Friday, February 2, 2024

After 17 MLK Defendants Were Arrested, Area Saw a 63% Reduction in Violent Crime

            WASHINGTON – Corenzo Mobery, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 180 months in prison for his participation in a drug trafficking network (the “MLK Crew”) based in Southeast Washington that sold cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, PCP, and marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            In addition to 15 years in prison, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Mobery to serve three years of supervised release. Mobery, aka “Snowman,” pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia on October 16, 2023, to five counts that included conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, unlawful possession with intent to distribute cocaine; unlawful possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Mobery was sentenced January 31, 2024.

            “Targeting the limited number of people driving violence in our community—either because they are directly using violence or engaging in criminal conduct that is a magnet violence—is a tried-and-true, evidence-based strategy for combatting violence,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “The defendants operated a drug trafficking network that preyed upon the neighborhood where it operated.  Immediately after these defendants were arrested, this neighborhood saw a substantial reduction in instances of violent crime.  And, more than two years after their arrest, the neighborhood is still experiencing less violent crime than it was experiencing before their arrest.  Those driving violence in other neighborhoods in our community need to know that we are currently working with federal law enforcement partners and MPD to ensure they are brought to justice, just as these defendants were.”

            “The defendants in this case turned to gun violence to control the neighborhood where they trafficked illegal drugs,” said FBI SAC Scott, “but as this investigation demonstrates, dismantling street crews disrupts the cycle of violence. Through collaboration with our partners and help from public tips, the FBI will continue to target and fracture groups driving violent crime in the nation's capital.”

            “Criminal networks thrive in the shadows of our communities, preying on the vulnerable and perpetuating violence. The successful prosecution of Corenzo Mobery and his associates underscores the vital importance of safeguarding our neighborhoods,” said Chief Smith. “By dismantling such networks, we create safer spaces where families can thrive, and children can grow without fear. Let this be a testament to the power of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the community in creating a brighter, safer future for all.”

            The investigation into the MLK Crew began in response to numerous citizen complaints about rampant drug trafficking and accompanying incidents of violence in and around the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE, Washington D.C. In addition to numerous citizen complaints, MPD targeted this area as one of the most notorious in the city in terms of recent shootings and shots fired, as well as for the area’s high numbers of arrests—particularly offenses involving drugs and firearms. As part of its investigation, MPD and FBI began conducting surveillance, obtaining search warrants, and making controlled buys of narcotics from suspected members of the conspiracy.

            The investigation revealed that MLK Crew members openly engaged in the sale of various drugs (including PCP, crack, fentanyl, and marijuana) and took over the area and, effectively, some of the neighborhood’s businesses. MLK Crew members would often go into the neighborhood businesses to complete sales and constantly loitered outside of these businesses to engage in sales. As part of its investigation, MPD and FBI obtained video of defendants openly conducting narcotics transactions in these businesses and even displaying firearms. Throughout the case, law enforcement seized at least 10 firearms (many of which were privately manufactured firearms or “ghost guns”) from MLK crew members and/or stash houses and a sizeable quantity of various narcotics.

            The MLK Crew’s drug trafficking contributed to numerous incidents of drug-related violence in and around the 2900 Block of MLK Ave., including multiple assaults, shootings, robberies, and murders—most notably, the murder of a six-year-old girl who was the daughter of one of the co-defendants in this case. In July 2021, a few months after opening the investigation, MPD and FBI arrested 11 initial defendants and seized 10 firearms, along with PCP, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, pills, and over $2,500 in cash. The additional six defendants were charged in September 2021 and were arrested shortly thereafter.  

            Mobery was indicted with 16 co-defendants (listed below), who have all pleaded guilty and received prison sentences ranging from 24 months to 180 months based on their criminal conduct and criminal histories. The violent crime landscape around the 2900 Block of MLK Avenue improved immediately after these 17 defendants were taken off our streets.  MPD has documented a 63% reduction in violent crime when comparing the six months after these defendants’ arrest to the six months prior.   Similarly, nearly a year later, there was a 60% reduction in violent crime. And, even at the two-year mark, there was a 23% decrease in overall violent crime, which included a 56% decrease in homicides specifically, when comparing this period to the two years prior.