United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

SOUTH DALLAS STREET GANG MEMBERS ARRESTED ON
DRUG AND GUN CHARGES IN FEDERAL INDICTMENT

Some Involved in Producing Musical Compact Discs
Glorifying the Distribution of Crack Cocaine

Nine out of twenty-five street gang members from South Dallas have been arrested on conspiracy, drug and firearms charges outlined in a 48-count federal indictment returned by a grand jury earlier this week and unsealed today, announced United States Attorney Richard B. Roper, Dallas Police Chief David Kunkel, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Ronnie Carter. During the course of the arrests, substantial quantities of crack cocaine were seized, as were numerous firearms and a substantial amount of cash.

Law enforcement officers and agents with the Dallas Police Department, ATF, and the Drug Enforcement Administration began making the arrests and executing search warrants yesterday evening. Today, 7 of the defendants appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge for their initial appearance. The government will ask the Court to detain all defendants pending trial.

U.S. Attorney Roper said, “Drug dealers and street gangs wreck havoc in communities and the arrests of these defendants has literally shut down a dangerous and large-scale drug trafficking organization operating in Dallas. It is a direct result of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative and the cooperative efforts of federal and local law enforcement in joining forces to make Dallas streets safer.” Roper continued, “While these arrests may not solve the drug and street gang problem in Dallas, it is a huge step toward my goal of making the citizens in Dallas, and throughout the Northern District of Texas, safer.”

All defendants named in the indictment are charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Schedule II Controlled Substance and many are charged with various other offenses including Distribution of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (cocaine and cocaine base), Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Schedule II Controlled Substance (cocaine base), and various firearms offenses.

Nine defendants have been arrested; 16 are still at large.

• Kenneth George Ebanks, a.k.a. “Bigs,” a.k.a. “Kenneth Bell,” age 36
• Terrence Damon Randolph, a.k.a. “Bo-Leg,” age 30
• Apollo Lasalle Blake, a.k.a. “L.A.,” age 36
• Merl Lovings, a.k.a. “Gangsta,” age 27
• Jimmy Wayne Frost, a.k.a. “JB,” age 37
• Bryant Dion Powell, a.k.a. “Big Bird,” age 34
• James Colter, a.k.a. “Ray Ray,” age 26
• Stevie Anderson, a.k.a. “New Jack,” age 29
• Wendell Turner, a.k.a. “Duke,” age 19
• Brandon Mills, age 21
• Gerald Dwayne Mays, a.k.a. “Lil Gerald,” age 21
• Robert Ray Mays, a.k.a. “G-Cuz,” age 24
• Kenneth Ray Thomas, a.k.a. “KT,” age 19
• Cory Antwone McDaniels, a.k.a. “Coco,” age 24
• Curtis Hudspeth, a.k.a. “Woody,” age 27
• Danny Lee White, a.k.a. “Elmo,” age 27
• Demarcus White, age 24
• Eddie Hawkins, age 39
• Davoddrick Alexander Traylor, age 26
• Teddy Renell Richardson, age 27
• Dwayne Keith Marshall, age 36
• Markeques Dewayne Linnear, age 30
• Justin Allen, age 19
• Alonzo Edwards, a.k.a. “Booker,” age 34
• John Webster, a.k.a. “Jay,” age 35

Dallas Police Chief David Kunkel said, “This is another example of local and federal law enforcement working together to fight crime and to improve the quality of life in the city of Dallas.”

Ronnie Carter, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF, Dallas Division, said, “This shows, just like the previous gang arrests on Cymbal Street, we continue to work with the Dallas Police Department to fight gangs and violent crimes across the city. This is not the last one, as these investigations are ongoing and come to conclusions at different times.”

The indictment alleges that beginning in August 2003, the defendants conspired with each other, and others, to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base and 500 grams or more of cocaine. As part of the conspiracy the defendants would acquire both powder cocaine and cocaine base (crack cocaine) from sources in Dallas and arrange for and participate in the “cooking” procedure where quantities of powder cocaine are converted into crack cocaine. Kenneth Ebanks, a.k.a. “Bigs,” a.k.a. “Kenneth Bell,” leased apartments, known as “traps,” in and around the South Dallas area that were used as locations to cook, cut, package and distribute quantities of crack cocaine to numerous customers. Some of the “traps” were located at Delta Plaza Apartments, 2310 R.B. Cullum, Dallas, Kaplan Court Apartments, 2205 J.B. Jackson, Dallas, and an apartment complex located at 3101 South Boulevard, Dallas. The defendants recruited local street gang members to cook, cut, package and distribute the crack cocaine from inside the “traps.” Beginning in January 2004, Ebanks recruited numerous individuals to work for his organization as cocaine distributors, “re-up men,” who delivered cocaine to “traps” when the supply was low and “cut men” who broke down large quantities of crack cocaine into smaller quantities for resale.

In addition, the indictment alleges that some of the defendants arranged for and participated in the illegal of sale of weapons, including rifles, handguns, shotguns, “machineguns,” and assault rifles. Defendants Ebanks, White, Traylor, Allen, are each charged with at least one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

The indictment also alleges that proceeds from the sale of crack cocaine were used to produce musical compact discs glorifying the production and distribution of crack cocaine in the Dallas area and elsewhere.

A forfeiture allegation is also included in the indictment. It will require several of the defendants, upon conviction, to forfeit to the United States any property derived from the proceeds of their offense, including the 14 vehicles listed in the forfeiture allegation.

An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. However, if convicted, each defendant faces a statutory sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Dallas Police Department, ATF, DEA, and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rick Calvert and Lisa J. Miller.

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