Racketeering Indictment

FORT WAYNE – The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, David Capp, announced a variety of racketeering charges in an 18 count indictment against 4 members and associates of the “2500” street gang, with associations to the “Grit Gang”, a street gang in Bloomington, Indiana. Named in the indictment are:

• Demetri D. Beachem, aka “Meech”, 22, of Fort Wayne, Indiana

• William D. Beamon, aka “Lil Will”, 24, of Fort Wayne, Indiana

• Kyombe D. Bolden, “aka Pudge”, 25, of Bloomington, Indiana

• Ronnie D. Burrus, “aka Ronnie Robinson, Ronnie Burris and Yung Ron”, 24, of Bloomington, Indiana

The “2500” originated in the 2500 block of Caroline Street in Ft. Wayne. The indictment alleges that “2500” is a criminal organization engaged in acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder and drug trafficking. Specifically alleged are the attempted murders of two rival gang members on October 4, 2014, in Ft. Wayne. Also alleged is an attempted murder of a third person, not a rival gang member.

USA Capp stated, “I greatly appreciate the cooperative law enforcement effort here in Ft. Wayne. This is our first use of the federal racketeering statutes against street gangs in this area. It will not be our last. We are going to continue to focus our efforts on criminal organizations and utilize the federal racketeering statutes to remove them from the streets.”

The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in court.

If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

This multi-agency investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force in Fort Wayne, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Allen County Police Department, the Fort Wayne Police Department, and the Indiana State Police. Also assisting with this investigation were the Bloomington Police Department, the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division, and the Fort Wayne Police Department’s Detective Bureau and Gang Unit. This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.

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