WASHINGTON (Reuters) -
The discovery of 84 individual bags of crack cocaine in a baby's diaper led to a 20-year jail
sentence for the leader of a drug distribution ring in downtown Washington.
The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler, ended the two-year reign of Crystal Jefferson, 34,
over the crack cocaine market in the District of Columbia's inner city area, the Justice Department said.
The arrest of two men in August 1996 in a city park led to the conviction of 12 people in the drug ring, including
Jefferson.
Eyewitnesses observed the two brothers slapping and punching the two-year-old daughter of one of the men and
flagged down a passing police officer, the department said in a written statement.
"The child was taken to Children's Hospital for treatment, where doctors discovered 84 individual ziplock bags
containing crack cocaine inside the child's diaper."
The drugs were eventually traced back to Jefferson. A search of her apartment yielded 184 grams of crack cocaine
valued at almost $37,000, more than $30,000 in cash and a loaded handgun.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Jefferson in late 1995 began to take over and organize the street-level
distribution of crack cocaine by selling smaller and less expensive amounts, thereby undercutting the sales of all other
dealers who were not associated with her.
"As her organization grew, she used fear and intimidation to maintain her control over her distribution areas and her
organization members," the Justice Department said.
On February 25, a federal jury convicted Jefferson on conspiracy, possession and distribution charges.
"Today's sentence of 20 years without parole puts an end to a sophisticated, well-organized crack cocaine
distribution ring in the downtown area of the city," the department said.
