Page 18 - Florida Sentinel 9-13-16 Online Edition

Crime
6 Drug Dealers Convicted Of Racketeering, Murder And Drug Conspiracy
Men Who Burned Cross In Yard Of Interracial Couple Indicted
Last Thursday, a federal jury convicted 6 men of numerous charges for their roles in wide- ranging racketeering and drug distribution conspiracies.
Officials said information released during the 12-week trial, accused the men of 7 murders, firearm offense, and other crimes.
A sentencing date has not been determined. The case was investigated by several agencies on the local, state, and federal levels.
One of the murder victims was gunned down at a com- munity center in front of hun- dreds of children and their parents. Evidence presented at trial also demonstrated that the racketeering enterprise at- tempted to murder an eighth individual who survived, but is now paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, officials said.
Evidence presented at trial showed that the defendants’ business maintained a num- ber of so-called “trap houses” that were used to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, MDMA, oxycodone and marijuana, and they used extreme vio- lence to collect drug debts and enforce its control of the drug trafficking in their territory. The enterprise also used threats of violence to prevent members of the community from testifying against enter- prise members.
According to court docu- ments, Charlie Green, Jerry Green, Corey Har- ris, Napoleon Harris, Nathaniel Harris, and De- onte Martin conducted their enterprise in and around Bradenton from 2006 to 2014. During that time, they con- trolled drug distribution and committed murders-for-hire and other crimes.
They are accused of com- mitting seven murders of in- dividuals who crossed members of their organiza- tion.
Charlie Green, 29, was convicted of drug distribution conspiracy, one count of rack- eteering conspiracy, and three counts of murder.
Jerry Green, 30, was con- victed of drug distribution conspiracy, one count of rack- eteering conspiracy, and two counts of murder.
CHARLIE GREEN Aka Mr. 30ON32
NAPOLEON HARRIS Aka Pole
JERRY GREEN Aka Jerk
NATHANIEL HARRIS Aka Popo
COREY HARRIS Aka James
DEONTE MARTIN Aka Tang
WILLIAM A. DENNIS United States Attorney A.
Lee Bentley, III announced the unsealing of an indictment charging William A. Dennis (55, Spring Hill) and Thomas Herris Sigler, III, (45, Land O’ Lakes) with conspiracy to in- terfere with an interracial cou- ple’s enjoyment of their constitutionally protected housing rights. Dennis is also charged with making false statements to federal law en- forcement officers.
If convicted on all counts, Dennis faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison, and Sigler faces a max- imum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, in 2012, Dennis and Sigler were living on Seward Drive, in Port Richey. After an interra- cial couple moved next door to the house where Sigler was re- siding, the men repeatedly made racial slurs and racially
THOMAS HERRIS SIGLER, III
derogatory statements to the African American neighbor, which escalated to verbal and physical threats.
On Halloween night, Dennis and Sigler attended a party at a neighbor’s house, where they and several other Seward Drive residents conspired to burn a cross in the African American man’s yard to intimidate him. The conspirators constructed a wooden cross and obtained a flammable liquid to pour on the cross.
They then carried the cross to the victims’ front yard, leaned it against the victims’ mailbox, and lit the cross on fire.
“Hate-motivated crimes will not be tolerated in our commu- nity, This case underscores our commitment to prosecute those who commit crimes driven by hatred or intoler- ance,” Attorney Bentley said.
A trial date has not been set in the case.
Corey Harris, 26, was
convicted of drug distribution conspiracy. He also pleaded guilty during the trial to three counts of distribution of crack cocaine.
Napoleon Harris, 32, was convicted of drug distri- bution conspiracy, one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of felon in posses- sion of ammunition, and one count of murder.
Nathaniel Harris, 25, was convicted of drug distri- bution conspiracy, one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder and one count each of attempted mur- der, armed kidnapping, main- taining a house used for drug distribution, use of a firearm in furtherance of maintaining a drug house, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and cocaine, use of a firearm in furtherance of drug crimes, felon in possession of ammunition and felon in pos- session of firearms and am- munition.
Deonte Martin, 31, was convicted of drug distribution conspiracy, one count of rack- eteering conspiracy, one count of murder, possession with in- tent to distribute cocaine base, possessing a firearm in fur- therance of drug trafficking and felon in possession of a firearm.
ley said, “First and foremost, our thoughts are with the fam- ilies of the victims murdered by these defendants. We are thankful that they have finally received the justice they de- serve. These six individuals were part of a ruthless crimi- nal enterprise that, for too long, preyed on the commu- nity by committing seven murders and countless other acts of violence.
“These men engaged in an escalating gang war, culminat- ing with the public execution of Brenton Coleman during the first day of pee wee foot- ball in Bradenton. We are grateful for the many commu- nity members who bravely came forward and testified, despite a systematic effort at witness intimidation. These verdicts demonstrate the De- partment of Justice’s commit- ment to combating gang violence and drug trafficking. Working in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement, we will continue to prosecute gang members and work to make our neigh- borhoods safer.”
Twelve enterprise members and co-conspirators previ- ously pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, firearms and other offenses in connection with this case.
Officers Fire At Man Who Fled Traffic Stop
U. S. Attorney A. Lee Bent-
Two Arrested During Ybor City Protest
Tampa Police are investigat- ing an officer involved shooting that occurred September 10th.
Officers conducted a traffic stop on a Toyota for a missing headlight at 9:30 p. m. near Florida Avenue and Ida Street. The officers determined the ve- hicle had been stolen and dur- ing that time, the driver fled from the traffic stop in the stolen car.
The driver, Joel Alexander Cook, 20, crashed into a tree near a home on Floribraska and Tampa Street. Officers arriving on the scene tried to make con- tact with Cook when he report- edly put the car into reverse and backed into the hood of a patrol cruiser. At that point both offi- cers fired shots at Cook, miss-
JOEL COOK
ing him.
It was reported that Cook
had been released from jail Sep- tember 1st after serving time on a grand theft motor vehicle charge and will now be facing new charges.
Two St. Petersburg residents were taken into custody last Friday during a protest outside of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, 2008 E. 8th Avenue.
The arrests came about after Jason Stuart Flores, 31, and Chardonnay Singleton, 28, allegedly broke the line of offi- cers preventing the demon- strators from entering the roadways. The arrests and
most of the demonstration took place along 19th Street near 9th Avenue, police said.
Tampa Police charged Flo- res with three counts of bat- tery on a law enforcement officer and one count of resist- ing arrest without violence. Singleton was charged with resisting arrest without vio- lence and disorderly conduct.
Flores and Singleton were among about 15 people
protesting the shooting death of Levonia Riggins, III, by Hillsborough County Deputy Caleb Johnson earlier this month. Riggins was not armed.
Riggins was laid to rest on Saturday.
Deputy Johnson has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Uncle Sandy Says...
For every good reason 14, 18, 22, 25 there is to lie, 1, 33, 38, 41 there is a better reason 4, 34, 40, 48 to tell the truth. 12, 49, 54, 58
PAGE 18 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016