The US Attorney's Office has announced indictments against nine more members of Detroit's 6 Mile Chedda Grove street gang, which operates on the city's east side.
The gang operates primarily in the area bordered by East McNichols Road on the north side, Kelly Road on the east, Houston-Whittier Street on the south and Chalmers Street on the west.
They are alleged to be a violent organization responsible for murders, assaults, robberies and firearms and narcotics trafficking in the Detroit metropolitan area, as well as in other states. Members are known to use violence in retaliation against rivals, to intimidate witness and to advance their own position in the game.
The new charges are in addition to an initial indictments against two members of the gang, in connection with the December 1, 2015 shootings at the Troester Market. Two people were killed and children were serious injured in that shooting.
Edwin Mills and Carlo Wilson had previous been charged with murder in aid of racketeering in connection with that case.
A superseding indictment adds nine more defendants and additional charges of racketeering conspiracy, additional murders in aid of racketeering and other related offenses.
Two additional murders covered by the new indictment occurred on February 7, 2015 and August 20, 2015.
Of the defendants charged, four were taken into custody over the last two days. They are:
- 23-year-old Mario Leico Jackson of Detroit, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy
- 28-year-old Phillip Glen-Earl Peaks of Detroit, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy
- 28-year-old Michael Richardson of Detroit, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- 23-year-old Devontae Aaron Russell of Knoxville, Tennessee, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy
Seven other defendants are already in law enforcement custody in connection with charged in other cases. The charged listed below are in connection with this case. These defendants are:
- 26-year-old Edwin Lamont Mills of Detroit, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, and two counts each of murder in aid of racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence causing death
- 23-year-old Carlo Dajuan Wilson of Warren, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, and two counts each of murder in aid of racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence causing death
- 26-year-old Donell Christopher Thompson of Detroit, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy and once count each of murder in aid of racketeering and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence causing death
- 23-year-old Lomnil Bookies Jackson of Detroit, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, and one count each of murder in aid of racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapons in aid of racketeering and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence causing death
- 22-year-old Patrick Jeffrey Johnson of Detroit, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy
- 22-year-old Corey Alexander Mills of Detroit, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy
- 41-year-old Robert Wayne Baytops of Detroit, who has been charged with racketeering conspiracy and felon in possession of firearms
The case was investigated under the Detroit One initiative, which has targeted many Detroit gangs, including the Seven Mile Blood, Bounty Hunter Bloods, Latin Counts, Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club, Vice Lords, Band Crew and RTM.
"The Detroit One strategy to dismantle violent gangs has two key components -- enforcement operations like this one and intervention through the Ceasefire call-in program, stated U.S. Attorney McQuade in a news release. “The Detroit One enforcement efforts target street gangs that are responsible for violence in our neighborhoods. We have seen encouraging results, including a 35 percent reduction in shootings in Detroit’s 9th Precinct, where this gang operates."
