Jeanine Pirro, recently sworn in as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, has already made headlines with a bold promise to clean up Washington, D.C. — and she’s wasting no time delivering.
On Thursday, Pirro announced the sentencing of two individuals involved in a major drug trafficking and violent crime conspiracy that operated throughout Northeast D.C.
Two Sentenced in Drug and Shooting Case
Jamiek “Onion” Bassil, 32, and Charles “Cheese” Manson, 34, both of Washington, D.C., were sentenced to 135 months and 175 months in federal prison, respectively. The two were key members of the “21st and Vietnam” crew, a criminal organization that controlled an open-air drug market in the 2100 block of Maryland Avenue NE.
According to prosecutors, the crew distributed large quantities of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and other narcotics across the region — and was tied to a shooting in March 2024.
Manson was identified as the gunman in a March 7 incident on I Street NE, not far from his residence. Surveillance footage and witness accounts revealed that Manson, wearing a ski mask and armed with a revolver, fired multiple shots at a pedestrian walking a dog. Fortunately, neither the individual nor the animal was injured.
Pirro confirmed that officers later recovered a Glock 17 handgun loaded with 22 rounds, as well as drug paraphernalia including 50 grams of fentanyl analogue, nearly 14 grams of cocaine, and a box of ammunition during Manson’s arrest.
Both men pleaded guilty on March 21. Bassil admitted to conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, while Manson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, assault with a dangerous weapon, and firearm possession during a drug trafficking crime.
Authorities say Bassil sold fentanyl and other narcotics multiple times to undercover agents between January and March 2024. Manson, meanwhile, was caught on surveillance video dealing drugs directly to users in public areas.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) warns that just two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on the individual’s body size, tolerance, and history of opioid use.
Pirro Cracks Down on Violent Crime
Since taking office, Pirro has aggressively pursued a wide range of high-profile criminal cases. Her office has recently announced:
- The conviction of a mother for felony murder in the death of her 16-month-old daughter.
- The arrest of a man in connection with a homicide inside a D.C. jail.
- The conviction of a man for kidnapping and strangulation.
- The arrest of another man for allegedly murdering a woman and discarding her body in a dumpster.
- The sentencing of a previously convicted felon to nearly six years in prison for illegal firearm possession.
- Pirro’s office also secured the conviction of a Washington state man, Taylor Taranto, who livestreamed violent threats and false information.
Man Convicted in Federal Threat Case
Taranto, 39, from Pasco, Washington, was found guilty by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols of multiple federal offenses, including illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and spreading false threats.
On June 28, 2023, Taranto livestreamed himself driving near National Harbor, Maryland, claiming he was working on a detonator and planning to attack the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He also threatened to target a neutron generator on the NIST campus.
He later drove across the Wilson Bridge into Alexandria, Virginia, where he abandoned his van in the street, attempting to simulate a public emergency.
Taranto’s sentencing date is pending. The court is currently reviewing a defense motion for his release until that time.