Reputed Oakland Drug Kingpin Charged After Cocaine Lab Raid

A 20-year-old man who spent $30,000 on a birthday bash last week has been charged with conspiracy to distribute 68 pounds of crack cocaine in what one official said may be the largest crack haul in the United States.

Darryl (Little D) Reed “was the most feared drug dealer in Oakland,” Russ Giuntini, Alameda County deputy district attorney, said Friday.

In three years, Reed rose from street dealer to multimillionaire, according to Oakland narcotics Officer Ken Scott, who headed the investigation. Agents suspect that Reed may have taken over some of the territory previously controlled by reputed Oakland drug lord Rudy Henderson, who awaits trial in federal court on narcotics charges.

Reed was intercepted in telephone wiretaps in the Henderson case buying “multikilo quantities of cocaine from Henderson,” Assistant U.S. Atty. George Niespolo said.

Caught With Cocaine

Oakland police raided his apartment and caught him with his hands buried in a cocaine-loaded metal soup pot used to “cook” almost 30 pounds of cocaine, according to a sworn statement by a Drug Enforcement Administration agent.

The crack seizure was “the largest in Northern California and may have been the largest in the United States. We’re checking that,” Giuntini said.

Officers also found $59,000 in cash and a .45-caliber pistol.

Giuntini said Reed was “the main man in Oakland if you wanted to buy quantities” of crack. “Everyone knew if you wanted to buy, you buy from Little D.”

Reed was charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and possession of 68 pounds of cocaine. A grand jury indictment is expected within two weeks.