A Newark man has been sentenced to 168 months in prison for leading a drug trafficking organization that operated one of the largest open-air drug markets in the city. Shaheed Blake, also known as "Sha Gotti," was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin and will also serve five years of supervised release.
Blake's sentencing marks the conclusion of a case involving 26 defendants. His co-defendants received sentences ranging from 30 to 168 months for their roles in the operation.
The investigation, led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), revealed that Blake and Anderson Hutchinson, also known as "Murda Rah," managed a significant drug market distributing heroin and crack cocaine around-the-clock in Newark. The operation was linked to the Bloods-affiliated gang known as the "CKarter Boys."
The CKarter Boys sold drugs from two houses near the Newark-Irvington border, close to Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. One location generated approximately $10,000 daily from narcotics sales.
Authorities discovered that an abandoned residence used by the gang was fortified with boarded windows and doors. Access was gained through a second-floor window using a ladder. Inside, drugs were sold through a small hole cut into an outer wall.
Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents of ATF and members of various law enforcement agencies with conducting the investigation. He acknowledged collaboration among federal, state, county, and city agencies under initiatives like the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Desiree Grace, Olta Bejleri, and Jake A. Nasar represented the government in this case.