DETROIT (WWJ) -- Federal agents arrested more than three dozen members and associates of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation street gang Thursday as law enforcement works to curtail rising gun violence in Detroit. The 40 people named in the indictment include: Kevin Fordham, a.k.a. According to admissions made by codefendants who have pleaded guilty in this case, the Vice Lords is a national gang engaged in a variety of crimes, and Vice Lords' leaders are located in both Chicago and Detroit. And for gang members who believe that you are protected from the law, were coming for you, too.. On Jan. 25, 2016, Wilson pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and one count of using and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. After a brief confrontation with family members, Clark opened fire with an AK-47 hitting four victims. 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. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. These Vice Lord members first met at Kenneth Smiths house to discuss their plans. Feds make arrests targeting Vice Lords gang in Detroit, Chicago; 40 named in indictment. On Jan. 26, 2016, Nelson pleaded guilty to one count of RICO conspiracy. They are considered armed and dangerous and anyone with information is asked to contact the ATF. Leader Artise Johnson said he controlled anentire "squad," according to the indictment. By working together, our law enforcement partners are dismantling violent street gangs that cause havoc in our neighborhoods, Mohsin said in a news release. Detroit resident Kevin "Spaghetti" Fordham, 51, deserved to be jailed indefinitely, said U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly Altman, citing recorded phone calls and social media posts portraying him as a gun-toting drug dealer who headeda 600-member armyin Michigan and other states. 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.. Your lack of criminal history shows that your leadership role has insulated you from engaging in criminal activity, the judge said. The seven Vice Lord members charged with crimes stemming from this incident are: Robinson, Clark, Price and Kinchen are in custody; arrest warrants have been issued for the other three defendants. "This s--- ain't over with. On Tuesday, January 26, 2016, Kirshean Nelson, 19, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to one count of RICO conspiracy. Today, a federal jury in Detroit convicted two members of the violent Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club, one of whom also was a member of the Vice Lords street gang, on separate crimes of. Attorneys Christopher Graveline and Mark Bilkovic of the Eastern District of Michigan, and Trial Attorney Joseph Wheatley of the Criminal Divisions Organized Crime and Gang Section. On Jan. 28, 2016, Lee and Kinchen each pleaded guilty to one count of RICO conspiracy; Price pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and one count of using and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The indictment charged these Vice Lords members with aiding and abetting one another in the shooting of the four family members after firing more than two dozen times at the family. "They either get in tune or get tuned up, that's it," Fordham said, according to the indictment. Burney Everett . Its total membership is estimated to be between 30,000 and 35,000. Our Civil Rights hotline is available for anyone who may have suffered a violation of their civil rights. 2023 Audacy, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Kenneth Smith is currently a fugitive. "We can advance, they can lock us up or we can end up dead," the gang's alleged chiefenforcer Davun Baskerville said in a recorded 2019 phone call, according to the indictment. The feds also say the gang had a long reach into the Michigan prison system with leaders and enforcers who would attack rival gang members. A How-To-Guide to find the right fit. Defendants charged in the case have been involved in 365 felony arrests and 186 felony convictions, saidJames Deir, special agent in charge of the Detroit office of theBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Divisions Organized Crime and Gang Section and the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Eastern District of Michigan. Members also engaged in pimping women, prosecutors said. DETROIT (FOX 2) - In one of the largest racketeering and conspiracy busts in Detroit 's history, 40 members of the Detroit gang Almighty Vice Lords have been arrested on charges ranging. Other local branches include the Insane Vice Lords, Imperial Insane Vice Lords, Conservative Vice Lords, Mafia Insane Vice Lords, and Insane Goon Gang. (WXYZ) Four men are still being sought in connection with the Vice Lords gang that has ties to Detroit and Chicago. Here is the full list of those charged:(hometowns were not immediately available): 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper. Drama; Eddie Reid, a.k.a. A leader of the Vice Lords street gang was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for attempted murder in aid of racketeering in connection with the May 7 . The charges related to the shooting are a component of the federal governments prosecution of the Vice Lords street gang, which has led to the arrests and convictions of Vice Lords leaders and members over several years. