Philly Rapping Drug Dealer Gets 16 Years: Federal Authorities

Philadelphia PA

05 October, 2021

12:40 PM

Description

PHILADELPHIA — A member of a rapping, drug dealing gang has been hit with more than a dozens years in prison for his role in the gang. Federal authorities said Hans Gadson, 35, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to sixteen years and four months in prison, and five years of supervised release for his role in the Original Block Hustlaz, or "OBH." Authorities said OBH was violent drug trafficking organization that doubled as a group of aspiring rap artists in Philadelphia whose lyrics boasted about their drug dealing and willingness to resort to violence. Three of Gadson's co-defendants — Jamaal Blanding, 39, and Jameel Hickson, 43, both of Philadelphia, and Abdul West, 38, of Brookhaven — were also recently sentenced and received 25, 20, and 40 years in prison, respectively. In November 2019, all four were convicted after a two-and-a-half-week trial on charges that included conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of or possession with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, and methamphetamine. Several other co-defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial. In total, nine defendants connected to OBH were charged in a 16-count Second Superseding Indictment in August 2019. All nine were convicted or pled guilty. Between at least March 2017 and June 2018, OBH imported narcotics, including large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine, from California to Philadelphia and then sold those drugs in the Philadelphia area. To further their drug business, OBH employed fear, intimidation, and violence. In September 2017 and May 2018, FBI agents and Philadelphia Police Department officers executed search warrants at residences on North Sydenham Street and Columbus Boulevard, which were properties used by members of OBH to store and sell drugs. During the execution of the search warrant, numerous drugs were seized, including cocaine base ("crack"), heroin, and methamphetamine mixture, as well as tens of thousands of dollars in cash. In a related case, defendant Charles Salley, 39, of Clayton, Delaware, was sentenced in August 2021 to seven and a half years in prison for witness tampering in connection with the above-referenced trial. During the trial, a cooperating witness received a threatening letter from Salley under the pen name "Ron Harvey," threatening physical violence if the witness testified at trial against his OBH associates. Salley was present in the courtroom during the course of the trial, including on the day of the witness' scheduled testimony. The threatening letter was investigated by the FBI and the witness ultimately testified during the trial.