Page 35 - Florida Sentinel 8-28-20

Crime
Drug-Related Shooting Lands Gang Members In Prison
Interstate Shooting Leaves 17-Year-Old Passenger Dead
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office believes the shooting took place in the area of Interstate 4 and County Road 579.
Last week, a federal judge sentenced two Tampa men to lengthy prison terms. Both men were found guilty by a federal jury.
District Judge Steven D. Merryday sentenced Leon Williams, 30, to 17 years and 6 months in prison and Reginald Jones, Jr., 25, to 15 years and 8 months in prison. They were convicted for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, and for discharging a firearm during and in relation to that conspiracy.
The jury found the men guilty following their trial on November 15, 2019.
According to evidence pre- sented during the two-week trial, Williams and Jones are members of the Bird Gang, a violent street-level drug traffick- ing organization that has oper- ated for years, and is responsible for multiple homicides and
shootings. The Bird Gang prin- cipally sold drugs at two loca- tions at a housing complex and a nearby boarding house known as the “Blue House,” which the Bird Gang had essentially taken over.
On May 29, 2018, in the middle of the afternoon, Williams and Jones acted as enforcers for the gang by shoot- ing at people whom they be- lieved had been communicating with law enforcement in an ef- fort to stop the gang from selling
drugs at the Blue House. Bullets fired by Williams,
Jones, and their associates se- riously injured one person, struck a car, and broke windows at a company located two blocks away, where almost 400 people were present at the time of the shooting.
Man Injured On I-4 As Bullets Riddle His Car
The victim’s Toyota sedan was struck by six bullets dur- ing a drive-by shooting on In- terstate 4.
Law enforcement is investi- gating a shooting that left a man injured and his vehicle riddled with bullets. The man is expected to recover from his injuries.
Last Saturday afternoon, the Florida Highway Patrol re- sponded to a 9-1-1 call pertaining to a shooting. The shooting took place on Interstate 4.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, shortly before 2:30 p.m., the unidentified victim was driving westbound at the exit ramp from Interstate 4 to Hills- borough Avenue.
The 35-year-old victim told police that a black Hyundai sedan pulled up on the left side of his ve- hicle and fired several shots at his car.
The suspect vehicle contained three Black men, he told police. They fled the scene after the shooting.
The victim’s Toyota was struck by six bullets that pene- trated the vehicle from the truck to the driver’s door, police said.
The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries to his left side and chest area caused by bullet fragments. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The Florida Highway Patrol is asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Florida Highway Patrol at (813) 558-1800; or contact Crime Stop- pers of Tampa Bay at (800) 873- TIPS; or online at www.crimestopperstb.com.
Around 3:30 p.m., Monday, the Florida Highway Patrol and the Hillsborough County Sher- iff’s Office responded to the 9-1-1 call about shots fired in the east- bound lanes of Interstate 4 near County Road 579.
However, when law enforce- ment arrived, they were unable to locate the victims. Shortly after arriving, police were noti- fied that a 17-year-old male had arrived at South Florida Baptist Hospital, in Plant City.
Police said the victim had been shot and was transported to the hospital by two other juve- niles. The 17-year-old later died as a result of his injuries.
Detectives with the Hillsbor- ough County Sheriff’s Office, who are conducting the investigation, learned that the teenagers were traveling eastbound on Interstate 4 when the unidentified suspects
opened fire on the vehicle. Detectives are asking the public for assistance in locating a late 1990s model Ford Taurus, tan in color with possibly a gold
tint to it.
Sheriff Chad Chronister
said, “We do not believe this was a random act of violence. It ap- pears these three juveniles were targeted for some reason. I’m urging anyone who saw anything suspicious on Interstate 4 to please come forward with that information.”
Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspects involved in the case.
Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at (800) 873-TIPS; or online at www.crimestopper- stb.com.
REGINALD LEON JONES, JR. WILLIAMS
PAGE 22-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2020