12 Charged After Baltimore Police Target 'Prime Time' Drug Ring In 6-Month Sting
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore Police announced a major drug bust Wednesday that targeted an alleged drug operation running across the tri-district area and driving violent crime in part of southwest Baltimore.
The organization, known as "Prime Time" to law enforcement, was responsible for delivering fentanyl and other illegal drugs in the Boyd-Booth neighborhood of the city. Nine of the members are already in jail, while police search for three more men involved in the ring.
"As you may know, fentanyl is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, and just a quarter of a milligram can be extremely lethal," Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said in a press conference Wednesday.
The tri-district has seen a large number of overdoses and Harrison said "Prime Time" contributed to the "poisoning of that community."
Police arrested the organization's alleged leader, 41-year-old David Funderburk of west Baltimore, and identified 11 others allegedly associated with the group. All of them are facing numerous drug-related charges.
Police also seized 450 grams of fentanyl, 85 grams of crack cocaine, one 9mm handgun and $69,000 in cash and about $30,000 in personal assets.
However, police continue to look for three members of "Prime Time" -- Eligah Hooks, Travis Jones and Howard Gwaltney. Harrison is asking the public for information on their whereabouts. Anyone with information should contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-7-Lockup.
"This was a very significant takedown that we believe will make the tri-district area a much safer area," Harrison said. "But we have to keep going in that area and everywhere else in this city."
He said police will continue to target violent individuals and drug organizations in the city.
"They have no place in Baltimore," Harrison added.
City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said the drug-fueled violence in the city has to be stopped and major takedowns like this one are helping.
"Our local drug trade fuels violence and murder in the city, so the ability to stop and to intercept drug activity -- especially the targeting of fentanyl distribution -- is an integral component of tackling violence," Mosby said.
She said drug organizations are becoming more sophisticated in how they operate.
All the male suspects have a prior criminal record, Mosby stated, and her office can seriously charge these individuals because of the recent passing of the King Pin legislation.
City and state officials thanked the teams that worked on this sting. This same group took down the J30 Paybacc Crips, one the city's most violent gangs, back in June.
