This was in my local newspaper today. Here we ahve a young Brother, trying to do the "right" thing, and what happens? Well if one is bad, then isn't the entire bunch?
CRIME: Brian Muhammad has charges against him dismissed
By Rick Pfeiffer/pfeifferr@gnnewspaper.com Niagara Gazette Brian K. Muhammad was positive the federal and local law enforcement officers who came to his door in the early morning hours of Aug. 21 had made a huge mistake.
"I thought they were looking for my brother," he said. They were calling me Young."
Muhammad was once Brian K. Young (he says he legally changed his last name when he converted to Islam in 1996) and he has a twin brother Brian C. Young, but other than their birth there appears little in common with the two men.
Brian C. Young, also known by his street name "Twin," is currently serving a state prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges stemming from his involvement in a major cocaine distribution ring in the Falls. He was arrested in April 2006 and indicted along with eight other people in August 2006.
Brian K. Muhammad graduated with a degree in Humanities from Buffalo State College and works for both Horizon Health Services, finding housing for homeless people, and with disabled patients at Heritage Centers. Muhammad, 33, says his only brush with the law was a misdemeanor assault charge stemming from a fight when he was younger.
"I have never taken drugs in my life, I've never smoked, never had a beer or a wine cooler, never anything like that in my life," Muhammad said. "I don't even go out to clubs."
So when agents from the federal Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with Falls narcotics detectives told him he was part of major cross border drug smuggling ring he couldn't believe what they were saying.
Yet a federal criminal complaint charged Muhammad, under the name Brian K. Young, with conspiracy to import from Canada and distribute large quantities of marijuana and the club drug Ecstacy.
The lengthy investigation had targeted Ron Jay Bennett, a well-known Falls-based drug dealer. Muhammad says he apparently got caught up in the probe when he texted Bennett's cell phone, which was being monitored by drug investigators.
"(Federal investigators) said I texted (Bennett) about three times stating that I had some new music and they said that meant I had new cocaine for distribution," Muhammad said.
Muhammad, who said he has a personal business selling CDs on weekends, said Bennett called him back and a discussion of new music by rapper Kanye West, particularly the song "I Get Money" was also deemed by the federal agents to be conversation about selling cocaine.
"(Investigators) said that meant drugs for consignment," Muhammad said. "That's the only conversation I had with (Bennett) and that's what they came and got me for."
Investigators said they seized 600 Ecstacy tablets, along with a .40-caliber and .22-caliber handgun at different locations on the day of Muhammad's arrest. Muhammad says all that was taken from his home was his work cell phone and his mother's cell phone.
"I grew up with Ron Jay and his brother Phil (Bennett, another prominent Falls drug dealer who was gunned down by rivals on Highland Avenue in 1998)," Muhammad said. "I always thought Ron Jay sold marijuana. I never heard he did (Ecstacy)."
With just the text messages and single phone conversation on which to base their case, on Dec. 10, federal prosecutors asked U.S. Magistrate H. Kenneth Schroeder Jr. to dismiss the charges against Muhammad. Schroeder granted that request.
Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they had no comment on the dismissal of the charges.
"I grew up with a lot of people in Niagara Falls that are into illegal activities," Muhammad said. "But that don't mean I'm into that."
Muhammad says the arrest has created problems for him at work. For example, he says all the legal paperwork refers to him as "Young" so he has a hard time convincing people the charges against him have been dropped.
"All the things I try to do to clear my name, it says Young, and people say, "Who is Young? You're Muhammad,' " he said.
Then there is the question of how he ended up in a drug ring round-up. Muhammad doesn't think it's "guilt by association" with Bennett.
He believes it's all about his twin brother.
"Since my brother was doing something, they thought I was doing something," Muhammad said. "And they just kept calling me Young."
Because of my settings, if you have trouble reading the article, please highlite. You know it's a shame when you have to stop and think about what you say, to whom you say it, and where you say it when conducting legitamate business! I wonder if they've ever called my diner and placed an order? Can you imagine? What would they think a plate of chit'lins really are? Or what about some yams & tater salad?
What a sad state this world is in when one has to be careful when one isn't doing anything illegal!
Peace & Love 2 All!