The head of a Brooklyn-based crime crew admitted in federal court on Wednesday that he led a failed plot to rob a drug stash house in Flushing.
Joshua Padmore, 39, of Brooklyn pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack, heroin and fentanyl, robbery conspiracy and possessing a handgun as a convicted felon. He faces as little as five years — and as much as 40 years — in a federal penitentiary on the conspiracy charge, according to U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue.
According to the charges, on Feb. 7, 2016, Padmore and several other crew members plotted out a scheme to rob a drug stash house located in Flushing. Federal prosecutors established that Padmore, along with fellow Brooklyn resident Barrington Diles, 35, led a crew known to sell crack cocaine, heroin and fentanyl across Brooklyn. Padmore also worked with Andrew Shanks, 24, of Brooklyn and Joseph Bergman, age unknown, to sell cocaine base.
One of the collaborators — Carlos Welch Jr., 25, of Queens — went to the stash house to gather information about the location while posing as a marijuana buyer.
Welch later called Padmore in a conversation that law enforcement sources intercepted while monitoring Padmore’s phone, pursuant to a court order. During the talk, Welch said that he had observed “pounds” of marijuana inside the location.
Law enforcement agents would intercept additional conversations involving Padmore, Welch and Shanks working out the details of the planned robbery.
While staking out the stash house, federal agents spotted a car previously used by Padmore circling the location. They moved in to stopped the car and found Padmore, Shanks and Qualese Welch, 25, of Gainesville, GA inside the vehicle. During a search, agents recovered a loaded revolver under Padmore’s seat.
Prosecutors said that Carlos Welch was inside of a second vehicle observed near the stash house that ultimately fled the scene. Both he and the vehicle were located several days later in Easton, PA.
Donoghue said that Padmore is the last of the six crew members to enter guilty pleas in the case.
