The Wire
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The Wire


The Barksdale Organization, also known as the Barksdale Crew, was a West Baltimore narcotics trafficking organization. Led by Avon Barksdale and Russell "Stringer" Bell, they operated from the later 1990s until their dissolution in 2004.

History[]

Background[]

The Barksdale Organization operated from six of the seven high-rise towers in Franklin Terrace and the low-rise McCulloh Homes, or “The Pit,” to traffic cocaine and heroin. ("The Target") Avon and Stringer secured a heroin and cocaine supply through a Dominican crime outfit in New York City. Avon enlisted a team of enforcers including childhood friend Roland Brice.

Season 1[]

Season 2[]

Season 3[]

Season 4[]

Season 5[]

Structure[]

The principal supply of cocaine and heroin was diluted and packaged in a house in Pimlico, Maryland before distribution in Baltimore. The organization laundered its profits through front businesses including a Carlton C Douglas Funeral Services, a funeral parlor; Orlando's Gentlemen's Club; and B&B, a real estate development company. Their organization donated to, and bribed, State Senator Clay Davis in order to secure development contracts.

Avon employed seven crew chiefs to manage each of the six towers and the low-rise projects. The chiefs supervised dealers, "touts" to attract customers, "runners" to deliver narcotics, and "look-outs" to monitor for law enforcement officials stick-up crews.

A strict telephone usage policy was applied throughout the organization. The pager messages were encoded to prevent easy tracing of the telephones used, all of which were public telephones. The code was based on simple use of the telephone keypad - numbers were swapped with their opposite across the number five, and five was exchanged with zero. This made it easily accessible to the poorly educated drug dealers. Each pager-carrying member of the hierarchy was identified by a number. When pages were returned with a phone call no names were supposed to be used, and if a name was used, the speaker was reminded not to. A separate code was used for resupply signals, which involved turning the pager display upside down.

Franklin Terrace[]

Tower One - 221 - Peanut, Roc-Roc (lieutenant)

Tower Two - 734 

Tower Three - 954

Tower Four - 770 - Savino Bratton

Tower Five - 851 - Ronald "Ronnie Moe" Watkins, Little Vic (dealer)

Tower Six - Saratoga 

Membership[]

ALIVE
INCARCERATED
DECEASED
INACTIVE

Leadership[]

Picture Name Seasons Status Overview
Avon
Avon Barksdale 1, 2, 3, 5 Incarcerated

Avon Barksdale was the leader of the organization. He was convicted in 2004 for no less than twenty-five years.

The Wire Shamrock
Shaun McGinty 2, 3 Incarcerated

Shaun "Shamrock" McGinty was Russell "Stringer" Bell's administrative assistant while Avon Barksdale was in prison. He was arrested and indicted in 2004.

Stringer
Russell Bell 1, 2, 3 Deceased

Russell "Stringer" Bell was Avon Barksdale's chief administrator before Avon's arrest, acting boss while Avon was incarcerated, and street boss upon Avon's release. He was shot and killed by Omar Little and Brother Mouzone.


Enforcement[]

Picture Name Seasons Status Overview
The Wire- Bird
Marquis Hilton 1, 2 Incarcerated

Marquis "Bird" Hilton was an enforcer who murdered state's witness William Gant in 2002. He was convicted for Gant's murder in 2003.

250px-Perry
Perry 1, 2, 3 Incarcerated

Perry was an enforcer who performed security at the funeral parlor. Perry was arrested and indicted in 2004.

Weebey
Roland Brice 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Incarcerated

Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice was the Barksdale organization's chief enforcer until he was sentenced to life without parole in 2002.

The Wire- Bernard in car with girlfriend
Bernard 3 Incarcerated

Bernard was responsible for purchasing the organization's prepaid cell phones. He was arrested and indicted in 2004.

Gerard
Gerard 3 Incarcerated

Gerard was an inexperienced Barksdale soldier. He was arrested and indicted in 2004.

Sapper
Sapper 3 Incarcerated

Sapper was a simple-minded Barksdale soldier. He was arrested and indicted in 2004.

Stinkum
Anton Artis 1 Deceased

Anton "Stinkum" Artis was an enforcer in the Barksdale crew. He managed the the transfer of drugs from Franklin Terrace to the low-rise housing project known as "The Pit". Artis was shot by Omar Little in retaliation for Brandon Wright's torture and murder.

Wintell Royce
Wintell Royce 1 Deceased

Wintell "Little Man" Royce was a heavyset soldier in the Barksdale crew. He was the chief enforcer of Tower 221 in Franklin Terrace. Royce shot Shakima "Kima" Greggs, drawing the attention of law enforcement and media. Deeming Royce unreliable, Russell "Stringer" Bell ordered Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice to murder Royce in 2002.

Savino Bratton
Savino Bratton 1, 5 Deceased

Savino Bratton was a low-level enforcer and crew chief until he was sentenced to three years with parole for his involvement in Detective Greggs's shooting. By 2008, he was involved with the Stanfield Organization. Savino was killed by Omar Little in 2008 in retaliation for Butchie's murder.

Country
"Country" 2, 3 Deceased

Country was a Barksdale soldier who, despite being on parole, resumed his involvement with the Barksdale Organization in 2003. He was shot and killed in an attempted drive-by in 2004.

The Wire Season 3- Rico's final moments (played by unknown actor)
Rico 2, 3 Deceased

Rico was a heavy-set Barksdale enforcer who often worked as a bodyguard or door man. Rico was shot and killed by Felicia "Snoop" Pearson in a drive-by in 2004.

250px-Tank
"Tank" 2, 3 Deceased

A minor Barksdale enforcer .

