The recent announcement by US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI Christopher G. Raia that 12 members of an East Harlem-based narcotics crew had been charged in a wide-ranging drugs and guns conspiracy in the Johnson Houses NYCHA projects is more than just another crime story.
“For years, these 12 defendants allegedly utilized the Johnson Houses to facilitate their open-air drug market and generate an illicit revenue stream,” said Raia. “This joint investigation with NYPD Manhattan North Narcotics dismantled an alleged trafficking conspiracy disrupting the safety of a public housing development with a continual revolving door of drugs and firearms.”
Of the dozen defendants, eight have nicknames: Brian Gonzalez, a.k.a. “Bmakk”; Brian Nin, a.k.a. “BDot”; Bryan Cowan, a.k.a. “Chapo”; Jafari Hopwah, a.k.a. “Baby Wuu”; Ira Boyce, a.k.a. “Zaza”; Daniel Jones, a.k.a. “D Cash”; Richard Farquharson, a.k.a. “Smooth”; and Quadir Davonish, a.k.a. “Skii Dotty.”…