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42 Defendants Indicted on Federal Racketeering and Drug Conspiracy Charges
23 Alleged PDL Bloods Gang Members and 11 Associates Charged in 'Operation Tourniquet'
Related Indictment Charges Alleged Gang Member and 8 Other Associates with Drug Conspiracy
"We believe that a series of federal racketeering and conspiracy prosecutions that result in lengthy prison terms for many leaders and key members of dangerous gangs will reduce violent crime," said U.S. Attorney
"Today's coast-to-coast operation dismantled several gang sets whose members promoted violence to secure the sanctity of their organization in
"While gang activity is not new to
The indictment alleges that 23 of the defendants were members of PDL Bloods, a violent gang with members operating in
The indictment charges that the PDL Bloods gang members conspired to engage in criminal activity, including attempted murders, assaults, robberies and drug trafficking, from at least
The indictment alleges that gang members were required to complete an initiation process that sometimes involved "missions," which refer to violent acts such as robberies, assaults or carjackings. The initiation process also involved being "jumped in" through a beating by other gang members. PDL members were required to commit acts of violence to maintain membership and advance in the gang leadership.
The indictment sets out in detail numerous acts allegedly taken by gang members in furtherance of their racketeering scheme. For example, the indictment alleges that PDL members were overheard discussing plans to murder others in retaliation for robbery, for not following the rules of the PDL organization, for failure to pay PDL dues, or for joining a rival gang.
On
On
On
The indictment alleges that Aguas was warned by a Bloods leader from
The indictment alleges that drugs were shipped from Bloods members in
Cell phone conversations between PDL members in and out of jail were monitored by law enforcement. PDL members allegedly discussed sending money obtained from drug proceeds to incarcerated PDL members for attorney fees and to purchase minutes for contraband cell phones used by incarcerated PDL members. Gang members were allegedly overheard discussing plans to smuggle contraband to inmates in jail.
The indictment also alleges that the defendants held numerous conversations in which they discussed distributing cocaine, cocaine base, heroin and marijuana; obtaining guns for use in planned murders and drug distributions; and committing robberies to pay PDL dues.
The following 23 defendants are charged in the indictment with conspiracy to participate in the racketeering activities of the PDL Bloods:
Terrence Richardson, age 29, of Baltimore;
Emiliano Aguas, age 32, of Baltimore;
Frank Williams, age 25, of Baltimore;
Demetrice Grimes, age 26, of Dundalk;
Derrick Truesdale, age 33, of Baltimore;
Antoine Reed, Jr., age 29, of Gwynn Oak, Md.;
Jasmine Monique Sykes, age 19, Woodlawn, Md.;
Nicola Bright, age 24, of Baltimore;
Christopher Harris, age 23, of Reisterstown, Md.;
Avon Banks, age 22, of Baltimore;
Ronald Elzey, age 28, of Baltimore;
Angel Johnson, age 21, of Baltimore;
Ernestine Cotten, age 26, of Baltimore;
Larry Mitchell, age 25, of Dundalk, Md.;
Derek Livingston, age 21, of Baltimore;
Antonio White, age 25, of Baltimore;
James Mccuin, age 31, of Apple Valley, Calif.;
Marcus Brooks, age 33, of Lancaster, Calif.;
Quincy Williams, age 20, of Brooklyn, Md.;
Richard Waters, age 23, of Baltimore;
Carlene Webster, age 24, of Baltimore;
Russell Jones, age 25, of Baltimore;
Antoine Davis, age 25, of Baltimore.
In addition to the above defendants, the following 11 defendants are charged in the indictment with conspiracy to distribute drugs:
Tyrone Dubose, age 31, of Baltimore;
Kevin Van White, age 29, of Joppa, Md.;
Gregory Saulsbury, age 46, of Baltimore;
Antoine Carter, age 48, of Baltimore;
Eric Richardson, age 45, of Baltimore;
Marquis Richardson, age 20, of Baltimore;
Teresa Jessup, age 34, of Brooklyn, Md.;
Dana Thornton, age 37, of Baltimore;
Gary Knight, age 18, of Baltimore;
Deandre White, age 36, of Baltimore;
Danielle Johnson, age 28, of Baltimore.
Each of the 34 defendants charged in count two with the drug trafficking conspiracy faces a maximum sentence of life in prison; and each of the 23 defendants charged in count one with the RICO conspiracy faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
In a separate indictment also returned on
Jack Harris, age 25, of Baltimore;
Tremayne Jones, age 21, of Baltimore;
Shennard Owens, age 28, of Baltimore;
Jerrell Ray, age 19, of Baltimore
Derrick Truesdale, age 33, of Baltimore;
Tarus Wiggins, age 41, of Baltimore;
Michael Jones, age 19, of Baltimore;
Juan Hill, age 18, of Baltimore.
Each of the nine defendants in the second indictment faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.
Initial appearances for many of the defendants are taking place today in federal court in
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
The prosecutors expressed their appreciation to Secretary
Mr. Rosenstein and Mrs. Jessamy also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney
SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice
RELATED LINKS
http://www.USDOJ.gov