In 2015, federal law enforcement launched an investigation into a drug trafficking ring in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As the investigation unfolded, it came to light that the group was larger and more complex than they previously thought. One arm of the trafficking circle allegedly brought cocaine all the way to Detroit from the U.S. Virgin Islands. The other branch dealt heroin in Pennsylvania, Detroit, and several places in between.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, local and federal law enforcement teams around the U.S. began dismantling the interconnected drug rings on September 1, 2016. Under the supervision of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, police and FBI agents from Detroit, Pittsburgh, the Virgin Islands, Cleveland, New York and Atlanta were all involved.
Fourteen Indictments and Twelve Arrests
All in all, there were fourteen individuals named in the federal indictment. Only twelve of those indicted have been arrested so far, but police are still looking for the other two. Of those fourteen people, three are from the Detroit area. 33-year-old Vanier Murraine of Ferndale, MI, 36-year-old Victor Burnett Jr. of Oak Park which is in Oakland County, and 27-year-old Frank Williams of Detroit were all arrested. Others hailed from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and from Cleveland and Twinsburg in Ohio.
According to U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton, “This investigation, which utilized Title III wiretap intercepts, controlled drug purchases and other investigative techniques, established the existence of several overlapping and interrelated drug distribution networks with tentacles in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Georgia and the District of the Virgin Islands.”
The two-count indictment alleges that sometime in January of 2016, up until September, 2016, a number of people were involved in the distribution of heroin. As a result, several of the arrested 12, including the three people from Detroit, have been charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, and Possession with Intent to Distribute one Kilogram or More of Heroin. Both of these charges are felonies.
Murraine, Burnett, and Williams were all arrested on Thursday morning in Michigan. Their initial appearances were made that same day in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan. As of now, no information is available on when their next court appearances will be, and whether or not they have hired attorneys yet.