The Wire- Tatar (Uncredited actor)- Avon, Slim Charles and Perry's driver shot by Chris Partlow
"Tater" 3 Deceased

Tater was a soldier working for Avon Barksdale. He was shot and killed by Chris Partlow while attempting to drive away Perry, "Slim" Charles, and Avon Barksdale.

Dennis Wise
Dennis "Cutty" Wise 3, 4, 5 Inactive

Dennis "Cutty" Wise is an ex-convict who briefly resumed his affiliation with the Barksdale Organization upon release in 2004.

Slim Charles
Slim Charles 3, 4, 5 Inactive

In 2004, "Slim" Charles was as an enforcer for Avon. He would later serve as the chief enforcer for Proposition Joe, and, after Joe's murder, the leader of the New Day Co-Op alongside "Fat Face Rick".


Crew Chiefs and Dealers[]

Picture Name Seasons Status Overview
Marvin-in-jail
Marvin Browning 1 Incarcerated

Marvin was a dealer for the Barksdale who was convicted in 2002. Browning apprised Stringer of what the Baltimore Police Department knew.

Ronnie Mo
Ronald "Ronnie Moe" Watkins 1 Incarcerated

Ronald "Ronnie Mo" Watkins was the crew chief of "The Pit." After D'Angelo's release in February 2002, Watkins became the new crew chief of Franklin Terrace Tower Five, 851. He was convicted in 2002.

250px-Sterling
Herbert De'Rodd Johnson 1, 2, 3 Incarcerated

Herbert De'Rodd "Puddin" Johnson is a Barksdale Organization drug dealer and a friend to Bodie Broadus and Poot Carr.

The Wire- D'Angelo
D'Angelo Barksdale 1, 2 Deceased

D'Angelo Barksdale was Avon's nephew and a lieutenant in his drug dealing organization. Nervous about D'Angelo's resolve, Russell "Stringer" Bell had him murdered. He was asphyxiated to death in 2003.

The Wire- Bodie
Preston Broadus 1, 2, 3, 4 Deceased

Bodie was a loyal drug dealer for the Barksdale organization, left to run his own small independent crew after the organization fell apart. He was subsequently shot in the head by Darius "O-Dog" Hill, a rising enforcer in Marlo Stanfield's crew.

Wallace
Wallace 1 Deceased

Wallace handled the count for D'Angelo Barksdale's crew. He was bothered by the brutal murder of Omar's boyfriend by the Barksdale crew, who left his body on display in the projects as a warning to others. He left the organization briefly and upon his return was murdered by Poot and Bodie on Stringer's orders.

Poot
Malik "Poot" Carr 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Inactive

Poot was a loyal dealer for the Barksdale organization, who serves brief prison time for his crimes. After returning from prison, he rejoins Bodie on his corner, but later leaves the game to work at a shoe store after Bodie was killed.

250px-Sterling
Sterling 1 Inactive

Sterling was a member of D'Angelo Barksdale's crew who was shot by Omar Little.


Associates[]

Picture Name Seasons Status Overview
Levy
Maurice Levy 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Alive

Maurice "Maury" Levy was the Barksdale outfit's legal counsel and represented all members of the Barksdale Organization during proffers and criminal trials.

Wendell Blocker
Wendell "Orlando" Blocker 1 Deceased

Wendell "Orlando" Blocker was the manager of Orlando's Gentlemen's Club, a front organization to launder money. He was shot and killed by Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice and Wintell "Little Man" Royce in 2002.

Shardene Innes
Shardene Innes 1, 5 Inactive

Shardene Innes is a former dancer at Orlando's who was in a brief relationship with D'Angelo Barksdale. She is now the romantic partner of retired homicide detective Lester Freamon.


Family[]

Picture Name Seasons Status Overview
Donette
Donette 1, 2, 3 Alive

Donette is the former girlfriend of D'Angelo Barksdale and the mother to his child. After D'Angelo's incarceration, she began a relationship with Stringer Bell.

BrianaBarksdale 434
Brianna Barksdale 1, 2, 3, 4 Alive

Brianna Barksdale is the sister of Avon Barksdale and the mother of D'Angelo.

The Wire- De'Londa Brice meets Wee-Bey in prison
De'Londa Brice 4 Alive

De'Londa Brice is the wife of Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice and the mother of Namond Brice.

Homicides[]

Victim

Perpetrator

Year
Maurice Scroggins Roland “Wee-Bey” Brice 2001
Deirdre Kresson Roland “Wee-Bey” Brice 2001
Pooh Blanchard D'Angelo Barksdale 2001
Toreen Boyd Roland “Wee-Bey” Brice 2002
Roland Leggett Roland “Wee-Bey” Brice 2002
Colette Roland “Wee-Bey” Brice 2002
Gerard Bogue "Little" Kevin 2002
John Bailey Roland “Wee-Bey” Brice and Marquis "Bird" Hilton 2002
Brandon Wright Roland “Wee-Bey” Brice, Anton "Stinkum" Artis," and Marquis "Bird" Hilton 2002
Wendell Blocker Roland “Wee-Bey” Brice and Wintell “Little Man” Royce 2002
Wintell “Little Man” Royce Roland “Wee-Bey” Brice 2002
Nakeesha Lyles Roland “Wee-Bey” Brice 2002
Wallace Preston “Bodie” Broadus and Malik “Poot” Carr 2002
D’Angelo Barksdale Maryland House of Correction inmate by order of Russell "Stringer" Bell 2003
Five Maryland House of Correction inmates Avon Barksdale 2003
“Boo” “Slim“ Charles 2004
LaTroy “Slim“ Charles 2004

References[]

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