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Press Release

Forty Four Defendants Charged in State and Federal Court

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Wisconsin

United States Attorney James L. Santelle announced today that five indictments were unsealed in federal court charging 24 defendants with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including heroin, crack cocaine, and cocaine.

Patrick L. YOUNG, age 40

Larry J. GARRETT, age 33

Charlie B. NELSON, age 40

Dai-Cheri RASHADA, age 32

Lamont M DALLAS, age 30

Sebastian O. KING, age 39

Terrance M. JONES, age 35

Marvin C SEAY, age 36

Joel WRIGHT, age 39

Pierre J TYSON, age 42

Bryan I. THOMAS, age 26

Darius L. ALLEN, age 32

Henry T. WADE, age 33

Bernard L. JEDKINS, age 29

Tony GILMORE, age 45

Dionia SCOTT, age 36

Marcus BUTLER, age 31

Shawn TUCKER, age 34

Jondelyn JACKSON, age 26

Myles WASHINGTON, age 26

Lloyd RANDLE, Jr., age 35

Edward TANNER, Jr., age 34

Larry ASHLEY, Jr., age 26

Jerrod PATTERSON, age 28

All the defendants except Randle, Tanner, Ashley, and Patterson are charged with offenses punishable by up to forty years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. Randle, Tanner, Ashley, and Patterson face up to life imprisonment if convicted. Various defendants are also charged with substantive drug distribution counts.  The majority of the suspects arrested were members of the Gangster Disciple Street Gang and all of them operated in Kenosha and Racine Counties.

Yesterday, law enforcement officers arrested twelve of these defendants. Five were already in custody. Seven are still at large, including: Larry Garrett, Lamont Dallas,Marcus Butler, Bernard Jedkins, Jerrod Patterson, Lloyd Randle, and Jondelyn Jackson.

In addition, 12 defendants were charged by the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office with narcotics offenses.  Law enforcement arrested four of those defendants; eight are still at large. Law enforcement also arrested eight other individuals on outstanding state warrants or related narcotics charges.

In addition to yesterday’s arrests, law enforcement executed 12 federal search warrants in the Kenosha and Racine areas targeting members of this organization. Four state search warrants were also obtained and executed.  Law enforcement recovered approximately 800 grams of crack cocaine, 676 grams of heroin, 227 marijuana plants, 120 pounds of marijuana, and 3.5 grams of hash oil.  In addition, there were a total of 25 firearms seized, a CS grenade, and a police scanner.

In making today’s announcement about the federal charges, property searches and seizures, and defendant arrests, United States Attorney Santelle stated: “Following a targeted, focused, and resource-intensive investigation of a violent street gang operating in the Kenosha and Racine areas, most of its many members are now apprehended and brought to justice—ending an extensive criminal operation that compromised the safety and the well-being of our community.  The charges in the indictments against them describe a conspiracy to possess and distribute significant amounts of heroin, cocaine powder, and crack cocaine—along with their illegal possession of firearms that underscores the destructive nature of their criminal conduct.”  Santelle commended all of the federal, state, and local law enforcement officers and units involved in the investigation. “Through a highly integrated and thoroughly collaborative law enforcement effort, these investigators and agents have made our streets and neighborhoods more secure, and the prosecutions—undertaken by my office in partnership with that of the Kenosha County District Attorney will accomplish the end of this long-time criminal enterprise.”

Kenosha County District Attorney Robert Zapf stated: “I have been around law enforcement and prosecution for the past 40 years and I can honestly say that this operation was one of the most successful (in terms of arrests) and best coordinated federal, state, and local drug investigations and takedowns that I can remember.”

“‘This organization, nicknamed ‘The Firm,’ has been entrenched in the Kenosha area for years dealing heroin and other drugs; however, that reign ended yesterday with charges against more than 40 drug traffickers, thanks to the outstanding and remarkable cooperation among the DEA and its Wisconsin law enforcement partners,” said Dennis A. Wichern, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division, which includes Wisconsin.  Wichern also praised the dedication and teamwork of the agents, officers and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to dismantle this drug trafficking organization.

Chief John Morrissey of the Kenosha Police Department stated “I know that sometimes citizens get frustrated and think that we are not working drug investigations to the level they need to be.  However, they are a priority for our department and our city.  This type of operation takes a lot of work and cooperation between many agencies.  We understand that at all levels of law enforcement we are dealing with the same issues, same problems and same people.  We appreciate the assistance from all the state and federal partners.  This operation is a worthy example of everyone working together and combining our resources to deal with these issues.”

“The multiple arrests in Kenosha are another prime example of the importance of our local and federal law enforcement partnerships,” said Robert J. Shields Jr., special agent in charge, FBI Milwaukee.  “I commend the efforts of our Southeast Wisconsin Regional Gang Task Force, they have been very effective in getting violent offenders off the streets and into custody.” 

Kenosha Sheriff David Beth stated that he is “proud that the Kenosha Sheriff’s Department’s Drug Operations Group (KDOG) partnered with the other law enforcement agencies in the successful and safe apprehension of more than 40 drug traffickers.  Today the citizens of Kenosha County have a safer community thanks to the excellent work of all these fine law enforcement officers.  The Kenosha Sheriff’s Department stands ready to combat illegal drug activity with all of our resources.” 

The investigating agencies included the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kenosha Police Department, Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, Oak Creek Police Department, Racine Police Department, the Racine County Sheriff’s Office and the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office. The United States Marshal Service and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, also assisted with the arrests and search warrants.

These cases are being prosecuted federally by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mario Gonzales and Margaret Honrath.

An indictment is merely the formal method of charging an individual and does not constitute inference of his or her guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until such time, if ever, that the government establishes his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Updated April 29, 2015