A Miami-Dade detective who was shot during a drug investigation testified Thursday that there is an ongoing federal investigation regarding drug smuggling into the county jail.
Also on Thursday, Judge Alberto Millian denied bond for Steve Gallon IV and Atiba Moore after three days of an Arthur hearing.
The codefendants are facing criminal charges for attempting to kill Miami-Dade detective Darrian Washington. Officials said the undercover officer was grazed by a bullet and accused Gallon as the shooter.
Gallon and Moore were near Northwest 43rd Street and Northwest 5th Avenue as police were doing surveillance on Moore regarding a drug investigation.
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Washington took the stand Thursday and explained the ongoing investigation involves Federal Assistant United States Attorneys. Records show the U.S. Postal Inspector is also involved.
“We were conducting an investigation into narcotics being smuggled into the Dade County jail,” Washington said.
“And how is it that Mr. Moore became a target in that investigation?” asked Roderick Vereen, who’s representing Gallon.
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"I was given information of Mr. Moore along with two other phone numbers he utilizes to conversate," Washington said.
According to Washington, the phone numbers were given to investigators by the corrections criminal conspiracy squad. He said the correction officers, who have not been arrested nor relieved from their duties, are also connected to the drug smuggling. Multiple inmates are also part of the alleged criminal activities, according to the undercover detective.
That March, multiple agencies planned to follow Moore from Broward County into Miami-Dade to try and catch him in possession of drugs. However, the operation failed when Washington, who was following Moore, rear-ended his vehicle. Washington stated it was because he didn’t have enough time to make a complete stop.
When Washington got out of the car, while wearing jeans and a t-shirt, he tried to make contact with Moore. Suddenly, prosecutors said Gallon shot the detective in the head.
“I can feel the burn in the neck area. The pain and the blood,” Washington said.
However, when Vereen asked him if his client was the person who shot him, Washington wasn’t certain.
“I don’t know,” he responded.
In the end, Millian denied Moore’s bond because he previously violated release conditions for other criminal cases. Based on video evidence prosecutors presented, the judge also denied Gallon’s bond.
After the hearing, Vereen said the Miami-Dade Police Department made many mistakes in this case and he plans to appeal the ruling.
Moore has not been charged regarding the alleged smuggling into jail.