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Christopher Odum "Murder" - A member of the Phantom Detroit chapter as well as a member of the Vice Lords. The. The unemployed forklift driver's detention comes amid allegations Fordham's own men wantto kill him as part of an internal power struggle that prosecutors fear could lead to bloodshed in Detroit and beyond. What are Vice Lord signs? RELATED: Feds make a dent in Vice Lords gang arrests but 4 still being sought. ", "The significant arrests and prosecutions made by Detroit One make certain that the citizens of Detroit and the region can once again start to feel safe in their communities" said Chief James Craig. The ATF gave 7 Action News a look inside with videos made by gang members before they were busted. According to the indictment, the Vice Lords is a national gang engaged in a variety of crimes, including murder, robbery, narcotics trafficking and witness intimidation. Blow; Tyrone Fisher, a.k.a. C-Flame; Anthony Reynolds, a.k.a. In the latest case, the ATF says they prevented three planned murders. A 171-page indictment carries a total of 39 counts against 40 alleged members that include RICO, conspiracy gun, and drug charges. The federal investigation includes additional charges. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. On September 8, 2015, Johnson was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Subscribe Serve Detroit connects meaningful service opportunities with willing and dedicated volunteers. Were coming for you, Mohsin said Thursday. After skipping Detroit on its last tour, Michigan rock band Greta Van Fleet has announced a concert at Little Caesars Arena.. 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. In May 2015, state and federal law enforcement carried out a roundup of six Detroit-area Vice Lord gang members accused of attacking the family of a . The charges are related to four shootings . Few federal cases in recent history in Detroit have indicted such a high number of figures involved in organized crime. Footz and Vampire; Shelton Carter, a.k.a. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Von"; Gary Porter, a.k.a. Prosecutors on Tuesday characterized Fordham as a drug-dealing gangster who lorded over a sprawling empire from a fortress on the west side of Detroit outfitted with armed guards, rifles and armor-piercing ammunition. Contact our office at 313-226-9634 or email us at USAMIE.EJ@usdoj.gov or visit our web page HERE for more information. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Asher said investigators had intercepted phone calls in which Fordham authorized, sanctioned or discussed three murder plots. "We will maintain our focus and remain stead-fast in our pledge to bringing swift justice to all those who commit violent acts against our city.". The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade of the Eastern District of Michigan, Special Agent in Charge Robin Shoemaker of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Detroit Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Paul Abbate of the FBIs Detroit Division and Chief James Craig of the Detroit Police Department. Prosecutors also say in March 2019, Baskerville discussed a 2015 triple shooting that targetedwitnesses in a separate criminal investigation. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. DETROIT (WWJ) - A leader of the violent Vice Lords Detroit street gang has been sentenced to just over 12 years in prison. Only fourpeople charged in the case had been granted bond through Tuesday afternoon and none were in the top leadership ranks. "Spaghetti"; Martin Murff, a.k.a. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Count 1 in the indictment charges the defendants with RICO (Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act) conspiracy and outlines the gangs commission of crimes including murder, stabbings, shootings, firearm offenses, drug trafficking and witness intimidation, Mohsin said. This case is being investigated by the ATF, FBI and the Detroit Police Department. 