U.S. charges 8 in Kensington drug-ring probe
Federal authorities arrested four Dominican nationals and one U.S. citizen Thursday and charged them with running a large-scale drug-distribution network that controlled several Kensington corners.
Federal authorities arrested four Dominican nationals and one U.S. citizen Thursday and charged them with running a large-scale drug-distribution network that controlled several Kensington corners.
Three others were being sought.
Prosecutors say Jorge "Hansel" Balbuena, 29, oversaw the operation, obtaining large quantities of heroin, crack, and powder cocaine from South America via contacts in the Dominican Republic and selling them wholesale to street-level dealers.
Others charged - including Ysidro "Pisa Pie" Garcia, 67, and his 35-year-old twin sons, Luis and Jose - are accused of controlling distribution at the corners, some near Elkin School on the 3100 block of D Street, and McKinley Playground at C and Westmoreland Streets.
A 25-count indictment unsealed Thursday charges the men with various counts of conspiracy and drug distribution between March 2014 and October 2015.
Arrested were Balbuena; Jose Garcia; Elvin "Elvys" DeJesus, 26; Gary Cuevas-Reyes, 27; and Pedro Montes-Perez, 24, who is a U.S. citizen.
Ysidro Garcia, Luis Garcia, and Yan Mota Soto, 25, were being sought Thursday.
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