Police and federal authorities found guns, cocaine, marijuana and an array of drug distribution supplies in an apartment near campus last month, as the result of an undercover investigation.
Metropolitan Police Department officers arrested six people – who are unaffiliated with the University – during an evening raid at Potomac Park apartments on 21st and E streets. Police charged 52-year-old Lawrence Cannaday, the lessee of the apartment, with seven counts of gun and drug distribution charges.
The Aug. 19 raid was the culmination of efforts by MPD officers who had staked out the apartment for at least a month. The department had an undercover informant purchase drugs from Cannaday’s apartment at least twice in the 30-day period prior to the raid.
In the living room of the apartment, police found a mirror with “white residue,” zip-lock bags, razor blades, strainers, scales and a powder often used to dilute cocaine, according to court documents. Cannaday’s bedroom contained two handguns and machines used for counting large amounts of money.
Cannaday was arraigned last Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the felony charges, which included possession of drugs, unregistered firearms, ammunition and drug paraphernalia.
A judge granted MPD a search warrant last month due to the likelihood of a “quantity of illegal controlled substances namely cocaine and or marijuana” within the apartment, which Cannaday had allegedly sold for more than six months, according to the warrant.
An informant told MPD that “unidentified individuals will call Cannaday on the telephone and/or knock on the door, enter the target location and exchange unknown quantities of currency to Cannaday for unknown quantities of cocaine and or marijuana,” according to court documents.
Several agencies executed the raid, including the Drug Enforcement Administration and MPD’s Narcotics Special Investigations Division.
While arresting Cannaday, officers found “seven zip-lock bags each containing a white powder substance” and $2,738 in cash, court documents stated.
MPD also arrested Antonio Bryant, Franklin Harvey, 53, Andre Harvey, 54, Christina Stuart and Stephanie Pagliocchini, 31, who were found in the apartment during the raid. Officers discovered some illegal substances on all of the defendants except Bryant. They face misdemeanor drug possession charges and were ordered to stay away from Cannaday’s apartment.
A GW student who lived in Potomac Park last year said he was familiar with Cannaday and described him as an “elderly” man. The student said he often saw people ranging from homeless to businessmen visiting Cannaday at various hours of the day and night.
Cannaday is scheduled to next appear in court on Oct. 10.
