| Author | Message | ||
     Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8092 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
As you read the following story contemplate the following: 1) This neighborhood--JeffVanDerLou--has been home to violence, gangs and crimes since the 1890's. 2) The intersection of Delmar and Jefferson--the heart of the neighborhood, is two blocks from one of our three police district superstations. 3) At least two of the participants in the criminal enterprise don't even live in the city and all of them are over 21 years old. Gang has plagued area for more than a year, police say. By Patrick M. O'Connell ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Wednesday, Jul. 22 2009 ST. LOUIS — Fourteen men suspected of being members of a violent cocaine-dealing gang that police say has plagued the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood for more than a year were arrested on federal charges late Monday and Tuesday morning. The sweeping arrests came on the six-month anniversary of the formation of the St. Louis Police Department's Violent Offenders Unit and is part of ongoing attempts by police and federal agents to arrest suspects at the center of many neighborhood murders and shootings. "We hope this sends the message in the neighborhood that we are targeting those who are the most violent, and we're trying to give the neighbors some peace," St. Louis Police Chief Dan Isom said. "This is just the beginning of that effort." Thirteen of the men arrested Tuesday face at least one cocaine conspiracy charge. Others also face gun charges. The men, who police say are associated with or are members of the JVL Bloods gang, allegedly distributed more than 5 kilos of cocaine and 50 grams of crack cocaine. Officers and agents also seized 19 firearms, including a few assault-style weapons, and more than $640,000 in cash and assets, including vehicles and jewelry. Police are still seeking a 15th man, identified as the Chicago-area source of the gang's cocaine. As a group, those charged have been previously arrested on more than 250 felony charges in the past, law enforcement sources said. Officials said some of the men are suspected of involvement in a plethora of homicides, shootings, robberies and assaults, mainly in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood. "Just about anything you can do with a weapon or crimes against people," said police Capt. Ed Kuntz, commander of the Violent Offenders Unit. All of the arrested men were charged last week in a sealed indictment. Many have not been able to be charged with the violent crimes because many victims also are gang members, wanted by police or otherwise involved in their own criminal enterprise, Kuntz said. Indicted are Jerry "Slim" McComb, 36, of Dellwood; Youree "Yellow Boy" Hall, 38, Bellefontaine Neighbors; and Daniel "Skan" Williams, 27, Marlon Gordon, 37, Kevin Carpenter, 41, Demeco "DU" Moore, 30, Katron "K.K." Sandford, 30, Cortez "Tez" Buckner, 24, Maurice "Bug" Sandford, 31, Charles Boyd, 55, Johnny Ricks, 33, Guy "Ricochet" Goolsby, 29, Warren Whitehead, 43, and Tyrice Goolsby, 32, all of St. Louis. "We're trying to reclaim portions of this city," said Assistant Special Agent Jim Shroba of the Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA agents have been investigating this case for a year. Shroba cautioned that the indictments do not mean officers and agents are finished and are moving on. "They ought to think again, because we're not leaving," Shroba said. Since its inception in January, the Violent Offenders Unit has sent 75 cases into the federal system. Others have been funneled into state court. The 31-person Violent Offenders Unit is made up of St. Louis police officers as well as agents with the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI. U.S. marshals also help the unit. Isom said he believes the unit, along with other focused efforts by officers and detectives in neighborhoods recently wracked by violence, has been key to helping reduce the city's homicide rate. So far in 2009, there have been 70 homicides in the city, compared with 92 at this date a year ago. Isom specifically credited the work of 6th District officers for reducing violence in that neighborhood, where 28 people were killed a year ago. Eleven homicides have occurred in the Walnut Park and Mark Twain areas this year, including a double homicide and another killing Sunday night. Robert Patrick of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. If you enjoy reading about interesting news, you might like the 3 O'Clock Stir from STLtoday.com. Sign up and you'll receive an email with unique stories of the day, every Monday-Friday, at no charge. Sign up at http://newsletters.stltoday.com | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8104 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Word is now that violence will go off the hook as the young turks start fighting to take over the OG's turf-- I wonder if this ever happens to Batman? |
