Ruff Ryders Records’ co-CEO Darrin Dean was indicted on drug charges yesterday (August 29) in Hackensack, New Jersey and faces up to 20 years in prison, after police found over 3 pounds of cocaine and a gun in a customized van he was traveling in.
Dean and the van’s driver Jerry Gilbert were arrested on May 31, after police stopped the vehicle for having a broken on the Palisades Interstate Parkway.
When police approached the vehicle noticed the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and decided to search the van.
Police brought a K-9 unit to the scene and a dog detected the scent of cocaine.
A detective soon uncovered a trap door built into the rear wall of the van and when the compartment was lowered, 1 1/2 kilos of cocaine and a loaded .Intratec .45 were recovered.
Police claim Gilbert, was leaving Dean’s Suffern, New York home at the time of the arrest.
According to the Bergen County Record, a Bergen County grand jury has charged both Dean and Gilbert with possession of large amounts of cocaine with intent to distribute, charges that could land the Hip-Hop executive behind bars for two decades.
Dean is free on $342,500 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned in the next month.
Dean runs Ruff Ryders with his brother Joaquin “Waah” Dean and sister Chivon Dean.
The label has sold over 20 million records, based on hits from The Lox, Eve, Swizz Beatz and rapper DMX.