News
Release
July 07, 2010
Contact: SA Melissa Bell
Public Information Officer
Number: (202) 616-4740
Federal Racketeering Charges Filed Against Members and Associates of the "Black Guerilla Family" Gang
Indictment of 15 Defendants Brings to 20 Total Alleged BGF Members and Associates
Charged Since April 2009
New Defendant is Fifth Alleged to Have Assisted BGF While Employe d by Maryland
Division of Correction
JUL 07 -- BALTIMORE, Maryland - On July 6, 2010, a federal grand jury indictment was unsealed which alleged that the gang known as the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) is a federal racketeering enterprise. The indictment, which was returned on June 23, 2010 and unsealed, supersedes previous indictments against alleged BGF gang members. Fourteen alleged BGF gang members are charged with conspiring to violate federal racketeering and drug trafficking laws; a fifteenth defendant is charged only in the drug conspiracy. Seven defendants also are charged with conspiracy to launder money; two are charged with armed robbery; and two are charged with illegal possession of a gun or ammunition.
Fourteen of the defendants charged in the new indictment had been charged in earlier indictments that did not include racketeering charges. The new defendant, correctional officer Alicia Simmons, was arrested on June 6, 2010.
This brings to 20 the total number of alleged BGF members indicted in federal court since April 2009. Twenty-four defendants, including four employees of state prison facilities, were charged in two separate indictments in April 2009 for drug conspiracy and gun violations related to alleged BGF gang activities. In April 2010, thirteen defendants were charged with conspiring to distribute heroin.
Fifteen of these 37 defendants have pleaded guilty to drug or gun charges, including the four prison employees.
The superseding indictment was announced by Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration; United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy; and Secretary Gary D. Maynard and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
"We believe the BGF is a dangerous and deadly criminal enterprise that propagated drugs and violence in our communities even from within the confines of the prison system," stated Ava Cooper-Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration. "The investigative efforts of all our law enforcement partners dealt a blow against this organization. Additionally, let this indictment remind all those who engage in drug trafficking that it does not matter if you wear the colors of a gang or a badge of gold, if you break the law and try to destroy our communities, we will go after you."
“This case is another in a series of federal racketeering and conspiracy prosecutions in which federal, state and local agencies have joined to target leaders and key members of violent gangs operating in Maryland,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Today’s indictment alleges that the Black Guerilla Family gang is an organized criminal enterprise with leaders and members who deal drugs and commit violent crimes. Other federal racketeering cases are pending in Maryland against Latin Kings, MS-13, PDL Bloods and TTP Bloods, and additional gang investigations are ongoing. Anyone who joins a criminal gang should be on notice that they can be held accountable for all crimes committed by fellow gang members.”
"While our unprecedented cooperation and intelligence sharing with our local and federal partners has enabled us to root out illegal activities of a few bad apples, 99% of our correctional officers and custody staff continue to work hard, maintaining the high levels of integrity and honor standard among our employees," said DPSCS Secretary Gary D. Maynard. “Today’s indictment shows that developing our intelligence capabilities has become a top priority in the last three years. They also serve notice to those employees who would break the law that you will be caught.”
"Today's indictment highlights the collaboration leveraged by local, state and federal law enforcement partners working with our state correctional authorities to identify and prosecute gang members who resort to violent and illegal schemes to recruit new membership in prison and in our communities," said State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy. “These federal cases illustrate that law enforcement is not immune to such tactics, but that we are working together with the best intelligence and technology available to address the violence and illegal fraud that work against the prosperity and public safety efforts that so many of our citizens and communities embrace."
The following defendants are charged in the indictment unsealed today :
Eric Brown, a/k/a E and EB, age 41, of Baltimore;
Ray Olivis, a/k/a Ronnie Hargrove, Uncle Ray, Unc and Ray Ray, age 57, of Baltimore;
Deitra Davenport, a/k/a Sister D, age 39, of Baltimore;
Rainbow Williams, age 31, of Baltimore;
Randolph Edison, a/k/a Uncle Rudy, age 52, of Baltimore;
Zachary Norman, a/k/a Zack, age 53, of Baltimore;
Kevin Glasscho, a/k/a KG, age 47, of Gwynn Oak;
Cassandra Adams, age 49, of Gwynn Oak;
Alicia Simmons, age 34, of Pikesville;
Todd Duncan, a/k/a Donnie, age 36, of Baltimore;
Kimberly McIntosh, a/k/a Kim McCintosh, Sister Kim, Sis, and Kimberly Jones,
age 41, of Baltimore;
Duconze Chambers, a/k/a Ducon and Dookie, age 36, of Baltimore;
Davon McFadden, a/k/a Ben, age 24, of Baltimore;
James Harried, a/k/a Smiley, age 47, of Essex, Maryland; and
Erik Ushry, a/k/a E, age 26, of Baltimore.
According to the indictment, 11 men and three women are members or associates of the BGF, whose members are active in prisons throughout the United States, including in Maryland. BGF is active in numerous prison facilities in Maryland, including North Branch Correctional Institution, Western Correctional Institution, Eastern Correctional Institution, Roxbury Correctional Institution, Maryland Correctional Institution – Jessup, Maryland Correctional Institution – Hagerstown, Baltimore City Correctional Center, Baltimore City Detention Center, and the Metropolitan Transition Center in Baltimore.
Fourteen defendants are charged in the superseding indictment with conspiring to conduct the affairs of BGF through a pattern of criminal activity, including: narcotics trafficking, robbery; extortion; bribery; retaliation against a witness or informant; money laundering; and commercial robbery. These defendants are alleged to have distributed drugs, including heroin, to customers in the Baltimore area, and smuggled drugs, tobacco, cell phones, food and other contraband to incarcerated BGF members for distribution within Maryland prison facilities. Further, the indictment alleges that Alicia Simmons and other corrections officers and employees assisted incarcerated BGF members in smuggling the contraband into Maryland prison facilities, often in exchange for money and other compensation. BGF members allegedly used violence and threats of violence to coerce incarcerated persons to pay protection money to BGF, as well as to enforce the BGF code of conduct.
All 15 defendants charged in today’s indictment are also charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin. Seven of the defendants also allegedly laundered the proceeds of these illegal activities through the use of pre-paid debit cards (Green Dot Cards) and gift cards. Randolph Edison and Zachary Norman are charged with using a gun to commit a robbery. Rainbow Williams is charged with illegal possession of ammunition and Kevin Glasscho is charged with illegal possession of a gun and possession of a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the racketeering and drug conspiracies. Randolph Edison and Zachary Norman also face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit a robbery and a maximum of life in prison for possession of a gun in furtherance of a crime of violence. Rainbow Williams and Kevin Glasscho face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for illegal possession of ammunition and a gun, respectively. Glasscho also faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for possession of a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking. Eric Brown, Ray Olivis, Deitra Davenport, Williams, Edison, Glasscho and Cassandra Adams also face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Alicia Simmons is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore this afternoon. Appearances for the remaining defendants, 12 of which remain in federal custody, have not yet been scheduled.
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.
########
|