Baltimore, Maryland - A federal grand jury indicted Troy Allen Lucas a/k/a “Troy Madron," age 47, of Baltimore, Maryland on charges arising from a murder-for-hire of Robert Long, who was a cooperating witness in a case pending in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. The indictment was returned on June 7, 2016, and unsealed today upon the arrest of the defendant.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Colonel Woodrow Jones, Chief of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
“This investigation has resulted in several convictions and the exoneration of an innocent man who was wrongly convicted and sentenced to life in state prison," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.
According to the three count indictment, Lucas was a member of "Dead Man Inc." (DMI), a criminal street and prison gang. Robert Long worked for Jose Morales and was a co-defendant with Morales in criminal cases pending in Baltimore.
The indictment charges that Morales solicited Lucas and others to kill Robert Long in order to retaliate for Long’s cooperation with the police and to prevent Long from testifying against Morales. Lucas accepted payment from Morales for agreeing to kill Long. Lucas and Morales used cell phones to contact one another regarding Long’s cooperation and whereabouts, and to contact Long.
On March 24, 2008, in an open area behind Traci Atkins Park in southwest Baltimore, Long was shot twice in the head and died. The indictment charges that from March 23 to 24, 2008, Lucas used, carried and discharged a.25 caliber handgun, causing Long’s murder.
Lucas faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for murder-for-hire conspiracy, use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and use of a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death. Lucas had his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
Jose Joaquin Morales, age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, was convicted at trial by a federal jury for using a cell phone to arrange the murder-for-hire of Robert Long, and was sentenced to life in prison on December 9, 2013.
The prosecution of Morales resulted in the exoneration of Demetrius Smith, who was serving life in state prison for the murder -- a crime he did not commit.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, Maryland Transportation Authority Police and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson and Martin Clarke, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
