Opinion ID: 778180
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Beach 26th Street Conspiracy Operations

Text: 5 In approximately 1992, Hamilton, Bruce, and a pair known as Spanky and Brian (Spanky/Brian) entered into a time-sharing arrangement with respect to drug sales on the Beach 26th Street block, with each of the three principals, in turn, controlling the block for a two-day period. The principals employed workers to act as sellers and lookouts during their respective turns. In 1993, the principals modified the agreement so that each principal would control the block's drug trade for a week at a time rather than two days at a time; this arrangement lasted from 1993 until mid-1995. 6 During the latter period, Carf served as a lieutenant for Hamilton and Bruce and was responsible for managing the day-to-day affairs of the business, including distributing drugs to the sellers, collecting the money from the sales, and paying the sellers for their work. Butler worked as a lookout for Hamilton and Bruce; Carf's brother Alberto was a seller or a lookout for Hamilton and Bruce. Hamilton and Bruce each sold a weekly average of 10-18 ounces of crack cocaine and 5-8 pounds of marijuana. The operation's weekly gross income averaged $14,000-$16,000 and was as high as $20,000. 7 In mid-1995, Spanky/Brian left the block, and Hamilton assumed control of drug sales for two of every three weeks, with Bruce retaining control of the third week. This alignment lasted until late 1997. Carf, except for a period between May and September 1995 during which he was incarcerated, continued to serve as lieutenant for both Hamilton and Bruce. At various times, Grimes, Alberto, and Butler worked for Hamilton and Bruce as sellers. The operation sold an average of nine ounces of crack cocaine a week and grossed about $8,000 to $12,000 a week. 8 In September 1996, a public elementary school opened on Beach 29th Street, less than 500 feet from Beach 26th Street. As a result, Hamilton sought to distance himself physically from the Beach 26th Street operation. He left New York City for several weeks in 1996-1997, during which Carf assumed control of his weeks. In late 1997, Hamilton moved to Ohio; Grimes, who had become a lieutenant for Hamilton and Bruce in mid 1997, took over Hamilton's branch of the operation, controlling two out of every three weeks until March 1998. During Grimes's period of control, he averaged weekly sales of approximately 4-4½ ounces of crack cocaine, grossing about $3,000 to $4,000 a week. Alberto sold for both Grimes and Bruce and employed others to sell for him. Bruce, during that period, grossed approximately $2,000 to $2,500 a week. 9 Johnson, who lived near the border between Virginia and Tennessee, supplied the coconspirators with weapons. He purchased guns mostly from flea markets around his home, brought the guns to New York, and resold them in Far Rockaway. Shannon Hale, Johnson's confidante who had accompanied him on a few such trips, had helped him load the car with guns, and had witnessed gun sales in New York, testified that Johnson said he had driven to New York nearly every week between 1993 and 1995, transporting 9-14 guns on each trip. Johnson sold the guns for cash, crack cocaine, or powder cocaine, and then resold the drugs in the Virginia-Tennessee area; from his gun and drug sales, he grossed $30,000 to $40,000 a week. Johnson sold at least four guns to Hamilton, sold at least one each to Bruce, Carf, and Grimes, and sold guns to other members of the enterprise as well.