Tony Solomon, Drug Conspiracy, Baltimore MD, 2020

BALTIMORE, MD – The Monument Street corridor in East Baltimore remains a battleground in the city’s relentless war on drugs, and two men are now paying the price. Tony Solomon, 54, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and was sentenced yesterday to five years in federal prison. His accomplice, Cheyenne Ellison, 39, also of Baltimore, received the same sentence – five years, plus three years of supervised release – after admitting his role as a middleman in the operation.

The case, spearheaded by the Baltimore OCDETF Strike Force, targeted two notorious “shops” along the Monument Street corridor: the Montford DTO, located at the 400 block of North Montford Avenue, and “Out the Mud” (OTM DTO), situated in the 2400 block of East Monument Street. These locations were identified as central hubs for street-level drug distribution and the accompanying violence that plagues the area, according to investigators. The DEA’s Strike Force Group 1 initiated the investigation in July 2018, aiming to disrupt the flow of poison into Baltimore’s neighborhoods.

Federal prosecutors detailed in court that Solomon served as a primary source of supply for the drug operation, while Ellison acted as a coordinator, funneling controlled substances to various members of the conspiracy. Intercepted communications revealed discussions about the distribution of a deadly cocktail of drugs, including cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and the increasingly lethal fentanyl. The Strike Force wasn’t just tracking drugs; they were tracking a network built on exploitation and misery.

Law enforcement raided two stash locations maintained by Solomon – one in the 1600 block of North Spring Street and another in the 3200 block of Bright Street – in January 2019. The results were damning. Authorities recovered approximately 200 grams of crack, 5 grams of cocaine, and a staggering 147 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture. Also seized were tools of the trade: small and large kilo presses, digital scales, packaging materials, and a small hydraulic press. Over $41,000 in cash, suspected drug proceeds, was also recovered. And adding to the danger, a loaded .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with eight cartridges was found, which Solomon admitted to possessing in connection with his drug trafficking activities.

Solomon’s criminal history further complicates matters. He is already prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction. Meanwhile, a separate search warrant executed at the residence of Egan Davis yielded an additional 1,400 grams of cocaine and crack cocaine. This bust underscores the scale of the operation and the amount of poison flooding Baltimore streets. U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur emphasized that the Monument Street area was among the first targets of the Strike Force, signaling a commitment to reclaiming these neighborhoods from the grip of violent crime.

“The Baltimore OCDETF Strike Force is a critical part of our strategy to make Baltimore safer by identifying and focusing on those groups responsible for the most violent crime in our city,” Hur stated. While these convictions offer a temporary reprieve, the fight against drug trafficking in Baltimore is far from over. The Monument Street corridor, and others like it, will remain under intense scrutiny as law enforcement continues to dismantle these criminal organizations, one arrest at a time. The sentencing of Solomon and Ellison serves as a stark warning: dealing death on Baltimore’s streets carries a heavy price.

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