Thomas Crosby, Man Facing Federal Charges For Allegedly Supplying Drugs To Baltimore Safe Streets Member, Held Without Bail
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A judge on Wednesday ruled a man facing federal charges for allegedly supplying drugs to a member of Baltimore's Safe Streets program requires detention leading up to his trial.
During a virtual federal court hearing, the judge denied 51-year-old Thomas Crosby bail.
"This is not a street-level drug trafficker, but somebody supplying multiple people," the federal judge said of Crosby.
Crosby is one of three men federally charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Investigators believe the 51-year-old supplied drugs to Ronald Alexander, a Safe Streets member, who as dealing drugs.
Safe Streets is a city program working to reduce gun violence. Many of their outreach workers are former inmates like Alexander.
The Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice said Alexander is now separated from the program and their office is cooperating with police:
"Safe Streets Baltimore, based on the Cure Violence model, employs individuals with significant credibility in communities with the highest concentration of gun violence to mediate and prevent further instances of violence. Using this evidence-based model, prospective staff undergo a lengthy screening and vetting process and are trained in mediation strategies. Since its inception, several Safe Street sites have successfully gone over a year without firearm homicides in their post.
"As a program that employs and relies heavily upon individuals with criminal histories, recidivism is an adverse risk of this strategy. Upon learning that a member of the Safe Streets Baltimore team had been engaged in illegal activity, the office took swift action to separate him from the program.
"The Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice remains committed to cooperating with the Baltimore City Police Department in these instances and protecting the large majority of the Safe Streets Baltimore team members that risk their lives every day to disrupt violence in our City."
On Wednesday, federal agents claimed Crosby was supplying Alexander and other drug dealers throughout Baltimore with fentanyl and heroin.
"Mr. Crosby was involved in a drug distribution network here in Baltimore," said Jonathan Lenzner, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for Maryland. Lenzner described Crosby as a "supplier" who was able to purchase large quantities of drugs.
Crosby's charges are based on a three-month-long investigation. The findings were detailed in charging documents released Monday.
The documents state that agents wiretapped Alexander and Crosby's phones, listening to their conversations. Investigators said the two met together at a BP Gas station in northwest Baltimore on June 22.
The following day, surveillance cameras show Alexander leaving a house wearing a Safe Streets t-shirt and holding a plastic bag with a powdery substance federal agents believed to be drugs. The substances are currently being tested at a lab.
On August 9, 2020, Alexander reportedly called Crosby and asked to meet with him again at the BP gas station. After the meeting, police pulled Alexander over with 101 grams of suspected heroin and fentanyl in his car.
During Wednesday's hearing, the judge said the evidence is overwhelming against Crosby and denied him bail.
"Mr. Crosby was selling quantities exceeding 100 grams, which of course can supply many many people and also can lead to many many overdose deaths," Lenzner said.
Alexander's hearing is this Friday. If the two are convicted, they could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
