(WXYZ) — Forty people have been charged in a 172-page federal racketeering indictment that was unsealed in federal court in Detroit today.
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The case in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan alleges the people charged are connected to the Detroit branch of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation gang, which was founded in Chicago in the 1960s.
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The indictment charges the following individuals:
Kevin Fordham, 51, Martin Murff, 52, Tamar Watkins, 45, Terry Douglas, 41, Eddie Reid, 36, Gregory Johnson, 41, Spoonie Johnson, 46, Kurteiz Thompson, 32, Javon Wilhite, 32, Schuyler Belew Jr., 28, Davun Baskerville, 31, Gary Porter, 38, Lawon Carter, 32, Anthony Reynolds, 36, Jaylin McNeal, 24, Anthony Najera, 33, Naujeh Carter, 28, Tyrone Fisher, 35, Fabian Toodle, 39, Earnest Lee, 39, Delaino Eppenger, 29, Devan Turner-Bankhead, 35, Angelo Hopson, 38, Brandon Thomas, 34, Kenneth Johnson, 35, Winisford Watkins, 40,Anthony Simmons, 32, Anthony Zigler, 42, Shelton Carter, 30, Artise Johnson, 42, Dwayne Parler,31, Lateef Moore, 48, Charles Douglas, 41, John Johnson, 43, Zanie Taliaferro, 48, Antione Coleman, 42, Harith Hunter, 42, Ondrome Lewis, 26, Rasean Walker, 44, and Darryl Taylor, 54.
Thirty-eight of the people charged are currently in custody. Two remain on the loose.
The 39-count indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin on Thursday.
“By working together, our law enforcement partners are dismantling violent street gangs that cause havoc in our neighborhoods,” Mohsin said in a news release. “As we welcome the start of summer we want to send a message to gangs and violent offenders that law enforcement is committed to taking back our streets from violent gangs so that Detroit residents can enjoy the safe quality of life that we all deserve.”
The indictment charges members from both Detroit and Chicago with being both state and national leaders of the gang. They are charged with using the gang for drug trafficking, violent crimes including robbery, murder and extortion, firearm crimes, as well as tampering and retaliating against witnesses.
Among the activities named in the indictment are a 2013 armed robbery and a 2016 stabbing, as well as various assaults along with other instances of criminal activity, including prostitution and narcotics crimes. Prosecutors also lay out how gang members used Facebook to post pictures of their activity, as well as communicate about gang business.
The indictment also details one murder, several attempted murders, as well as drug crimes involving cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and marijuana.
You can read the full indictment below:
Kevin Fordham Et Al Criminal Complaint by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
