Family Forced From Their Home By Drug Dealer
What Happens When You're Punished For Trying To Do The Right Thing?
We'll call them Andre and Lisa. Their names have been changed to protect their identities, because they say they are in danger. Help Me Howard spoke to them early this week and this is their incredible story.
They claim that a drug dealer threatened their lives. They claim they were trying to work with the FBI, but something went wrong.
According to Andre and Lisa, their next door neighbor is a powerful Bronx drug kingpin, who appears to be untouchable. They say their block is a hive for crackheads and prostitutes, all controlled by someone on their street!
Andre said, "I had conversations with this man. He was telling me he was the one. He does this, he does that. He said he runs everything around here. If a nickle was sold around here, he had in on it."
At first Andre says he was afraid to call police, afraid to put his family in danger and not sure if he could trust the authorities.
Andre says, "We never saw the police. They would ride through, they wouldn't slow down, they wouldn't pad anyone. People were just all over the place coming back and forth. All night long...we actually stayed up. You heard the clinking of the gate closing until the sun came up.."
Finally Andre and Lisa called the FBI. They say during the last week of August, Andre had several phone conversations with a federal agent, but something wasn't right. Everytime he says he spoke with the FBI, a police vehicle would appear in the neighborhood and drive by his neighbor's house. But nothing would happen!
Then on the morning of September 1st the NYPD raided the house next door. 14 people were arrested for criminal possession of a controlled substance.
When Andre looked out the window that morning and saw what was going on, he called the FBI, asking why hadn't he been alerted that this was going down?
Andre says he was stunned by the reaction he got from the agent.
Andre says. "He played absent minded, like 'I don't know what's going on.' You tell me what's going on, all the while it sounds like he's right downstairs, with all the police walkie talkies and everything! and I'm asking him what's going on? You're putting my family in danger! "
That's also when Andre and Lisa saw their neighbor in question, talking to the arresting police officers!
Lisa describes what she saw: "This man is not going to jail and he is laughing with the police and looks at my husband and smirks at him and my husband comes upstairs and says we're in trouble."
With that, Andre took some of their children out to get some food.
While he was away, the doorbell rang. When Lisa went to answer it, she was met by a man holding a gun to her face. Lisa says the man threatened to kill Andre, saying he had talked too much, then he left. Terrified, Lisa recounted what had happened, when Andre got home.
At this point, they did not know who to believe. The very day of the raid, Andre was supposed to meet with the FBI, but now he didn't know if he could trust them. That's when they decided to disappear and call Help Me Howard.
Howard listened to their story and called the FBI, who confirmed that conversations took place between an agent and Andre. However a spokesperson would not comment on the nature of the conversation, saying only:
"The FBI is satisfied that it handled the information presented appropriately."
As for Andre, Lisa and their family, they are somewhere safe for now. We'll have more on this story as it develops.
Comments: 5
Hello Howard, I was watching this and it made me sad. The police wants us to help our community by reporting anyone with a gun and advertises "if you see something say something" but real stories like this one proves their system of things are full of crap. For example, if you call the cops because someone threaten you, according to their system the only thing you can do is file a report (restraining order or any paperwork). To them it's not serious. It's just words. But what good is a report if that threat realizes itself and kills your child? That's when they have a reason to check the person out. I remember a lady who called the cops when she was in McDonalds because the worker didn't want to give back her money and she got in trouble instead. Everyone (news casters and myself at the time) reacted like she's dumb, but did anybody stop to think maybe she was just trying to prevent something from happening (like her going psycho or maybe the worker was threatening and she had a reason to fear or whatever)? Since the police are suppose to protect, serve, and mediate civilians out of danger, why can't they do more than paperwork to prevent threats from becoming crimes? They don't wear reports on their chest... it's Kevlar... so why do they hold reports over our heads, tell us that's all we can do for now and treat us like it's protective service? Yet they wonder why people in crime infested neighborhoods never see or hear anything when crimes are committed...
This is the debate for the 21st district city council race
Howard,I'm in shock right about now, I live in Newark. And I know you have heard and seen what's
been going on in my city. I can't believe that this couple isn't getting the help or protection that they deserve and need. Our goverment and the
people from city to city where crime is festering
like mole should be totally outraged. They just did a stop the killings demonstration in Newark.
They blocked traffic on every block of Springfield
Ave. Trying to get those to speak up when they see a crime being committed. Well, people are not
going to say anything if they feel that there safety is in jeopardy. Now I understand just a bit more as to why the code of silence on the street is more powerful then the police department. This couple has indeed done a very courageous thing. I pray and wish for them all
the best. Sometimes in doing the right thing you
sacrifice your life for all those you love to have a better one.
@Sunshine Sims and others who think police or any law enforcement agency will provide protection to ordinary civilians. They will not or cannot assign guards indefinitely, relocation, witness protection costs money. What happens in the ghetto will likely die in the ghetto anyway. Save yourselves, forget government protection. you're on your own.
I thought the only way you could get witness protection, if if you were in the "organized crime business" and you blabbed to the FBI. Don't mind me, I watch the SOPRANOS.