Filming has begun for a Syracuse movie based on a book Tyrone Hines wrote while serving 26 years in federal prison.
The independent film, titled “Trust No One,” unpacks the consequences of drug trafficking in Syracuse.
Hines brings an authentic perspective to the story, as a former Syracuse drug kingpin himself. He was arrested in April 1994 for running a major crack cocaine ring in the city.
He was released from prison in November 2019, thanks to the First Step Act.
Syracuse.com followed Hines as he transitioned back into his community in late 2019 and early 2020. Hines secured a job at the Embassy Suites at Carrier Circle, enjoyed reunions with family and friends, and began giving motivational speeches to youth groups and churches.
Four months after his release, Covid-19 hit Onondaga County and the world shut down.
It was a strange experience, for Hines to go from federal imprisonment to freedom, then back to isolation during the early pandemic months. But Hines said the experience also helped him focus on his professional passions.
“While the world was slowing down, it gave me a chance to catch up and look at what’s good and bad for me, at what I want to be a part of,” Hines said.
“If not for that, I would have still been moving slow while everything was moving fast. I think Covid helped me to really give me the right direction.”
Part of that direction was following his dreams to turn his book into a movie.
When Covid-19 restrictions loosened last spring, he started working with his cousin Nykeace Bachus to produce the film. Bachus took over as director and Hines is the executive producer.
They filmed scenes at Nob Hill Apartments, West Park Apartments, Mahima’s Closet, Valley Worship Center, Wan Market, Kirk Park and Onondaga Park.
“If your dreams [don’t] scare you, then they’re not big enough,” Hines said. “You don’t have to be in Hollywood to be part of a movie. You can be right from here in Syracuse. The cast comes from every side of town and they’re doing a great job.”
Bachus, a Syracuse photographer, started working on a film project about Hines’s life in 2014. The project had several starts and stops, but Bachus said it gained new energy when Hines was released from prison.
“Growing up, Tyrone Hines was always a legend to me,” said Bachus. “So when I actually got close to him, I wanted to tell the story myself.”
Bachus said he’s a big fan of “mob movies and gangster movies,” but he wants to focus less on the “flashy side” of drug trafficking, and more on the effects on the community.
“They don’t show how families got torn apart,” he said. “We might glorify that type of lifestyle but it comes with consequences. Growing up I heard about [Hines] having $10 million under a mattress or 20 cars, you know? You only hear the great parts, but no one ever told me about him getting sentenced to life in jail.”
The cast for “Trust No One” includes Sean Ratliff, Maurisha Stenson, Fong Owens, Johnny Bachus and Bie Bie.
Katrina Tulloch shoots videos and writes culture stories for Syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Contact her: Email | Twitter | Facebook