DC Drug Ring Sold Cocaine Near Elementary School

A two-year federal investigation has culminated in the charging of fourteen suspects involved in a cocaine trafficking operation near Hendley Elementary School in Washington, D.C. The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to distribute large amounts of cocaine base and powder cocaine within 1,000 feet of the school.

Federal prosecutors highlighted that drug sales routinely occurred in the presence of schoolchildren. This proximity to children was described as an attack on the most vulnerable, endangering them and normalizing dangerous conduct. The operation led to the seizure of 28 firearms, 2.4 kilograms of crack cocaine, one kilogram of powder cocaine, 29 grams of fentanyl, and 12 pounds of marijuana.

Authorities executed multiple search warrants across Washington, D.C., and Maryland. The arrests are part of a broader effort to combat violent street gangs involved in drug and gun trafficking, which officials state are primary drivers of violence in the city, including armed carjackings and shootings.