Member Of Violent “Trained To Go” Gang Convicted At Trial Sentenced Today To 35 Years In Federal Prison

Member Of Violent “Trained To Go” Gang Convicted At Trial Sentenced Today To 35 Years In Federal Prison For Federal Racketeering And Drug Conspiracies And Related Firearms Charges

Defendant Conspired to Commit a Murder on January 9, 2017, and

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Dennis Pulley, a/k/a Denmo, age 31, of Baltimore, to 35 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to participate in a drug distribution conspiracy and a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG), as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  The racketeering conspiracy included eight murders, as well as drug trafficking and witness intimidation.  Pulley and his co-defendants were also convicted of a drug distribution conspiracy involving heroin, marijuana, and cocaine.  The TTG gang operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

“Dennis Pulley and his fellow gang members brought violence and misery to West Baltimore, in the form of murders, shootings, armed robbery, witness intimidation, and drug dealing. Now, Pulley will spend 35 years in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.  “Hopefully criminals who are not deterred from terrorizing our neighborhoods by the threat of prison can be deterred by the reality of years spent in a federal prison far from home—where there is no parole.  Ever.”

According to the evidence presented at their 24-day trial, Pulley and his co-defendants are all members or associates of TTG, a criminal organization that operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore, whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence including murder, armed robbery, and witness intimidation.  As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity for TTG.

The evidence at trial showed that members and associates of TTG sold heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and worked to defend their exclusive right to control who sold narcotics in TTG territory.  Pulley served as one of TTG’s primary suppliers of heroin and marijuana.  TTG members routinely sold “packs” of heroin and gram quantities of marijuana from multiple locations in Sandtown.  Typically, a “pack” contained between 25 and 50 gel capsules of heroin.  In addition, the evidence proved that between May 20, 2010 and January 9, 2017, Pulley, his co-defendants, and other members of TTG committed acts of violence, including murders, shootings, armed robbery, and witness intimidation.  Murders were committed in retaliation for individuals robbing TTG members of drugs and drug proceeds, or while TTG members robbed others of their drugs and drug proceeds, as well as in murder-for-hire schemes.  Further, the defendants engaged in witness intimidation through violence or threats of violence, to prevent individuals from cooperating with law enforcement.

For example, in the summer of 2016, a feud developed between Pulley and Chris Pennington, a/k/a “Magic.”  Pennington and several other individuals robbed a marijuana distributor that Pulley supplied.  When Pulley learned that Pennington was offering money for information concerning Pulley’s location, Pulley solicited members of TTG and others to murder Pennington.  On January 9, 2017, Pennington was shot multiple times and died.  Search warrants were subsequently executed at Pulley’s home and the home of a co-defendant, Brandon Wilson.  Law enforcement recovered the gun used to murder Pennington at Wilson’s home and recovered a .22-caliber pistol, one pound of marijuana, and $32,758 in cash from Pulley’s home.  On October 18, 2018, a witness was on the stand testifying about Pulley during the trial.  While counsel were participating in a bench conference with the presiding judge, Pulley mouthed the words “I’ll kill you” to the witness, which was seen by a Deputy U.S. Marshal.

The leader of the gang, Montana Barronette, a/k/a Tana and Tanner, age 23, and his brother, Terrell Sivells, a/k/a Rell, age 27, both of Baltimore, were each sentenced to life in prison on February 15 and April 26, 2019, respectively.  Timothy Floyd, a/k/a Tim Rod, age 28, of Baltimore, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on July 19, 2019.  Co-defendants Brandon Wilson, a/k/a Ali, age 24, and Taurus Tillman, a/k/a Tash, age 30, both of Baltimore, were each sentenced to 25 years in prison on March 1 and May 21, 2019, respectively.  Two other co-defendants, John Harrison, a/k/a Binkie, age 28, and Linton Broughton, a/k/a Marty, age 25, both from Baltimore, were sentenced to life in prison and to 30 years in prison, respectively, on March 15, 2019.  Three other TTG members previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between five and 25 years in prison.

Another defendant, Roger Taylor, a/k/a Milk, age 28, of Baltimore, a fugitive since July 2017, was arrested on June 30, 2019, and is now awaiting trial.  An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments.  FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore.  The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.

This case was advanced by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).  NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.  NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.  For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.                       

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur and Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the ATF, the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano, Daniel C. Gardner, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley formerly of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.