Senior Citizen and Grown Folks Drug Ring Busted By Attorney General’s Office
by Alex Lloyd Gross
When you are 45 and older, you are old enough to know better. That fact did not stop 17 people who police allege were operating a major drug selling ring out of a coffee shop in North Philadelphia. The ring was run by 56 year old Louis Alexander. He employed friends and family, including his 78 year old mother Gloria to help him push cocaine, marijuana and assorted pills from the Cumberland Coffee and Snacks store located at Cleveland and Cumberland.
According to Dave Sunday, PA Attorney General, each other people were responsible for something within the drug enterprise. Some packaged the drugs and others sold them in the streets surrounding the store. According to Sunday, More than four pounds of cocaine and 130 pounds of marijuana were seized.
The investigation is ongoing regarding the firearms and potential involvement in violent crimes. The defendants face a variety of charges, including felony counts of corrupt organizations, possession with intent to deliver, and illegal possession of firearms. Many are incarcerated following arraignments. Some of those arrested were on probation or parole. Some of the places searched were in New Jersey and Delaware County, police said.
According to Sunday, this organization was in business for over 10 years. “Good people moved from the area. Businesses moved out, yet this stayed. The coffee shop was a front for the drug operation, Sunday said. During the raid, police found the second floor of the shop was used for cooking and packaging.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo Delaware Valley News.com Attorney General Dave Sunday
When asked if the store did any legitimate business, authorities conceded they did have a small amount of snacks inside but no cash register. “When people call the police to report dug selling, we take that information. We don’t want the street level dealer, we want the person in charge, so it takes a while, Sunday stated during the press event.
In all, charged are: Louis Alexander, Carl Gates, Kendal Wilson, Gloria Alexander, Isaiah Washington-Trotty, Tyrone Scott, Marcus Clark, Isaiah Gallashaw, Cedric Carter, Paul Johnson, Eric Crawford, Corey Smith, Steven Birton, Tammika Billups, Domanick Pope, Calvin Gambrell, and Philip Smith.
The defendants face a variety of charges, including felony counts of corrupt organizations, possession with intent to deliver, and illegal possession of firearms.