United States Drug Enforcement Administration

NEW YORK – United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, and New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of charges against Maliek Lugg, a/k/a “Scarface,” a/k/a “Scar,” a member of the Mac Baller subset of the Bloods, and 18 other defendants for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute opioids, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and heroin, and crack cocaine in Washington Square Park and the surrounding area. The defendants maintained an open-air market for opioids and crack cocaine that operated all day, every day in the heart of Greenwich Village. The defendants’ drug dealing caused at least two deaths within one six-month span in 2024, as well as other overdoses that created a substantial risk of death and caused other injuries. At least 14 defendants were arrested last night or today. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote.

“The DEA continues to do everything we can to target those areas across our city that have become overrun by individuals seeking to inflict the most harm on our communities with the poison they push,” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “Every person, every child, deserves the right to live, play and enjoy a place free from crime, whether it’s the block where you live, the park where you play, or the bench where you read a book. Washington Square Park, like so many of our public spaces, should be a haven for all New Yorkers, not a marketplace for drugs and crime. The DEA, NYPD, and our law enforcement partners will no longer remain idle as individuals attempt to overtake our neighborhoods with drugs and violence. Those days are over.”

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “New York families want us to use all available resources to get deadly fentanyl off our streets. The women and men of our office are steadfastly committed to doing just that. Together with the NYPD and the DEA, our office made a commitment to find and bring to justice dealers and suppliers who target our children and our parks. My message should be clear: If you’re a drug trafficker operating in any of New York’s parks, or anywhere our kids walk or ride to school, we’re going to bring you to justice.” 

“These drug traffickers allegedly flooded Washington Square Park with dangerous narcotics that claimed two lives and harmed countless more people,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “They turned this iconic park into an open-air drug market, jeopardizing the safety and quality-of-life of families, students, and the entire community. Thanks to the incredible work of the NYPD detectives, today, we are reclaiming Washington Square Park and restoring a sense of safety and order. I want to thank our partners at the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for this joint effort.”

Fentanyl is a major contributor to fatal overdoses across the country and in New York City. From 2020 through 2023 alone, more than 10,000 people died from fatal drug poisonings in New York City. Fentanyl—a synthetic opioid fifty times more potent than heroin—was involved in approximately 80% of those fatal poisonings, causing more than 8,000 deaths. Washington Square Park is an epicenter of this crisis, and the NYPD and medical personnel have responded to over 65 reports of apparent overdoses in the park and in the surrounding area of Sixth Avenue between Bleecker Street and 14th Street (together, the “Washington Square Park Area”) since 2021. 

The defendants are part of a criminal network that, since at least 2020, has distributed millions of doses of opioids including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and heroin, as well as millions of doses of crack cocaine, in the Washington Square Park Area. Their coordinated and extensive drug trafficking has supported a round-the-clock, open-air drug market in the Washington Square Park Area.

The defendants have worked in close collaboration—in overlapping teams and as common associates—to further their collective drug dealing and control over the Washington Square Park Area. They have mutual agreements and understandings that enable them to maximize profits from their collective drug dealing while minimizing internal conflicts and evading law enforcement. Through these agreements, the defendants sell mixtures of opioids like fentanyl, fentanyl analogues such as para-fluorofentanyl and acetylfentanyl, and heroin, which they call “dope,” and cocaine, in a form commonly known as “crack,” throughout the Washington Square Park Area.

The drugs sold by the defendants have claimed the lives of victims as diverse as New York City itself. Among those are an 18-year-old individual (“Victim-1”), who, shortly after graduating high school in Aspen, Colorado, arrived in the City for a prestigious theater internship. Victim-1 obtained purple bags of dope that had been supplied by Lugg, a/k/a “Scarface,” a/k/a “Scar,” and the next day was found dead in the bedroom of a Manhattan apartment where Victim-1 was staying. Victim-1’s death was the result of an acute overdose caused by fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, among other substances. Pieces of purple bags containing fentanyl and other substances, which were supplied by Lugg to Victim-1, are shown below:

Less than six months later, drugs sold by the defendants’ criminal conspiracy claimed the life of a 43-year-old individual (“Victim-2”), who had been homeless and living in the Washington Square Park Area for years. Prior to Victim-2’s death, Victim-2 often purchased drugs from John Livigni, a/k/a “Johnny,” Lugg, and other defendants.  Victim-2 was found after an individual called 311 to report a person on the sidewalk blocking the entrance to a building on Greenwich Avenue, in the Washington Square Park Area. Paramedics responded and transported Victim-2 to a hospital, where Victim-2 was pronounced dead. Victim-2’s death was the result of an acute overdose caused by fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, among other substances.         

On the sidewalk where Victim-2 was found were yellow bags containing crack cocaine in a black pouch and empty light blue dope bags, like those sold by Livigni and others working for him, as well as pieces of purple dope bags and a red glassine envelope, like those sold by other defendants including Lugg and Christian Cortez, a/k/a “Bhris,” among other drug paraphernalia. Images from photographs of these materials are below.

In addition to deaths, the defendants’ drug dealing has also caused numerous other overdoses that created a substantial risk of death and caused other injuries. The defendants are aware that their drugs cause overdoses, but have nonetheless continued to sell them in the Washington Square Park Area.

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Maliek Lugg, a/k/a “Scarface,” a/k/a “Scar,” (24); John Livigni, a/k/a “Johnny,” (47); Curtis Miller, a/k/a “Butter,” a/k/a “Birdie,” a/k/a “Light,” (38); Tommy Brown, JR., a/k/a “Ayo,” a/k/a “Bizzy,” (30); Christian Cortez, a/k/a “Bhris,” (23); Jared Covington, a/k/a “KG,” (33); Nazzir Washington, a/k/a, “Nazzi,” (20); Vito Haskins, a/k/a “Youngin,” (20); Felix Cuevas, a/k/a “Cuzzo,” (26); Manny Pina (23); Andre Bethea, a/k/a “Black,” (60); Sean Thom, a/k/a “Bobby,” (40); Bishara Strother, a/k/a “Wawa,” (48); Robert Johnson, a/k/a “Black Rob,” (54); Henry Rodriguez, a/k/a “Hollywood,” (43); Peter Rodriguez, a/k/a “Heavy,” (49); Daniel Negron a/k/a “Bolo,” (56); Brandi Felci (30), and Blake Jake Tannenbaum (37); are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. 

The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.           

This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Margulies, Remy Grosbard, and Lauren Phillips are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.