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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Crime Prosecutors File First Charges In Drug Market Initiative

Posted by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee on Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 4:44 PM

As promised, prosecutors have swiftly filed charges against an alleged drug dealer who was busted with a crack pipe, the day after SPD offered him clemency for selling drugs earlier this year.

According to prosecutors, 39-year-old Gerald Allen Cowles sold $40 worth of crack cocaine to a police informant in May near the 23rd Avenue corridor in the Central District. Cowles was one of 19 alleged drug dealers presented with the option to give up drug dealing or face prosecution under the city's new Drug Market Initiative (DMI), a diversion pilot program aimed at eliminating open-air drug markets in Seattle neighborhoods.

On August 7th, one day after Cowles attended a meeting with police and prosecutors at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, prosecutors say Cowles was busted with a crack pipe in the Central District, violating the terms of the DMI program.

Court records say Cowles has had 40 warrants in the past twenty years, has a history of drug addiction, and has previously been charged with possession of heroin, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, three DUIs, driving with a suspended license, obstruction, disorderly conduct, and marijuana possession.

Prosecutors say they will be filing additional cases tomorrow against two dealers who failed to show up to the August 6th DMI meeting.

Comments (6) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Ah, remember the good old days when people were presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, regardless of past judicial rulings?

I do.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on August 11, 2009 at 5:20 PM

Can someone please tell me how this city can simultaneously pursue a few drug dealers in the CD, go through a big rigmarole about "second chances" and so on and then, in the next breathe, shout of Hempfest...a place where upper middle class white folk congregate in a park normally used by toddlers to smoke and take drugs openly?

Posted by You Fucking Hypocrites on August 11, 2009 at 5:20 PM

@2: because we (for the most part) recognize a difference between pot and crack cocaine?

You might as well ask why we simultaneously go after crack dealers and let bars sell alcohol, or let stores sell cigarettes.

And perhaps crack dealers and the crime (both petty and violent) that surrounds them hurt the Central District more than Hempfest hurts Myrtle Edwards. I have the feeling that may be the case.

Posted by doceb on August 11, 2009 at 6:01 PM

#2 - compare the impact to the community between the two events.

Posted by Dougsf on August 11, 2009 at 6:01 PM

yup it's just targeting black folk. SURE. Look at how many young black men committed murder this year vs how many upper middle class white folks. NOW look at what % of Seattle citizens are young black men vs upper middle class white folks. Then you will understand. BUT you won't get that far. You will point out every crime in Seattle that isn't committed by young black men to say it is racist to point the finger in the direction of the CD. Yet you will refuse to look at the CD and Ranier and see what % of violent crime in Seattle stems from there. Cause it would tell you things you don't wanna hear

Posted by hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....... on August 11, 2009 at 9:20 PM

With 40 warrants, this guy shouldn't have been part of the DMI plea offer at all. Maybe a 17 y/o with a couple misdemeanors, but 20 years and multiple felonies?

Posted by troy on August 11, 2009 at 9:35 PM