In a significant step against drug trafficking in the nation's capital, Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, a 29-year-old D.C. resident and acknowledged member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) and Jugg Gang (JG) street gangs, pleaded guilty to distributing a substantial quantity of marijuana. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Hawkins' plea precedes a mandatory minimum five-year prison term, with his sentencing hearing set for March 7, 2025.
Hawkins, known on the streets as “Shitty,” admitted in his plea to using social media, specifically Instagram, to peddle his illicit goods, while also possessing a firearm in connection with his drug offenses. Operating primarily in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road SE, the gang he was involved with established their dominance, running an open-air market outside a local market at 3509 Wheeler Road SE. The plea highlighted an alliance formed with a neighboring gang, Jugg Gang, in August 2018, which Hawkins became a part of, revealing the combined effort to employ firearms to safeguard their interests against rival groups.
This case is part of an extensive joint investigation spearheaded by the FBI's Washington Field Office, the ATF's Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Thus far, the coordinated law enforcement efforts have netted 23 convictions, involving Hawkins, and resulted in the seizure of numerous firearms, drugs, and cash. Among the confiscated items mentioned in court documents are two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, over 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, dozens of oxycodone pills, 41 grams of cocaine base, and approximately $500,000.
The U.S. Attorney's Office announced that Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song, along with Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko, are prosecuting the case. The plea entered by Hawkins is painting a broader picture of gang-related drug trafficking, with the use of modern social media platforms to market illegal substances. This plea was characterized by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and his fellow officials including FBI Special Agent David Geist, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood, and MPD Chief Pamela Smith, demonstrating a significant interagency collaboration.
