Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, a 29-year-old D.C. resident and recognized member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) and Jugg Gang (JG) street gangs, pleaded guilty to distributing a big amount of marijuana in a significant move against drug trafficking in the nation’s capital. According to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office, Hawkins’ plea precedes a required minimum five-year prison sentence, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for March 7, 2025.
Hawkins, also known as “Shitty” on the streets, admitted in his plea to using social media, particularly Instagram, to sell illegal products and to possessing a handgun in connection with his drug convictions. His affiliated group established their dominance by operating an open-air market outside a local market at 3509 Wheeler Road SE. In August 2018, Hawkins joined the Jugg Gang, a neighboring gang, highlighting a joint effort to use firearms to protect their interests from other organizations.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department are leading a large-scale cooperative investigation into this case. So far, combined law enforcement efforts have resulted in 23 convictions, including Hawkins, and the recovery of multiple firearms, drugs, and cash. According to court filings, the confiscated materials include two vehicles, 35 handguns, four machine guns, over 1,000 rounds of ammunition, around 60 pounds of marijuana, hundreds of oxycodone pills, 41 grams of cocaine base, and almost $500,000.
Assistant US Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song, along with Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko, will prosecute the case, according to the US Attorney’s Office. Hawkins’ plea paints a broader picture of gang-related drug trafficking, particularly the use of current social media platforms to promote illegal narcotics. This plea was described by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and his colleagues, including FBI Special Agent David Geist, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood, and MPD Chief Pamela Smith, as a substantial interagency partnership.