The Seven Mile Bloods and its rival conducted a gang war on the east side of Detroit, leading to an increase in murders and shootings in that part of the city, said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. Take a 360-degree ride through the streets at the center of the The Red Zone, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The gangs have posted. The court records and testimony also provide a street-level look at life and death in the The Red Zone. In some cases, officials are asking for sentences of over 100 years behind bars. This is the first of eight chaptersin the "Death by Instagram" series. (Video: YouTube). A dream team of investigators and prosecutors was put together to go after the danger with a message to change these ways or pay the price. Criminal justice researchers have only just started to document it in recent years, seeking to understand how the rise of social media has amplified gang activity. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. The gang was posting pictures on Instagram of people on the hit list, you know, shoot and kill on site, former U.S. attorney Barbara McQuade told WDIV Detroit last year, which, she added, makes good evidence for us., The phenomenon, at least in scholarly circles, has a name: Its called cyber banging.. This article was published more than4 years ago. In 2009, members started buying extra pills from Red Zone residents who had prescriptions, prosecutors allege. These rival gangs have been violently attacking one another and have posted respective hit lists on social media. Official websites use .gov "It's getting out of control," a resident said. More clues can be found on YouTube videos produced in the red zone, providing evidence that has led to dozens of arrests from both gangs. There was no gang war and no organized crime, defense lawyers argue. Robert Brown II, 37, also known as "RO" and head of the Seven Mile Bloods gang in Detroit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George Caram . ", Topics:True Crime, News, Documentaries, US News, crime, so dangerous police won't even enter it at night, Seven Mile Road is an area in Detroit, Michigan, which is 'one of the most dangerous no-go zones in the USA', a, While the city was once the heartland of the US automobile industry, it now faces huge issues with poverty and crime, stretches from one end of the city to the other, and. I just couldnt believe all this was going on, Peterson said. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. The neighborhood became Detroits deadliest area in summer 2011 as the gang rose to power. The five face possible death sentences because prosecutors say they were involved in homicides and violence as part of an organized criminal enterprise that operated a pain-pill pipeline between Detroit and Charleston, West Virginia, the epicenter of the nations opioid crisis. Djuan Page is a Hustle Boy p. 8. "Being a concerned mom, I don't want my son being in it," a Detroit woman said. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider of the Eastern District of Michigan and Special Agent in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBIs Detroit Division made the announcement. The Instagram hit lists surfaced after a drive-by shooting in Detroit in July 2014. Three recent homicides and the shooting of rapper Phillip Peaks, aka "Team Eastside Peezy, suggest the years-long FBI investigation has not quelled an ongoingwar among east-side gangs. Partners include the Detroit Police Department Gang Intelligence Unit, the FBI Violent Gang Task Force, which consists of representatives of Detroit Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Michigan Department of Corrections and Michigan State Police, with the cooperation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The gangs reach extended far beyond Detroit. He shot em.. Bailey was sentenced to two life sentences and three 10 year sentences in prison after being convicted of RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. Bycoincidence, Arnold had his own meeting with a parole agent that morning. Tommy Depung, who leads the unit and has so far arrested more than 2,500 criminals, says: "There's been a lot of drug-related, gang-related shootings, and so Detroit PD has been doing their best to be proactive with their gang units, but you can't get ahead of it fast enough. Fresh bloodshed as racketeering trial approaches in Detroit. A friend of rapper 'Team Eastside Peezy' races for home amid a hail of bullets. According to evidence presented during the trial, the Seven Mile Bloods gang operates on the east side of Detroit, between Gratiot Avenue and Kelly Road and between Seven and Eight Mile Roads. Members are active on social media p. 5. One example of this was Lamanta Reese. You dont even have to send a text message. The 10-week trial was conducted last year before U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh in Detroit, Michigan. Robert Brown, aka RO 37, of Warren, was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment after having been convicted of RICO conspiracy; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Copyright 2017 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Eventually, gang members were transporting thousands of pills each trip and had to lay off the stuffers.. This shooting war led to increased homicides and non-fatal shootings on Detroits east side. Before they left, they crossed paths with