A member of a notorious drug trafficking crew known as "21st and Vietnam" based in the District of Columbia has been sentenced to over 12 years in prison. Damien Jenkins, 35, was handed a 151-month sentence after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and other narcotics.
Handled by U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell, Jenkins will also face five years of supervised release following his imprisonment. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, during the sentencing, Jenkins was attributed to the distribution of between 1.2 and 3.9 kilos of fentanyl, in addition to cocaine and other substances.
The "21st and Vietnam" group operated in an open-air market and occupied a vacant apartment, which served as their hub for processing and packaging drugs to be sold. Law enforcement actions revealed that Jenkins was actively involved in these operations, stepping into the manufacturing and sales role where drugs were on offer at the front of the building, in the apartment, and at the rear parking lot.
An altercation involving the crew on March 7, 2024, led to a shooting incident with Jenkins at the center of handing a ski mask to co-defendant Charles Manson, who then opened fire on an individual. After executing a search warrant at Jenkins's residence two months later, officers found an arsenal of firearms and cash, according to the report. Found in Jenkins's possession were an AK-pattern firearm, two other handguns, ammunition, and over $3,000 in cash at his residence, around 6 a.m. on May 15, 2024.
Collaborations between the Metropolitan Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, and the FBI Washington Field Office culminated in bringing Jenkins to justice. The prosecution was carried out by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Solomon Eppel, who worked to secure the sentencing that reflects the severity of Jenkins's criminal activities within the District of Columbia's communities.
