Federal law enforcement authorities have dismantled a sprawling drug trafficking network centered in Washington Square Park, arresting 19 individuals in a coordinated operation that targeted an “open-air” narcotics market operating for approximately five years.
The defendants, charged in a federal indictment unsealed Thursday in Manhattan, are alleged to have sold fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine across the Greenwich Village landmark. The network is linked to at least 65 overdoses and two confirmed deaths during that period.
Organized Operation & Gang Links
Investigators allege this ring—dubbed the WSP Enterprise—was structured with distinct territories and coding, such that different sellers used color-coded packaging to mark their products. Some participants are reported to have ties to the Bloods gang, while one key figure, John Livigni, has been identified as a longtime local dealer.
Court documents suggest that the ring divided areas so as not to compete directly and maintained coordination. Despite 80 prior arrests among the group over several years, many suspects had repeatedly returned to the park’s drug trade after release under New York’s lenient local policies.
Overdose Victims & Community Impact
Among those who died, one has been identified as Bailey Shaw, an 18-year-old recent high school graduate from Colorado who had moved to New York to pursue an internship in the arts. Her case has drawn attention to the human cost behind the statistics.
Local residents and community leaders welcomed the federal sweep. Many had long complained that Washington Square Park had devolved into a public drug market, with visible usage, discarded syringes, and a pervasive sense of danger affecting families, students, and visitors.
Legal & Institutional Pushback
Authorities say most of the arrested face severe federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death, carrying potential sentences of 20 years to life.
Local frustration has been growing over what many see as ineffective prosecutorial and judicial policy. Though the NYPD’s 6th Precinct had made repeated arrests in the park, many suspects were quickly released due to state and local court policies—creating a cycle of reoffense.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA spearheaded the joint task force. In statements, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton vowed renewed federal resolve to prosecute drug trafficking in public spaces and hold dealers accountable.
