MEMPHIS, TN – Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin and Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons announced Thursday that Memphis police officers served or attempted to serve warrants on 52 individuals, many of whom are known gang members and their associates, who were indicted earlier this week for felony drug violations stemming from Operation: “Summer Heat.” The Organized Crime Unit officers also attempted to serve an arrest warrant to one juvenile. In addition to the criminal charges, the Memphis Police and D.A.’s Office served numerous search warrants and public nuisance orders on the properties targeted in the undercover investigation.
Officers started the round-up of defendants early Thursday morning. The names of defendants in custody at this time will be released separately. Ten vehicles used to transport illegal narcotics were also to be seized on Thursday.
The state Grand Jury for Shelby County on Tuesday returned 150 criminal indictments on numerous counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture, deliver, or sell a controlled substance. Most charges were for the sale of crack cocaine, but some included methamphetamine. The amount of narcotics allegedly sold resulted in mostly class B and C felonies, for which the standard sentences are 8-12 years and 3-6 years, respectively.
Of the 52 defendants, 27 are known gang members representing the Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, Crips, Bloods, Mitchell Heights Vets, and 7th Street Murder Squad. The youngest individual is a 17-year-old male and the oldest is a 44-year-old male.
Operation: “Summer Heat” was conducted by undercover officers of the Organized Crime Unit who sought out know gang members who operate “gang dens” and “drug houses.” The areas targeted are plagued with aggravated assaults and simple assaults, thefts and burglaries from businesses, houses, and vehicles as well as individuals. The investigation started on April 15, 2008 and concluded on June 1, 2008 in conjunction with Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton’s “Operation Safe Crossing” and the Memphis Police Department’s Blue C.R.U.S.H. ™ initiative.
“Summer has just started, and the heat is not going to let up on the gang members and drug dealers who continue to harass the law-abiding citizens in our neighborhoods. We’ll continue to work with the police to hold these offenders accountable and at the same time clean up the neighborhoods they plague by closing down their ‘drug houses’ as public nuisances,” said District Attorney Bill Gibbons.
“This is the fourth consecutive year that the Memphis Police Department has had an initiative during the summer months to combat crime. As you know our children are out of school and we want to ensure a safe environment for the youth during their summer vacation. And we will continue to address the issues of drugs, gangs and guns in our city,” said Memphis Police Director Godwin.
The D.A.’s Office has a conviction rate of more than 95 percent in drug cases prosecuted as a result of Memphis police Blue C.R.U.S.H.™ undercover investigations. Working with the Memphis Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, the D.A.’s Office has filed public nuisance actions against more than 100 properties since 2002. |