On the fictional television drama The Wire, the Stanfield Organization is a criminal organization led by Marlo Stanfield. The Organization is introduced in Season Three of The Wire as a growing and significantly violent drug syndicate. Marlo has established his organization's power in West Baltimore's main streets in the shadow of the dominating Barksdale Organization, which was more concerned with conducting its activities in the Franklin Terrace Towers.
The Stanfield Organization violently clashes with the Barksdale crew after the latter is forced to move on from the demolished Franklin Terrace Towers and tries to reclaim the streets the gang once dominated. Marlo's is the only crew in the area not to let itself be absorbed into the feared Barksdale gang, and a violent turf war breaks out. The Stanfield Organization begins as the underdog, but fallout from the strain of the war combined with internal strife among the Barksdale Organization leadership, the organization's ongoing war with stickup man Omar Little and a successful investigation by the Major Crimes Unit manages to destroy the Barksdale Organization at the end of Season Three.
By Season Four, Marlo's crew becomes the most powerful drug organization in West Baltimore, and forms an alliance with the New Day Co-Op while ruling its streets through fear. In Season Five, after a period of aggressive expansion which culminates in Marlo seizing control of the Co-Op, a series of arrests and deaths destroy the organization.
The Stanfield Organization is the most violent and ruthless of the street-level drug trade organizations portrayed in The Wire.
Leadership
Marlo Stanfield
Stanfield is a rising gang leader who gets into a turf war with the Barksdale Organization, becoming the key West Baltimore drug kingpin following Stringer Bell's death and Avon Barksdale's arrest. Stanfield is played by Jamie Hector.
Chris Partlow
Partlow is Marlo Stanfield's second-in-command in his drug dealing operation. He is played by Gbenga Akinnagbe.
Monk Metcalf
Monk is a lieutenant in the Stanfield organization, and the third most recognized leader of the Stanfield Organization.
Soldiers
Savino Bratton
Played by: Chris Clanton Appears in: Season one: "The Target" (uncredited); "The Detail" (uncredited); "Lessons" (uncredited); "Game Day"; "The Cost" and "The Hunt". Season five: "More with Less" (uncredited), "The Dickensian Aspect" and "Took".
Savino is one of five prominent enforcers of the Barksdale Organization in Season 1. He is shown as a cocky, but loyal soldier to his crew, evident by his lack of reluctance to take the fall for one of the organization's mishaps with the police and spend time in prison. Savino was not as involved in the more delicate violent operations of the organization compared to fellow soldiers Marquis "Bird" Hilton and Anton "Stinkum" Artis, but was still important enough to conduct business under his chief enforcer, Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice.
Savino was one of the members present during D'Angelo Barksdale's court case to intimidate anyone in the courtroom looking to cause complications or trouble. Savino was notably the only upper-tier member of the Barksdale Organization not actively targeted by Omar Little, as he was not directly involved in the murder of Omar's boyfriend Brandon Wright. However, he was soon caught up in the covert investigation into the crew by the Major Crimes Unit when he was involved in the shooting of Detective Greggs and Orlando.
After the Barksdale crew realizes Orlando was cooperating with the police, Savino met with Orlando and Greggs— who posed as Orlando's girlfriend —and together they drove to a secluded location for a drug buy. Savino left the car, ostensibly to pick up Orlando's drugs, allowing enforcers Wee-Bey Brice and Little Man to reveal themselves and shoot into the car. Before the shooting, Savino tried to signal them about Greggs' unplanned presence, only intending to kill the turncoat Orlando, but the darkness made them unable to see him and they followed through with the plan, killing Orlando and severely wounding Greggs.
Afterward, warrants were written for Savino, the only person involved in the shooting known to the police beforehand, and he turned himself in after an unproductive manhunt. Barksdale attorney Maurice Levy argued that Savino was merely intending to defraud Orlando—selling him baking soda instead of cocaine— and was unconnected to the shooting, forcing the District Attorney to charge him with distributing false narcotics, which only carries a maximum three-year prison sentence. When the police try to convince him to turn evidence on the Barksdale crew, Savino cockily says "I can do the three. Ain't no thing."
By Season 5, Savino is one of remaining Barksdale survivors alive and not imprisoned; by this time his three-year sentence was up and he was released from prison, soon operating as a soldier in the Stanfield Organization. Savino involved himself in the Stanfield crew's hunt for Omar after the latter returned for the death of Butchie and narrowly escaped an ambush attempt by Chris Partlow, Snoop, O-Dog and Michael Lee.
Savino's activities were soon recognized and he was eventually ambushed in a corner by Omar Little, who after a brief conversation, killed Savino with a single gunshot to the head, in revenge for the torture-murder of Butchie by Chris Partlow and Snoop. Omar identified him as a past Barksdale soldier and, knowing his violent history, refused to accept Savino's explanation that he was not present at the incident, reasoning that if Savino had been there he would have joined in with the others.
After Omar's own death, the police found his "hit-list" and discover all the upper-tier members of the Stanfield Organization he planned to kill. Savino's name was the only one crossed out, which means he was ultimately the only major casualty of Omar's gang war, and ironically the last casualty of his past hatred of the Barksdale Organization.
