Leroy “Nicky” Barnes (1933–2012) was one of the most notorious drug traffickers in American history and a central figure in Harlem’s heroin trade during the 1970s. Born in New York City, Barnes rose from street-level dealing to become the leader of a powerful narcotics organization known as The Council, a syndicate that controlled a significant portion of the heroin market in Harlem and beyond. His wealth, influence, and repeated ability to avoid conviction earned him the nickname “Mr. Untouchable.”

Although his criminal operations were centered in New York City, Barnes maintained ties to Hackensack, New Jersey, where he lived for a period during the height of his power. Contemporary newspaper accounts identified him as a Hackensack resident when federal authorities arrested him in March 1977 as part of a sweeping investigation into large-scale narcotics trafficking. The investigation alleged that Barnes headed a multimillion-dollar heroin enterprise and was one of the few drug kingpins with both national and international supply connections.

Barnes’s criminal empire collapsed after his 1977 arrest. In 1978 he was convicted on federal drug-trafficking charges and sentenced to life in prison without parole. After later agreeing to cooperate with federal authorities, he provided information that helped prosecutors dismantle much of his former organization. His sentence was eventually reduced, and he spent his later years living under a new identity in the federal Witness Protection Program.

Today, Nicky Barnes remains a controversial figure whose life has been chronicled in books, documentaries, and films. His story illustrates both the immense profits and devastating social consequences of the heroin trade that affected New York and neighboring communities, including parts of northern New Jersey, during the 1970s.

The Record (Hackensack, NJ), March 17, 1977, “The Biggest Trail Ended Here,” pp. A1, A4.