The Bureau of Prisons confirmed Tuesday that Rayful Edmond, a notorious Washington, D.C. drug lord who allegedly controlled a significant portion of the city’s cocaine trade during the 1980s crack epidemic, passed away in federal custody.
At the peak of his criminal enterprise, Edmond, 60, was known as the “king of cocaine” in Washington, D.C. His vast drug operation fueled the city’s devastating crack epidemic, resulting in a surge in homicides and widespread destruction. His network, protected by armed guards carrying Uzis, was linked to at least 30 murders, though none were directly attributed to him.
The Bureau of Prisons declined to disclose the cause of Edmond’s death. Spokesperson Rob Sperling only confirmed his death, offering no further details.
In 1989, at age 24, Edmond was apprehended and subsequently received a life sentence for his role in operating a large-scale drug distribution network. His operation allegedly moved up to 1,700 pounds of cocaine monthly, generating millions of dollars weekly. He maintained a high-profile lifestyle, including sponsoring local basketball events and attending prominent boxing matches in Las Vegas.
His trial involved unprecedented security measures, with anonymous jurors for their safety. Sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, he was incarcerated in a maximum-security Pennsylvania prison. Despite this, he continued his drug trafficking activities, leading to an additional 30-year sentence.
Later, he cooperated with authorities. Court documents reveal that Edmond assisted in jailing numerous other drug traffickers, disrupting distribution networks, and even providing prison officials with insights to enhance internal trafficking prevention.
