High Society Hit Squad Member Sentenced to Prison
RICHMOND, Va. – A member of the criminal street gang H$2X (an acronym for “High Society Hit Squad”) was sentenced today to over 12 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
“We have taken a stand in Petersburg against the scourge of drug trafficking and related violence,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We have surged federal investigative and prosecutorial resources to Petersburg to root out criminal activity, and our partnerships with Chief Miller and the Petersburg Police, the ATF, along with other law enforcement entities are critical to this effort. Today’s sentencing of Miles “Buc J” Johnson should serve as a very clear indicator of what happens when you turn your back on your community, choose the easy way out of dealing drugs, and destroy the youth you claim to want to support.”
In 2017, in response to an increased level of violence that was taking place in Petersburg, ATF agents and members of the Petersburg Bureau of Police, began an investigation into the trafficking of firearms and narcotics, as well as other violent criminal activity. A group of individuals, who were later identified as members of H$2X, were suspected of being involved in trafficking narcotics and firearms.
“This investigation highlights ATF's partnership with Petersburg Police and our commitment to making our communities safer,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Firearms trafficking is not a victimless crime. When firearms are diverted to the illicit market, they often become tools of the trade for criminals. If you traffic in firearms or use firearms to commit other crimes, ATF is fully dedicated to bringing you to justice.”
Miles Johnson, aka “Buck J”, 39, is a member of H$2X. According to court documents, between March 2017 and February 2019, the investigation revealed that Johnson had distributed between one and three kilograms of heroin in the Petersburg metropolitan area and elsewhere.
“My top priority is the safety of the citizens of Petersburg and cleaning up our streets,” said Kenneth A. Miller, Director of Public Safety, Petersburg Bureau of Police. “As shown in this case, my department works closely with our law enforcement partners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and keep dangerous drugs out of our community. If you violate the law or if you harm our community, the Petersburg Police will use every tool at our disposal to see that you are held accountable.”
In March 2019, one dozen individuals, including Johnson, were indicted on various firearms and drug trafficking charges.
Below is a table containing information on defendants charged in this investigation.
|
Name, Age |
Hometown |
Charge(s) |
Sentence |
|
Armon Lee, 26 |
Warfield |
Sale or Disposal of a Firearm to a Convicted Felon; Distribution of Cocaine |
120 months |
|
Terrell Dean Johnson, 30 |
Petersburg |
Distribution of Cocaine |
57 months |
|
Titus Maurice Lee, 44 |
Petersburg |
Distribution of Cocaine; Distribution of Heroin and/or Fentanyl; Possession of a Firearm/Ammunition by a Convicted Felon; Sale or Disposal of a Firearm to a Convicted Felon |
192 months |
|
Autrelle Malik Waddell, 22 |
Petersburg |
Distribution of Heroin and/or Fentanyl; Sale or Disposal of a Firearm to a Convicted Felon |
108 months |
|
Miles Owanga Johnson, 39
|
Petersburg |
Distribution of Heroin and/or Fentanyl |
151 months |
|
Charles Lee Avery, 44
|
Petersburg |
Possession of a Firearm/Ammunition by a Convicted Felon |
96 months |
|
Tyrell Jakahree Allen, 26
|
Prince George |
Distribution of Cocaine |
36 months |
|
John Pruitte |
Chesterfield. VA |
Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Heroin |
18 months |
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Kenneth A. Miller, Director of Public Safety, Petersburg Bureau of Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Mastandrea-Miller and Kenneth Simon are prosecuting the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-36.
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