a rival, accused Seven Mile Bloods leader Billy Arnold, prosecutors say. Anthony Lovejoy testifies about the Seven Mile Bloods "Hit List" Crowned TV Courts 113K subscribers Join Subscribe 85 Share 5.9K views 10 months ago PLEASE HELP US KEEP THIS GOING BY DONATING BY. Dane graduated from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts. We commend our prosecutors and law enforcement partners for their hard work to hold members of the gang accountable for their crimes. To haul the drugs to West Virginia, the gang used Greyhound buses, rental cars and stuffers, neighborhood girls who were paid $1,000 a trip to hide the pills in their genitalia. The racketeering conspiracy alleged by prosecutors originated in The Red Zone, the gangs home turf. Page was 22. READ CHAPTER 3 | Unlikely alliance: Smaller east-side gangs team up as hit lists start appearing on Instagram. ome to 'drug dealers, hustlers, killers and thieves, prepared to do whatever it takes to defend their territory'. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports. Keithon Porter is awaiting sentencing after being convicted of RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. Seven Mile Road is an area in Detroit, Michigan, which is 'one of the most dangerous no-go zones in the USA', according to documentary No-Go Zones: World's Toughest Places. To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders, Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications, .css-o3g03s{color:black;}Published16:24,03 July 2021 BST.css-1aaqh7x{color:#666666;}@media (min-width:1024px){.css-1aaqh7x{color:#666666;}}| Last updated17:25,03 July 2021 BST. "The drug game here is extremely dangerous," he says, adding: "Your best friend will kill you in this game.". A message of hope was given to parents in poor neighborhoods. A narrator says in the doc: "Those who live or dare to come here are playing with their lives. A mix of arrogance and naivet leads gangsters to document crimes on social media and is the result of living in a place so poor and violent that a possible death sentence is meaningless, said Carl Taylor, a Michigan State University sociology professor who has studied Detroits gang culture. In just 10 days in May 2015, two men were killed, a father of two was left paralyzed and five others were critically wounded in the ambush-style shootings across Detroits east side. The Seven Mile Bloods' approximately 50 members typically wear red clothing, hats and bandanas. "You will hear that it's Michael Davis, one of the twins, who identified Billy Arnold and Corey Bailey as the people who shot up that car," Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Graveline told jurors. In a press release sent Tuesday, the US General Attorney's Office named: Billy Arnold, a/k/a "B-Man," "Berinzo," "Killa," 29, of Detroit, with RICO conspiracy and multiple counts of murder in aid of racketeering; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; use of firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence resulting in death; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; and felon in possession of a firearm; Steven Arthur, Jr., a/k/a "Steve-O," 26, of Detroit, with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; and felon in possession of a firearm; Eugene Fisher, a/k/a "Fist," 35, of Detroit, with RICO conspiracy; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; use of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; and felon in possession of a firearm; Corey Bailey, a/k/a "Sonny," "Cocaine Sonny," 28, of Detroit, with RICO conspiracy; murder in aid of racketeering; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; use of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; and possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; Quincy Graham, a/k/a "Dub," "Q," 32, of Detroit, with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; and felon in possession of a firearm; Robert Brown II, a/k/a "R.O.," 33, of Warren, Michigan, with RICO conspiracy and possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; Jerome Gooch, a/k/a "Rome," "Dada," 30, of Detroit, Michigan and Charleston with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; Michael Rogers, a/k/a "Smoke," "Ace," 33, of Eastpointe, with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; Derrick Kennedy, a/k/a "Dip," 29, of Warren, with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; Devon Patterson, a/k/a "Duck," "Sosa," 30, of Detroit, with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; Christopher Owens, a/k/a "Baby O," "Cee," 29, of Charleston, West Virginia, with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; Jeffery Adams, a/k/a "Brick," "Product," 26, of Detroit, with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; Arlandis Shy, a/k/a "Grymee," "VIL," 26, of Clinton Township with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; Anthony Lovejoy, a/k/a "PT," 33, of Charleston, West Virginia and Buckeye, Arizona, with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence; and. 2023The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper. The shape of things to come: New GM design center aiming to help speed EV shift, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. While the city was once the heartland of the US automobile industry, it now faces huge issues with poverty and crime. This case was the work of the Detroit One Initiative. [G]ot em.. He lingered in a coma