Larry Hornstein
Section Chief, Special Agent, GS-1811-15, Drug Enforcement Administration
Hi, my name is Larry Hornstein. I joined the Drug Enforcement Administration in 1985, as a DEA Special Agent when I was 30 years old because I wanted to make a difference and rid our communities of drug traffickers who were responsible for killing our youth and spreading violence across our country. One thing that encouraged me to become a DEA Special Agent was being able be a case agent and initiate drug investigations, and follow all the leads in the investigation and go whereever the case took us. In the Anthony Jones investigation I had to make numerous trips to New York to make arrests, seize assets, and obtain evidence. I’m sharing this because I want my community to know and appreciate what law enforcement officers do every day to try and make their communities safer and better places to live and raise their families. I’m so honored to be remembered in this museum because I was fortunate to do the job I always wanted to do and work in Baltimore, MD.
I started this investigation in 1994 working with Baltimore City Police Department Sgt. Andre Street, and Det. Terry Hipkins, interviewing cooperating individuals, gathering intelligence information, and conducting surveillance of several locations in East Baltimore, the home turf of the Anthony Ayeni Jones, AKA AJ drug trafficking organization. During this time there were several individuals arrested for distribution of cocaine and heroin possession, which would eventually lead to additional arrests.
During 1995, and 1996 there were some good breaks in the investigation resulting in multiple arrests including the arrest of Rodney Montgomery, Gerald Tyler, and Derrick Hailstock. Rodney Montgomery was in charge of a heroin and cocaine trafficking organization distributing large quantities of narcotics between New York,and Maryland, and was a source of supply of narcotics for the Jones organization. In February 1995 Montgomery was stopped by the Delaware State Police in a vehicle on I-95 North that contained $ 35,999.00 US currency. A canine unit indicated a positive response for controlled substances on the currency, which was then seized. Additional information was obtained and a Seizure Warrant was obtained in the Southern District of New York, which led to the seizure of $33,820.00. Montgomery was also arrested and charged in Maryland with narcotics violations.
Derrick Hailstock, another multi kilogram cocaine source of supply for the Jones organization was arrested in the Bronx, New York, for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine in the District of Maryland along with Gerald Tyler who was arrested in Maryland.
Anthony Ayeni Jones was arrested on April 3,1996 in Baltimore, Maryland on numerous federal charges in the District of Maryland. Jones ruled over one of the most murderous narcotics organizations in Baltimore history, and was convicted of conspiring to kill rivals, federal witnesses, police informants, and their relatives.
Jones, who relied on fear to run his $30,000 a day cocaine and heroin operation. There was evidence to reflect Jones was involved with at least 12 murders, but it could have been well over 20 murders. Jones’ organization became so brazen that it enlisted a Baltimore City Police Officer on its payroll and once attempted to execute an injured rival at Johns Hopkins Hospital by sending in a hit man with a hypodermic. Key to the prosecution’s attempt to put Jones to death was not only his role in the murders of more than a dozen people, but his ability to control his accomplices while in prison. Jones ordered executions via prison phones while awaiting trial using a code.
It took the jury 11 hours to convict Anthony jones of murder in the aid of racketeering, kidnapping, attempted murder, retaliating against a federal witness, and drug distribution. Jones is currently serving life in federal prison. Thank you to Assistant United States Attorney’s Robert R. Harding, and Jamie M. Bennett.