2023 Audacy, Inc. All rights reserved. Detroit and Michigan's only all-news station. Investigators say this three-year investigation saved lives. Detroit resident Kevin "Spaghetti" Fordham, 51, deserved to be jailed indefinitely, said U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly Altman, citing recorded phone calls and social media posts portraying him. Four men sought in connection to Vice Lords gang, Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Feds target Vice Lords street gang with racketeering indictment. The Vice Lords are social media savvy and used Facebook to communicate among members, prosecutors said. What are China's alleged 'secret overseas police stations'? Get FBI email alerts Fordham faces charges punishable by up to life in prison, including racketeering and drug conspiracy. Also, on January 13, 2015, Christopher Tibbs, a.k.a. LB; Winisford Watkins, a.k.a. (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) The defendants admitted that the Vice Lords' leaders are located in Chicago and Detroit and that the gang is broken down into various "sets," "decks" or "branches." Members who seek to leave the gang oftentimes endure a physical beating by multiple Vice Lord members or are targeted for killing. Attorneys Christopher Graveline and Mark Bilkovic of the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the case. [7] [8] Origin and growth [ edit] And he allegedly bragged about his power. Fordham deserved to be released because he has a spotless criminal record anddeep ties to Detroit, the lawyer said. The ATF has identified more than 700 Vice Lords members in Michigan alone.. Authorities say the raids in Detroit helped disrupt three alleged conspiracies to commit murder, while seizing 15 guns, cash and drugs. The national gang was founded in Chicago in the 1960s and operates several branches in Michigan that are overseen by a governing board that is empowered to order hits on people. Also called the Almighty Vice Lords and the Conservative Vice Lord Nation, the gang has morphed from petty crime to drug trafficking to white collar crime over the course of decades. On Jan. 27, 2016, Clark pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering and one count of using and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Seven members of the Vice Lords were charged in an indictment unsealed today with various offenses based on their roles in a gang-related shooting. The indictment charges that, from 2011 through 2015, the defendants trafficked in controlled substances, including marijuana, Xanax, and ecstasy, at locations around the Detroit metropolitan area, including in Detroit and at Northland Mall in Southfield, Michigan. DETROIT -- A Detroit-based leader of the Vice Lords is headed to prison for more than 13 years after admitting he ordered attacks on two brothers who dared to leave the street gang. Anyone who has information is urged to contact the police. DJ and Sincere; Spoonie Johnson, a.k.a. Jamerio Clark, aka Merio, 28, of Detroit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson of the Eastern District of Michigan. All rights reserved. RELATED: Vice Lords gang leader gets 13 years for shooting family of 4. Red; Rasean Walker; and Darryl Taylor, a.k.a. This case marked the first time that the federal criminal streetgang enhancement was charged in the Eastern District of Michigan. Boss Hogg; Kenneth Johnson, a.k.a. In two trials in March and May 2015, juries convicted eight leaders and members of the Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club, many of whom also were leaders and members of the Vice Lords, for various crimes, including a September October 2013 mass murder plot against a rival organization of the Phantoms, and the September 2013 shooting of a member of another rival organization. HFournier@detroitnews.com (313) 223-4616 The ATFs Comprehensive Violence Reduction Program, which includes representatives of the Detroit Police, Michigan State Police and Michigan Department of Corrections, is investigating the case in coordination with the FBI and DEA. Authorities said the Vice Lords are a violent gang network that runs like a corporation, dealing guns and drugs. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. WWJ is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. All rights reserved. The lawyer notedmarijuana is legal under state lawand said Fordham legally possessed the firearms, including two rifles. The firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison. Forty people have been charged in a 172-page federal racketeering indictment that was unsealed in federal court in Detroit today. "The significant arrests and prosecutions made by Detroit One make certain that the citizens of Detroit and the region can once again start to feel safe in their communities" said Chief James Craig. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. The guilty pleas are the result of the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and the community to reduce homicide and other violent crime under the Detroit One program. . The Almighty Vice Lord Nation gang was founded in Chicago in the 1960s. That included arranging for one felon to bestabbed in the face in early 2019, according to the indictment. On Wednesday, January 27, 2016, Antonio Clark, aka "Cheeto," 26, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to two counts of Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering, and one count of Use and Carry of a Firearm During, and in Relation to, a Crime of Violence. Lawyer notedmarijuana is legal under state lawand said Fordham legally detroit vice lords the Firearms, two... 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