DETROIT (WWJ) -- Federal agents arrested more than three dozen members and associates of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation street gang Thursday as law enforcement works to curtail rising gun violence in Detroit.
A 39-count federal indictment was unsealed Thursday alleging Michigan gang leader Kevin “Spaghetti” Fordham of Detroit and 39 other alleged gang members, associates, enforcers and high-ranking deputies of orchestrating a racketeering conspiracy that dates back to 2012.
Charges against the accused include murder, extortion, stabbings, drug dealing and murder plots, including alleged hits -- known as Key 21 orders within the gang -- on inmates within the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Officials say Thursday’s indictment comes after a three-year investigation that led to the arrests. Authorities say the raids in Detroit helped disrupt three alleged conspiracies to commit murder, while seizing 15 guns, cash and drugs.
“The Vice Lords are a violent, armed national street gang operating in Detroit, Chicago and elsewhere,” acting U.S. Attorney Saima Mohsin said at a news conference Thursday. “The gang is centered out of Chicago and is a large, well-organized and sophisticated gang with thousands of members nationwide. The ATF has identified more than 700 Vice Lords members in Michigan alone.”
The indictment unsealed Thursday focuses on Vice Lord leaders and their associates within Michigan and Chicago, according to Mohsin.
The Vice Lords originated in Chicago in the 1960s and have different branches known as “decks” that assist and collaborate with each other on criminal activities and answer to the gang’s leaders in Detroit and Chicago, according to the indictment.
Years of investigation uncovered the elaborate gang operation, which is reportedly among the largest racketeering conspiracy cases in Detroit’s history, according to a report from The Detroit News.
Thursday’s gang arrests are part of what are expected to be several upcoming crackdowns on violent crime in Detroit, which has seen a nearly 50% increase in homicides since 2019, according to the News.
“A message for those who are causing this epidemic of gun violence -- listen up. We’re coming for you,” Mohsin said Thursday. “To those of you who are helping cause this violence by buying guns for the shooters, we’re coming for you. And for gang members who believe that you are protected from the law, we’re coming for you, too.”
Mohsin says their plan is simple -- they are going to identify the most violent individuals and groups and dedicate federal and state resources to investigate and arrest them.
“Count 1 in the indictment charges the defendants with RICO (Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act) conspiracy and outlines the gang’s commission of crimes including murder, stabbings, shootings, firearm offenses, drug trafficking and witness intimidation,” Mohsin said.
Counts 2 and 3 charge assault with a dangerous in aid of racketeering, while counts 4 and 5 charge drug conspiracies. Mohsin says counts 6-39 relate to offenses involving controlled substances, firearms and the use of firearms during the drug trafficking offenses.
38 of the people charged in the indictment are in police custody, while the other two remain on the loose, according to a report.
The 40 people named in the indictment include:
Kevin Fordham, a.k.a. "Spaghetti"; Martin Murff, a.k.a. “P” and “Marty”; Tamar Watkins, a.k.a. “Spoonie”; Terry Douglas, a.k.a. “Drama”; Eddie Reid, a.k.a. “Twellve” and “Lahabb”; Gregory Johnson, a.k.a. “DJ” and “Sincere”; Spoonie Johnson, a.k.a. “Richard Simms" and “Kaos”; Kurteiz Thompson, a.k.a. “Teiz”; Javon Wilhite, a.k.a. “Oddball”; Schuyler Belew Jr., a.k.a. “Dro” Davun Baskerville, a.k.a. “Von"; Gary Porter, a.k.a. “Midget”; Lawon Carter, a.k.a. “C-Flame”; Anthony Reynolds, a.k.a. “Montana”; Jaylin McNeal, a.k.a. “Smoov”; Anthony Najera, a.k.a. “Tweezy”; Naujeh Carter, a.k.a. “Blow”; Tyrone Fisher, a.k.a. “King”; Fabian Toodle, a.k.a “Noodle”; Earnest Lee, a.k.a. “E Lee”; Delaino Eppenger, a.k.a. “Ace”; Devan Turner-Bankhead, a.k.a. “Turn”; Angelo Hopson, a.k.a. “Lo”; Brandon Thomas, a.k.a. “Boss Hogg”; Kenneth Johnson, a.k.a. “LB”; Winisford Watkins, a.k.a. “C4”; Anthony Simmons, a.k.a. “Twon”; Anthony Zigler, a.k.a. “Footz” and “Vampire”; Shelton Carter, a.k.a. “S-Dot”; Artise Johnson, a.k.a. “Out Kold”; Dwayne Parler, a.k.a. “Wadee”; Lateef Moore; Charles Douglas, a.k.a. “Chuckles”; John Johnson, a.k.a. “AU”; Zanie Taliaferro, a.k.a. “Zane”; Antione Coleman, a.k.a. “Shaq”; Harith Hunter, a.k.a. “Reef”; Ondrome Lewis, a.k.a. “Red”; Rasean Walker; and Darryl Taylor, a.k.a. “Chosen”
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