Rayful Edmond, Infamous D.C. Drug Kingpin, Dies at 60

Once a central figure in Washington's crack epidemic, Edmond passed away in federal custody months before his scheduled release.

Rayful Edmond, a notorious drug dealer who controlled a third of Washington, D.C.'s cocaine trade during the 1980s, died in a Florida halfway house at age 60.
Edmond was serving a life sentence, later reduced after cooperating with authorities, and was set to be fully released in November 2025.
His drug empire, which moved up to 1,700 pounds of cocaine monthly, contributed to the crack epidemic and the surge in violence that earned D.C. the label 'murder capital.'
While in prison, Edmond continued his drug operations, partnering with Colombian cartels, until his activities were uncovered by authorities.
His cooperation with federal investigators led to the conviction of over 100 individuals and changes in prison policies to combat in-prison drug trafficking.