Florida Sheriff Shuts Down Local Gang

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --

Sheriff John Rutherford announced Tuesday the arrest of the top seven members of a gang and said that prosecutors will use the state's racketeering act to try to shut down the entire 103rd Street CHB (Certified Head Bustas) organization.

Rutherford said the 36 members of the gang -- all 18 to 24 years old and most of whom met each other while attending Forest High School -- have committed 204 felonies and 221 misdemeanors since 2004.

"Our investigation shows their criminal acts have been committed for the gang or to benefit the gang," Rutherford said. "The use of the RICO statute helps us eliminate the entire gang."

Police who have been investigating the gang believe its members are responsible for shootings, robberies, weapons offenses, car thefts and drug sales in Duval, Clay, Volusia and Leon counties. The more crimes they committed and the more money they brought in, the more "respect" they earned from the gang's leaders.

Sheriff John Rutherford said Jeremi Chaplin, Courtney Frierson, Reginald Lewis and Antonio Williams were the founding members of the "103rd Street CHB." "Crime is their business, if you think about it that way," Rutherford said. "It's how they make their living. They commit crime to support their families, their gang."

A total of 21 firearms were confiscated during the roundup.

"This criminal street gang had the capability, the mobility, all the weaponry to wreak havoc in any state, at any time, and they did," said Dominick Pape of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Rutherford said some of the members could face up to 30 years in prison on each charge if convicted.

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office booking photos of Vincent Byrd, Darien Flowers and Sharodd Mitchell "They operate like a family" Rutherford said. "When one person is in jail or prison, they would send money to that inmate ... and look out for their family members while they were incarcerated."

Five of the seven people charged in the case were already in jail when the RICO charges were brought. They are each being held on $1 million bond.

Rutherford said his department's intelligence unit is tracking 17 gangs with an estimated 221 members operating in Duval County. He hopes that the racketeering charges will have a chilling effect on all the street gangs in the area.

In addition to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the FDLE, the FBI, the Clay County Sheriff's Office and the Office of Statewide Prosecution were involved in the investigation that led to these arrests.

Many Westside Residents Relieved By Gang Arrests

Many people living in a Westside neighborhood were in agreement about the arrests of several suspected local gang members, saying good riddance.

They said they're relieved Jacksonville police are working to clean up the streets.

"Praise God for that," said one resident.

"I feel a lot safer. We need clean up in the area," said another resident.

People in the area said crime has been getting worse over the last few years.

"It has gotten a lot worse out here. There's been a lot of gunshots, robberies and home invasions," one woman said.

"Over the last couple years, there have been a lot of break-ins, a lot of robberies," a man said.

They said hopefully the recent arrests will help the neighborhood.

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