Accused Gangster Disciple Now Charged with Distributing Heroin

BIRMINGHAM – An Ensley man indicted in Atlanta last month as a high-ranking member of the violent Gangster Disciples Gang was indicted today by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Alabama for distributing heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton.

The Alabama grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging TERENCE “T-Man” SUMMERS, 42, with distributing 100 grams or more of heroin on Sept. 2 in Birmingham. Summers already is in custody on the Northern District of Georgia charge of conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise that included multiple murders, attempted murder and drug crimes.

In a separate and unrelated indictment, the grand jury also charged a Madison man, ROBERT EUGENE LEWIS, 46, with one count of possessing with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin in Madison County in November 2013.

Lewis currently is in federal custody in Michigan on other drug charges.

“The prosecution of heroin and opiate traffickers is a key priority for our office,” Vance said. “With overdose death rates at an all-time high nationwide, we are committed to prosecuting criminals who bring heroin into this district and putting them in prison. Disrupting the supply of heroin in north Alabama by taking two suppliers off the streets, including one who is charged with working as a leader in a violent, drug-trafficking, nationwide criminal enterprise, is a significant step in making this community safer.” 

Summers was indicted in Georgia as part of an FBI-led multi-agency investigation in Georgia and Tennessee that resulted in 48 people charged in two federal indictments as members of the Gangster Disciples Gang and involved in an illegal criminal enterprise. Summers is one of three Birmingham residents charged in the Georgia indictment. The other two are Shauntay Craig, 37, and Quiana Franklin, 33.

According to court documents in the Georgia and Tennessee cases, the Gangster Disciples is a national gang active in more than 24 states with a highly organized structure including board members and governor-of-governors who each controlled geographic regions, governors, assistant governors, chief enforcers and chiefs of security for each state or regions within the state where the Gangster Disciples were active, and coordinators and leaders within each local group. To enforce discipline among Gangster Disciples and adherence to strict rules and structure, members and associates were routinely fined, beaten and even murdered for failing to follow the gang’s rules.

Summers is listed in the Georgia racketeering conspiracy indictment as having held the positions of governor of Alabama and governor-of-governors for Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida for the Gangster Disciples Gang.

That indictment lists Craig as having held the rank of Gangster Disciples board member, and Franklin as treasurer for Alabama.

The prison penalty for the heroin distribution charges against both Summers and Lewis is five to 40 years. The maximum fine is $5 million.

The FBI investigated Summers’ Northern District of Alabama case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin D. Shutt is prosecuting. The FBI and the Madison-Morgan County Strategic Counterdrug Team, or STAC, investigated Lewis’ case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Stuart Burrell is prosecuting.

Anyone with concerns about opiate use and addiction should visit www.knowdope.org, a website sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office that focuses on awareness and prevention of opiate addiction. The website provides a documentary, public service videos, and links to more information and resources to help with drug abuse and treatment.

An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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