Philly man convicted of drug-war murder

A 32-year-old man was convicted by a federal jury Tuesday of murder and related offenses stemming from a drug-trafficking dispute in the Mill Creek section of West Philadelphia, federal prosecutors said.

Bryant “Bigs” Calloway was part of a drug gang that sold crack in the area of the 5100 block of Reno Street, particularly in and around a playground nicknamed “the Pit.”

The drug gang wanted to expand sales into a nearby basketball court controlled by a competing gang, and that led to the Aug. 5, 2013, fatal shooting of Brian Littles by Calloway. In retaliation, Calloway was shot 10 times that November. Hours later, a bystander was wounded in another shooting stemming from the turf war.