Malden Man Charged In Drug, Gun Conspiracy: Feds

MALDEN, MA — A Malden man was arrested Monday in connection with his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Phillips Charles, 22, known as "PHON C," was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and one count of conspiracy to possess, use and carry firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking conspiracy. Federal authorities said he had more than 150 grams of cocaine base and other controlled substances.

Charles was on pretrial release, and later probation, when he conspired to deal "large quantities" of drugs, the USAO said. Participants in the conspiracy also had numerous guns, including several with "selector switches" that convert firearms into machine guns, federal authorities said.

Members used these weapons to protect the operation and target rival gang members, the USAO said.

In an August 2020 music video posted on YouTube, Charles pointed a gun at the camera and showed a "large amount of cash," the USAO said. He was on pretrial release when he was arrested on a weapons charge in December 2020.

If convicted, Charles faces up to 20 years in prison for the possession charge and up to life in prison for the weapons charge.