for several weeks before dying. Robert Brown was sentenced to 40 years in prison after being convicted of RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. At the time, Assistant U.S. Attorney Rajesh Prasad said Davis was a suspect in the drive-by shooting deaths of rappers Raymell "47 Mell"Campbell and Dominique Brown in July 2017 near I-94 and Livernois in Detroit. Partners include the Detroit Police Department Gang Intelligence Unit, the FBI Violent Gang Task Force, which consists of representatives of Detroit Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Michigan Department of Corrections and Michigan State Police, with the cooperation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The strategy seems to be working. McQuade said an investigation found that of 10 people posted on one of theInstagram hit lists, only three escaped violent attacks. The area is known by gangs as the Red Zone, referring to the color of blood. Between 2003 and 2011, investigators found Seven Mile Bloods members, drugs, moneyanddrug paraphernaliaat almostone dozen homesalong Manning, according to the indictment. "Drug treatment, money for child support, transportation needs, housing, all kinds of help," McQuade said. Diondre Fitzpatrick, a/k/a "D-Nice," 26, of Harper Woods, with RICO conspiracy; possession of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence. This case was the work of the Detroit One Initiative. "We also offer them some alternatives," McQuade said. Thats when the first four defendants to stand trial in the Seven Mile Bloods case watched the jury forewoman stand and read a verdict. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Martaze Davis survived the shooting andwas charged in a separatefederal gun case in August. Money tends to send right-hand man Mo out to do his dirty work. More bullets struckPage in the left eye and upper body. Corey Bailey, 30, was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, three counts of attempted murder and murder in aid of racketeering, for his role in the drive-by shooting that started the Instagram hit lists. "When I say deserted, I mean on one side of the street, even though there are houses, 12 to 15 of them are empty," a resident said. The inside story of Detroit's gang wars, a battle prosecutors say was fueled by Instagram hit lists and the Seven Mile Bloods, the social-media savvy gang that had a death grip on both the. The violent crime rate is five times higher than the rest of the country.". (Video: YouTube). The jurys guilty verdicts highlight that our community has no tolerance for the senseless murders and violence spread by gang members. U.S. v. Farid FataArchive of Fata Facilitator Website www.FataClaims.com, Archive of Fata Facilitator Website www.FataClaims.com. Corey Bailey, aka Sonny, Cocaine Sonny, 30, of Detroit, was convicted of RICO conspiracy; murder in aid of racketeering; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; Arlandis Shy, aka Grymee, Vil, 29, of Clinton Township was convicted of RICO conspiracy and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; Robert Brown II, aka R.O., 36, of Warren, Michigan, was convicted of RICO conspiracy, attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and. A strip club, a car chase and a hidden clue leads to epic indictment. Peterson spoke with Local 4 just after Bailey had been sentenced to life in prison. Police in the west-side suburb of Cicero, for example, reported that 70 percent of its gang conflicts stemmed from social media exchanges, the Chicago Tribune reported. The rapgroup 42 Twinz hasan active YouTube and Instagram presence. No-Go Zones - World's Toughest Places - Seven Mile Road in Detroit, USA Banged Up: My Story - Toughest Stories from Behind Bars: https://youtu.be/m2VF1ATnrdY. These guilty verdicts are a tremendous victory for the Detroit community that was plagued by the violence, drug dealing and mayhem inflicted by this violent street gang, said U.S. Attorney Schneider. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Orsalyn Peterson is Baileys aunt who loves her family. Locations of assaultswithin The Red Zone from 2009 to 2016, according to Detroit Police statistics. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. He thought he was [laughing emoji], the message said. Detroit's Ninth Precinct on the east side has been home to a gang war that has taken the lives of numerous young gang members and innocent bystanders. This shooting war has led to increased homicides and non-fatal shootings on Detroits east side. In addition to the gang members previously charged, 12 more were named and charged in the latest indictment with racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, and firearms charges. as The Washington Post reported at the time. Officials are charging drug-dealing gang members the way the mafia used to be charged, with racketeering. billy arnold 7 mile bloodsactor employment agreement. "These gangs are just as organized as organized crime families," McQuade said. The Red Zone is part pharmacy, part killing field and part music studio where gang members peddled drugs, fought rivals and shot rap videos on street corners. It's a chance for residents to stay out of prison or a grave. Abandoned homes turn into drug dens, which lead to shootings and drive-by shootings. The gang paid $15 per pill in Detroit and sold the drug for $60 in Charleston. 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