Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the arrest and filing of charges against DASHAWN HAWKINS, a/k/a “Jhonny Cash,” for narcotics dealing that resulted in the overdose death of a 29-year-old man.
On October 19, 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office secured an indictment against HAWKINS, charging HAWKINS with distribution of heroin and fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute heroin. The indictment alleges that heroin and fentanyl distributed by HAWKINS resulted in the death of Colin Cameron, age 29, of New York, New York, on September 2, 2016.
HAWKINS will be presented in federal court in Manhattan before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman later today. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods. HAWKINS faces a mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated: “Far too often now, we are seeing the devastating effects of opioid abuse on our communities. We must work to stop these dangerous drugs from reaching our streets and killing our citizens. Dashawn Hawkins allegedly dealt in heroin, including the fentanyl-laced heroin that killed Colin Cameron. We thank the New York City Police Department for their outstanding investigative efforts and their collaboration that made the bringing of these federal charges possible.”
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill stated: “The deadly effects of heroin are real. Look no further than the overdose of Colin Cameron last month in New York City. We will continue to investigate every single overdose and attempt to find and arrest those responsible, as alleged in today's charges against Dashawn Hawkins.”
As alleged in the Indictment against HAWKINS[1]:
From at least in or about August 2016 up to and including in or about October 2016, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, DASHAWN HAWKINS, a/k/a “Jhonny Cash,” and others conspired to sell heroin. In addition, on or about September 1, 2016, HAWKINS distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. The use of controlled substances distributed by HAWKINS resulted in the death of Colin Cameron, on or about September 2, 2016.
In a search of HAWKINS’s apartment pursuant to a search warrant executed at the time of his arrest, the NYPD recovered, among other things, quantities of heroin, cutting agent, packaging for fentanyl, a 9mm firearm with high-capacity magazines loaded with hollow-point bullets, and what appears to be a silencer.
DASHAWN HAWKINS, 26, faces a maximum of life in prison, and a mandatory term of 20 years in prison.
The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Jason M. Swergold is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
