Curtis Malone, the co-founder of the powerhouse DC Assault AAU program that produced such talents as Nolan Smith and Michael Beasley, had an appeal for bond denied by the U.S. District Court on Wednesday.
In the judge’s ruling, Malone was referred to as the “the principle character” and a “large-scale supplier” in a drug ring that could span the entire east coast.
Malone was arrested on August 9th on drug trafficking charges, and as his case slowly moves through D.C.'s court system, more information about just what he was involved in has started to leak out.
It reads like the plot of a season of The Wire, with Malone playing the role of Stringer Bell.
From this report by Mark Giannotto of the Washington Post:In court proceedings Wednesday, assistant U.S. attorney Stephen Gripkey said Malone’s role in D.C. Assault was used as a disguise for his drug-trafficking activities. A wiretap on two of Malone’s phones revealed he used basketball apparel such as shoe brands and uniform sizes as code words for narcotics and money under aliases such as “White Boy” and “Daddy.”
During a search of Malone’s Upper Marlboro home on Aug. 9, police recovered one kilogram of cocaine, 84 grams of heroin, one .44-caliber semiautomatic handgun and paraphernalia associated with the distribution of controlled substances. They also seized one kilogram of cocaine and $20,000 in cash from co-defendant Stephen Williams after he emerged from Malone’s home that day.
The program will be changing their name to the DC Premier, and with Malone forced to remain in jail, I think it’s safe to say that all ties have been cut between the program and it’s founder.