A Baltimore man has pleaded guilty to carrying out a deadly armed robbery and kidnapping in Queens, New York. Marcus Pittman, also known by the street names "Nacho" and "Cheese," admitted to fatally shooting a marijuana dealer during the July 2024 incident. The case was heard by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto. Pittman faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
The case is part of a broader initiative under the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which seeks to reduce violent crime through coordinated efforts across all levels of law enforcement, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's office. United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. described the incident as a “drug-related killing carried out in the rear of a U-Haul van.” Law enforcement officials continue to focus on locally based strategies to address and prevent violent crime.
Marcus Pittman and five accomplices traveled from Maryland to New York to target their victims, identified only as John Doe #1 and John Doe #2. The official account reports that they ambushed the victims at a Queens stash house while posing as potential marijuana buyers. After robbing and abducting the dealers, they drove through Queens, demanding drugs and money from the captives. The events concluded with Pittman fatally shooting John Doe #1 inside a U-Haul van.
Court documents indicate that Pittman's admission confirms the extent of the group’s criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, and murder. The FBI, NYPD, and prosecutors worked together on the case to dismantle the operation. FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia described Pittman as “the trigger man of this robbery crew that traveled to our District for the purpose of kidnapping and robbing marijuana dealers,” as reported by the U.S. Attorney's office. He added that the plea demonstrates that law enforcement will hold accountable those who travel to the city to commit violent crimes.
The other defendants in the case, Jerome Waters, William Barnett, Delonta Pittman, Jalon Garrett, and Calvin Israel, have pleaded guilty to various charges related to the crimes and are awaiting sentencing. The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chand Edwards-Balfour and Adam Amir.
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