Roland “Pops” Bartlett: The Quiet Kingpin Who Ruled Philadelphia’s Underworld

The late Roland “Pops” Bartlett was one of the most influential yet lesser-known figures in Philadelphia’s criminal underworld. Emerging from humble beginnings as a runner for the infamous “Black Mafia” during the turbulent 1960s, Bartlett would go on to build one of the most extensive and organized drug operations the city had ever seen. His empire, known simply as “The Family,” was a powerful organization that blended street operations with corporate sophistication—making Bartlett as much a businessman as a gangster.

By the early 1980s, Roland “Pops” Bartlett had transformed his North Philadelphia network into a thriving enterprise. His organization controlled much of the area’s heroin trade and later expanded into cocaine, referred to on the streets as “yola.” At its height, Bartlett’s syndicate was estimated to have around 60 members and associates, 35 of whom were later named in a sweeping federal indictment in March 1987.

Despite operating primarily in North Philadelphia, The Family’s reach extended beyond city limits. Bartlett’s group supplied street-level dealers across Camden and Burlington Counties in New Jersey, tightening his grip on the regional narcotics trade. According to federal investigators, the group was pulling in an estimated $7 million per year, an astronomical figure for a street-based operation at that time.

What set Bartlett apart from many of his peers was his ability to legitimize his illegal profits. Much of The Family’s earnings were funneled into legitimate ventures such as Bartlett Enterprises, Inc. and Domino Records, Inc. These front companies allowed him to invest in an impressive list of assets: a 60-acre retreat in the Pocono Mountains, multiple homes and properties in Philadelphia, a $750,000 mansion in Cherry Hill, 32 acres in Georgia, and even several racehorses.

His combination of street smarts and business acumen gave Bartlett a level of power and respect rarely seen among Philadelphia’s criminal elite. Yet, like many who rose to prominence in the underworld, his empire eventually fell to federal law enforcement. In 1987, Bartlett and dozens of his associates were taken down in a major drug conspiracy case that effectively ended his reign.

Roland “Pops” Bartlett’s story came to a close on January 15, 1990, when he died in federal prison. To those who knew of him, his name remains a reminder of a time when Philadelphia’s streets were ruled by shadowy figures who operated as both hustlers and businessmen—balancing the line between power and downfall.

Though time has faded his name from mainstream memory, Roland “Pops” Bartlett’s legacy lives on in the city’s underworld lore—a symbol of ambition, organization, and the high price of the game.