ferndale Ave. and 3000 block of Fendall Ave. - followed two weeks of undercover work by members of the Northern District's drug enforcement unit, including purchases of cocaine and heroin, said its head, Sgt. Troy Cooper.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Baltimore City Central District Drug arrest: District drug enforcement unit officers saw a woman allegedly buying drugs from a man Thursday in the 300 block of Wilson St. Police arrested the woman and seized six vials of crack cocaine. Nicole McDonald, 31, of the 1700 block of McCulloh St. was charged with possession of cocaine. Theft from vehicle: Golf clubs valued at more than $1,000 were stolen Saturday from a 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser in the 100 block of W. Mulberry St. Southwestern District Robber try/shooting: A couple was in the 2300 block of Ashton St. about 4:20 p.m. Friday when a gunman armed with a pellet gun demanded a shopping bag the woman was carrying.

Baltimore City Southwestern District Arrest: Responding to a burglary Tuesday at an apartment in the 2100 block of Garrison Blvd., drug enforcement unit officers arrested a man and seized a .32-caliber revolver. Joey Bailey, 19, of the 2100 block of N. Longwood St. was charged with burglary and illegal possession of a handgun. Drug arrest: After observing a man allegedly possessing cocaine Tuesday in the 4500 block of Old Frederick Road, drug enforcement unit officers arrested him and seized cocaine and marijuana - all valued at $810 -- and $31. Marquis York, 26, of the 800 block of Cooks Lane was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and simple possession of marijuana.