Melvin "Cheese" Wagstaff
Cheese is the nephew of Proposition Joe and a crew chief in his Eastside drug crew. He joins Marlo for a short time before Marlo's retirement. He then briefly takes over the Stanfield Organization with Slim Charles, until Charles kills him as revenge for previously helping to take down Proposition Joe. He is played by actor/musician Method Man from the Wu-Tang Clan. He is also the father of student character Randy Wagstaff. The show never depicts the actual relationship. Randy Wagstaff is the character who ends up in group homes after his house is burned down as a result of his perceived cooperation with law enforcement.
Felicia "Snoop" Pearson
Played by: Felicia Pearson
One of the chief enforcers in the Stanfield Organization, along with Chris Partlow.
Michael Lee
Michael Lee is a soft-spoken middle school pupil who gets taken under the wing of Stanfield and Partlow in season four and trained as a soldier. Michael is played by Tristan Wilds. He also serves as a de facto guardian for his half-brother Bug. It is strongly implied that he was abused by his stepfather Devar (Bug's father). By the end of the series, with the Stanfield Organization dissolved, Michael's actions parallel those of Omar Little, as he goes into hiding, stays independent of any other dealers, and emerges only to rob those involved in the drug trade with a shotgun.
O-Dog
Played by: Darrell Britt-Gibson Appears in Season four: "Refugees" (uncredited); "Corner Boys;" "That's Got His Own" (uncredited) and "Final Grades." Season five: "More With Less" (uncredited), "Unconfirmed Reports", "React Quotes", "Late Editions" O-Dog, real name Darius Hill, is a teenage soldier who is being trained to kill by Snoop Pearson in the fourth season. He is one of two prominent soldiers to arise from the second generation of Stanfield street recruits, the other being Michael Lee. O-Dog is depicted as a silent character, he identifies closer with Snoop than Michael and consequently develops into a colder, more reckless soldier. This is in stark contrast to Michael, who seems to adopt Chris's lethal but cautious attitude.
O-Dog is first seen delivering a package to Bodie, and throughout the season he guards Marlo and accompanies Snoop and Chris as extra muscle. He is one of the soldiers responsible for subduing Little Kevin and sending him to his death. He is also seen hanging out with Michael Lee when Monk Metcalf shoots Dennis "Cutty" Wise, showing little empathy for Cutty.
Along with Chris and Snoop, he is responsible for the execution of Bodie at the end of season 4. O-Dog exits a vacant and fires a shot to Bodie's head while he focuses on defending himself from Chris and Snoop, and fires another shot to the head once Bodie is down, earning him the nods of respect from Chris and Snoop.
His status within the organization makes him one of nine active targets listed on Omar's hitlist. When Marlo orders a hit on a rival dealer's corner, O-Dog suggests a drive-by which fails. In an ambush on Omar Little and Donnie at Monk's apartment, O-Dog is shot in the leg by Omar. He is consequently relegated to the sidelines and is chosen by Chris and Snoop to take responsibility for their gun charges. When the leadership of the organization are detained in custody, O-Dog is shown regrouping with Snoop and Michael at the latter's apartment. He is last seen here with Snoop, Dukie and Michael watching mayor Carcetti comment on Marlo Stanfield's arrest, wondering if he still has to take responsibility for the gun charges.
Dealers
Bodie Broadus
Bodie was a dealer who came of age working for Avon Barksdale. After the Barksdale organization dissolves, he is briefly independent (supplied by the New Day Co-Op) until Marlo forces him to join his crew. He is shot and killed by O-Dog, after Monk sees Bodie having a conversation with McNulty, because Marlo suspects he may be a snitch.
Poot Carr
Poot is a loyal drug dealer for the Barksdale organization, who serves brief prison time for his crimes. By the end of the series he is working at a shoe store attempting to distance himself from the game after growing tired of it and reeling from the loss of many friends.
Namond Brice
Namond is the Son of Barksdale Main Soldier Wee-Bey Brice and works for Bodie who has problems with Namond but doesn't mention anything out of respect for his father. Later, he works for Marlo after Bodie is forced to join Marlo and his gang. Howard "Bunny" Colvin later persuades Wee-Bey that although Namond may act tough, he is really not cut out for the corners and that he has a lot of potential academically. Colvin adopts Namond, who is later seen to be excelling, having left the streets behind.
Duquan "Dukie" Weems
Duquan is a friend of Michael and Namond. He lives in extreme poverty and often smells, and is frequently teased by many of the boys in the "Fayette Street Mafia". In season 4, his teacher "Mr. Prezbo" takes him under his wing, giving him clean clothes and food. In Mr. Prezbo's class Duquan is happy and thriving, and becomes the class computer expert. At the end of season 4, Duquan is "socially promoted" to high school due to his age.
Rather than face the violence and intimidation of high school life, Duquan turns to the streets, where he starts slinging dope. He works for Michael in Season 5 for a short time due to not getting respect from Michael's crew. He later becomes Michael's brother's babysitter and eventually a drug addict. Duquan's character shows the realistic struggle and a sink or swim lifestyle of inner city youth living in poverty and violence. Duquan is one of the show's most tragic characters. The tragedy is the loss of support for intelligent kind natured children who find it difficult to find a place in society.