Origins & Early Life

Leroy Nicholas Barnes (October 15, 1933 – June 18, 2012) was an American crime boss, active in New York City during the 1970s. In 1972, Barnes formed The Council, a seven-man African-American organized crime syndicate that controlled a significant part of the heroin trade in the Harlem area of New York City. Barnes led The Council into an international drug trafficking ring, in partnership with the Italian-American Mafia, until his arrest in 1977. Barnes was sentenced to life imprisonment, eventually becoming a federal informant that led to the collapse of The Council in 1982.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Barnes was living under the United States Marshals Service in Witness protection at the time of his death, and his obituary appeared in The New York Times seven years after his death. In 2007, Barnes released a book, Mr. Untouchable, written with Tom Folsom, and a documentary DVD of the same title about his life. Leroy Nicholas Barnes was born on October 15, 1933, in Harlem, New York City, into an African-American family. A good student in his youth, Barnes left home early to escape his abusive alcoholic father, turning to drug dealing for income.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Barnes himself became addicted to heroin...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Alan Davis — Shared historical date (06-18 · Born) (1956): English comic book writer and artist known for Captain Britain and X-Men work.
• Ali Akbar Khan — Shared historical date (06-18 · Died) (2009): Master sarod virtuoso who popularized Hindustani classical music in the West.
• 1933 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1933
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