Three charged with the kidnapping and murder of Queens drug dealer
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Three defendants were arrested in a federal case involving the kidnapping of two Queens-based weed dealers, one of whom was allegedly murdered. Eagle file photo by Rob Abruzzese
By Noah Powelson
Three alleged members of a robbery crew were charged with the kidnapping of two Queens-based drug dealers last week, bringing the total number of defendants in the case to six.
Jalon Lenny Garrett, Marcus Pittman and Delonta Pittman, three Baltimore residents, were indicted in the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn last week for allegedly conspiring to stage a fake drug buy with the ultimate intention of kidnapping and robbing the dealers. One of the dealers, an unnamed man who allegedly sold marijuana, was shot and killed during the robbery-gone-wrong.
The other alleged co-conspirators in the case, Jerome Waters, Calvin Israel and William Barnett, were recently arrested and charged.
According to the office of United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Waters and Barnett had arranged to meet with the two drug dealers at their stash house in Queens on July 24, 2024. But once inside, the two defendants held up the drug dealers at gunpoint and let the four other alleged co-conspirators into the house.
The six defendants then allegedly zip tied the victims’ hands together and forced them into the back of a Jeep and U-Haul van waiting outside. Barnett drove one of the vehicles, and Israel drove the other.
The gang also allegedly stole roughly 30 kilograms of weed from the house before leaving.
The two tied up drug dealers were held at gunpoint while their alleged kidnappers drove them throughout Queens, all the while demanding money and drugs.
Garret, who was arrested last Friday morning, allegedly held a gun against the head of one of the victims, but did not fire.
Pittman, who was also arrested recently, is accused of shooting one of the victims multiple times in the back of the U-Haul van, killing him. All of the defendants allegedly fled back to Maryland following the shooting.
First responders who discovered the deceased drug dealer found his body was still zip tied and surrounded by bags of marijuana.
Waters, Israel and Barnett were arrested in October 2024, roughly three months after the shooting.
“As alleged, the defendants took part in an interstate armed robbery and kidnapping scheme that resulted in the brutal murder of a targeted victim. This prosecution underscores the ongoing threat of guns and drugs in our communities,” United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York John Durham said in a statement. “This Office is committed to holding violent offenders accountable and ensuring justice for every victim.”
If convicted, Marcus Pittman, Delonta Pittman, and Waters each face mandatory minimum sentences of life imprisonment, and Garrett faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
“These individuals came to New York City armed with guns and zip ties — ready to rob, kidnap, and kill,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement. “It was a deliberate, brutal attack meant to terrorize our communities. They thought they could hit and run. They were wrong — and anyone else thinking the same should take note. I’m grateful to our partners in Project Safe Neighborhoods for their shared commitment to protecting New Yorkers.”
