Members of Violent D.C. Street Crew Convicted of Drug Trafficking, Murder Charges

WASHINGTON - Four members of the violent "Push Dat Sh*t" (PDS) street crew were found guilty yesterday by a federal jury in connection with their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed marijuana and oxycodone in Southeast Washington, D.C. and used machine guns to protect their drug-dealing territory and kill an innocent bystander, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

"We continue to take down the drivers of violence in our community, and these convictions reflect that commitment," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "The defendants were part of a violent crew that fueled senseless, retaliatory attacks and put entire neighborhoods at risk. Their actions weren't just destructive-they cost an innocent young man his life. Today's verdict sends a clear message: we will not tolerate armed gangs terrorizing D.C., and we will use every tool available to hold violent offenders accountable and protect the public."

Markquette Rajon Cowan, 27, of Maryland, aka "Quette" and "Lil Why," was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana and a quantity of oxycodone, conspiracy to use firearms, including machine guns, in furtherance of drug trafficking, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and related firearms counts and drug distribution charges.

Christopher Jordan Broady, 26, of the District, aka "Suave" and "Swerve," was found guilty of the same drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy charges, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and related firearms counts and drug distribution charges.

Joshua Nicholas Stephenson, 25, of the District, aka "Migo," was found guilty of the drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy charges, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, carrying a pistol without a license, and multiple counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute marijuana while armed with a firearm, including discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.

Larry Duncan, 35, of the District, aka "Larry Love," was found guilty of the drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy charges, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and unlawfully using and possessing a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing for Christopher Broady for Nov. 13, 2026, Markquette Cowan for Nov. 20, 2026, Joshua Stephenson for Dec. 3, 2026, and Larry Duncan for Dec. 4, 2026. Each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of up to life in prison. Any sentence will be determined by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years for the murder.

The verdicts came August 3 following a four-week trial and three days of jury deliberation.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Cowan, Broady, Stephenson, and Duncan were members of the PDS street crew, which distributed marijuana and oxycodone in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast D.C., beginning as early as April 2018. The co-conspirators used firearms to protect themselves, their money, their drugs, and their drug-dealing territory, and carried firearms to discourage rival crews from entering their territory.

PDS maintained gang territory on the 3300 - 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast, and adjacent areas, and operated an open-air drug market outside the Holiday Market. In August 2018, PDS became allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or "JG."  Between August 2018 and April 2023, members of the allied PDS/JG street crew sold drugs from Holiday Market and from "trap houses" that they maintained in apartment buildings surrounding that location. 

As their drug business grew, PDS/JG became the target of drive-by shootings conducted by rival gangs - shootings they referred to as "spinning the block." Beginning in approximately August 2019, a PDS/JG member began assembling and distributing fully automatic AR-pistols that he purchased as "kits" from online retailers. Such firearms are defined as "privately made firearms" by the ATF but frequently are referred to as "ghost guns" on the street. 

PDS/JG members possessed the ghost guns to both defend their territory from rival gangs, but also to "spin the block" on rival gangs in order to deter and dissuade the rivals from entering PDS/JG territory. PDS/JG members "kept score" with rival gangs, and the points earned by "spinning the block" varied depending on the "importance" of the people that were injured or killed.

On May 9, 2019, while in a trap house in the 3300 block of Wheeler Road SE, Larry Duncan supplied a car (leaving a fingerprint on the outside) to fellow crew members and asked for "volunteers" to spin the block (shoot up rival territory). Duncan was in a leadership role of the PDS gang. Stephenson drove Cowan and Broady until they found a target. Mark Milline Jr. was walking up the street looking down at his phone when Cowan and Broady jumped out of the car and opened fire on MillineLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.. Broady then chased Milline down and stood over his body firing several shots. Stephenson then drove Broady and Cowan back to 10th Place where they entered apartments where Duncan was waiting. Cowan, Broady, and Stephenson were middle level members of the gang.  

Milline was shot 13 times with RIP ammunition (radically invasive projectiles) and died from his injuries that day. Milline had no crew affiliation. 

The crew maintained "trap houses" throughout their territory to store drugs and firearms, and communicated using coded language, referring to ammunition as "eggs" and firearms as "dogs," "irons," and "joints," in an effort to conceal their activity from law enforcement.

In September 2025, Duncan was found to be in possession of approximately 38 pounds of marijuana, $72,000 in cash, and a firearm fitted with a device that converted it into a machine gun. Duncan faces an additional mandatory minimum of 30 years for his possession of the machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

These convictions are part of an ongoing joint investigation which has resulted in 30 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 47 firearms, six machine guns, more than 1,500 rounds of ammunition, over 100 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $581,000 in cash.

Other members of the PDS crew who have been sentenced include:

Eugene Tracey Hill, aka "Geno" and "Cheese," of the District, was sentenced in October 2024 to 15 years in prison for his role as leader in the drug trafficking conspiracy and multiple firearms offenses. He held a leadership role in the PDS gang.  

Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, aka "Shitty," of the District, was sentenced in April 2025 to five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 kilos of marijuana and firearms offenses.

Isjalon Jermiah Armstead, aka "Smaut" and "Lil Blow Diddy," of the District, was sentenced in May 2025 to 10 years in federal prison for discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking offense in connection with a shootout in a residential neighborhood.

Andre Alone Willis, aka "Boogie," of the District, was sentenced in February 2025 to 20 years in federal prison in connection with drug and gun charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy. He held a leadership role in the PDS gang.  

Broadus Jamal Daniels, aka "Wardy," of the District, was sentenced in April 2025 to 35 years in federal prison in connection with drug and gun charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy.

The case was investigated by the FBI's Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the ATF's Washington Field Division.

The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur, Matthew Mattis, and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein.

Screen grab from surveillance footage of the May 9, 2019, slaying of Mark Milline Jr., who was shot 13 times and died from his injuries.

Evidence presented during the trial of PDS members Cowen, Broady, Stephenson, and Duncan.

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