Overview
- Federal and local agents carried out a coordinated multi‑jurisdiction raid that led to arrests and search warrants in Washington, D.C., and nearby Maryland as part of a probe that investigators say ran for about two years.
- The Justice Department returned an indictment charging 14 defendants with conspiring to distribute large quantities of crack and powder cocaine within 1,000 feet of Hendley Elementary School.
- Officers seized what prosecutors described as kilograms of cocaine, roughly 29 grams of fentanyl, about 12 pounds of marijuana and dozens of firearms during searches tied to the operation.
- Prosecutors presented surveillance images they say show drug transactions taking place within feet of children, and they say current D.C. law lacks a clear tool to charge adults who bring children to drug sales.
- The U.S. Attorney’s office says some defendants face mandatory minimum sentences and potential life terms if convicted and that it will pursue enhanced penalties because alleged sales occurred near a protected location, a move that could change local enforcement and prompt new legislation.