Drug Ring Bust Nets A Dozen 'TEAM' Members

A dozen members of an Oakland County drug-trafficking ring were charged Wednesday by federal authorities with distributing heroin mixed with fentanyl across metropolitan Detroit. Those sales led to at least one overdose death, Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel L. Lemisch said in a statement.

"Overdose deaths from heroin and fentanyl have become a national epidemic, including here in Michigan, as people addicted to prescription pills become desperate to feed their addictions," Lemisch said. "Law enforcement agencies are banding together to prosecute traffickers who are exploiting these addictions and risking lives for profit."

The drug-trafficking organization, known as the “TEAM”, is alleged to have been selling heroin in Oakland County, Livingston, Macomb and Wayne counties since 2010. TEAM was formed when members of the “Hustle Boys” and the “Wall Street Gorillaz” joined together to distribute heroin, Lemisch said.

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According to the indictment, unsealed in the Detroit U.S. Federal District Court, customers contacted TEAM members and arranged heroin sales by phone. Customers called one of several drug phones and a member of TEAM would deliver the heroin either to the buyer’s house or to a neutral location, including parking lots in various strip malls throughout Pontiac.

TEAM members also sold heroin from two “trap” houses located at 595 Granada Drive in Pontiac and 380 West Hopkins Avenue in Pontiac, Lemisch said. TEAM informed their customers of heroin for sale by sending individual and group text messages with the word “FIRE.”

Charged were:

• Timothy Williams, 26, of Pontiac
• Kristopher Anderson, 40, of Pontiac
• Deaire Rayford, 26, of Auburn Hills
• Christopher Light, 25, of Commerce
• Kourvoisiea Pittman, 27, of Keego Harbor
• Robert Bell, Jr., 28, of Pontiac
• Deandre Mullen, 26, of Pontiac
• Steven Erkins, 24, of Pontiac
• Anthony Lee, 27,of Pontiac
• Quanzay Milton, 32, of Pontiac
• Antonio Bell, 26, of Waterford
• James Bellmore, 50, of Waterford.

All twelve were charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute over one kilogram of heroin and heroin mixed with fentanyl.

TEAM was led by Timothy Williams, who went by the name “T2,” Lemisch said. Williams was also charged with distribution of heroin resulting in serious bodily injury to four victims.

Anderson and another man, Marlon McCallum,35, of White Lake, were charged with distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in the death of one victim.

The law defines serious bodily injury as an injury that involves a substantial risk of death. The charges of distribution causing death or serious bodily injury, or the conspiracy to commit the offense each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.

File photo via Flickr Commons