FIREFIGHTER TRAINEE ARRESTED IN DRUG PROBE

A prospective Baltimore firefighter was arrested at the department's
training academy Monday, one of nine people indicted on charges of
conspiracy to distribute heroin, as part of a sweeping drug investigation
that netted several federal indictments in September.

Fire officials confirmed that Brandon Ferebee, 20, was taken into custody
at the fire academy, where he was slated to graduate next month. He was
among a group of people indicted Dec. 3, a follow-up to a wiretap
investigation that broke up a large-scale heroin operation on Baltimore's
east side and led to the seizure of drugs, guns and thousands of dollars.

Ferebee and several of the other people who were charged -- including a
former clerk at a Baltimore District Courthouse -- are mentioned in
September's federal indictments, which detail a drug operation that
functioned as a fully formed business with a hierarchy of employees. It was
alleged to have been run by Johnnie Butler, 32. Prosecutors say his "Red
Dot" drug ring made $100,000 a week in profits.

At a bail review hearing today, Assistant State's Attorney Michael Studdard
said the organization has been "linked to guns and shown a propensity
toward violence," saying Butler has been linked to at least two killings.
Neither Butler nor anyone else tied to his organization has been charged
with murder.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Sylvester Cox perked up when told that
Ferebee, a former point guard on the varsity basketball team at Reginald
Lewis High School, was enrolled at the fire academy.

"What fire academy?" he said with a surprised expression when told that
Ferebee was set to graduate from the Baltimore City fire academy in
January. Several of his relatives work for the city fire department,
including his brother, Rodney Ferebee Jr., who spoke on his behalf at
today's court hearing.

Karyn Meriwether, a defense attorney for Ferebee, said that between
attending the academy and studying, she didn't know "when he would ever
have time to do what is alleged."

But Ferebee's residence, in the 400 block of Ilchester St. in Harwood, was
used as a stash house for the organization, Drug Enforcement Administration
officer Michael Collins alleged in those September documents. Ferebee was
recorded on wiretaps and alleged to be discussing drug transactions.

Cox ordered him released on personal recognizance.

Kevin Cartwright, a Fire Department spokesman, said Ferebee had no criminal
record when he was accepted into the academy and called the incident
"unfortunate."

Also charged in the new indictment are Danara Ashe, 24, and Davon Ashe, 21,
siblings of previously indicted Daron Ashe, who is accused of managing one
of the heroin shops. Danara Ashe was a clerk for the District Court of
Maryland; Margaret Burns, a spokeswoman for Baltimore State's Attorney
Patricia A. Jessamy, confirmed that Ashe was terminated.

At her bail review hearing Thursday, Ashe's attorney said she is a mother
of three who works as an accountant for the state and attends the
University of Baltimore. Prosecutors said a 9 mm handgun was found in her
master bedroom closet, and Daron Ashe helped authorities locate 150 gel
caps of heroin at her home, where he often stayed.

Additional defendants include Latoya Benston, of the 2200 block of E. North
Ave., who was described in federal court documents as someone who brought
heroin to a contact in the state prison at Jessup; Tavon Young, 21, of the
400 block of Ilchester Ave.; Keith "Fatboy" Spriggs, 23, of the 3900 block
of Main Ave.; Douglas Brooks Jr., of the 300 block of Font Hill Ave.; Adam
Harris, 20, of the 4400 block of Springwood Ave; and Leon T. Hunt Jr., 26,
of the 4000 block of Fordleigh Dr.

Harris was described as a student on partial scholarship at St. Mary's
College, where he is studying computer science. He was released after his
mother offered to put her house up as a property bond.

"I don't get it, son. But that's for another day," Cox told Harris on
Thursday. "Ain't a lot of people [who] look like you get an opportunity
down at St. Mary's. You better recognize."

The federal documents detail how three people previously arrested on
charges of heroin distribution turned against Butler and others and acted
as informants. Wiretaps intercepted calls and text messages from seven cell
phones, documenting the group's recent activity.