Page 42 - Florida Sentinel 5-13-22

Crime4 Tampa Men Plead Guilty To Racketeering
22-Year-Old Injured
In Exchange
Of Gunfire
With Police
KEAUJAY HORNSBY
Earlier this week, four members of a Tampa crimi- nal enterprise pleaded guilty to several charges. Each is facing time in federal prison.
According to court docu- ments, the men have been identified as: Keaujay Hornsby, a/k/a “Plug,” 26, of Tampa; Kareem Spann, a/k/a “Reem,” of 27, Tampa and Tywon Spann, a/k/a “Weez,” 25, of Tampa, have pleaded guilty to a racketeering con- spiracy related to numerous violent, drug trafficking, and economic crimes that were committed in furtherance of a criminal enterprise called “Robles Park.” Hornsby and Kareem Spann have also pleaded guilty to com- mitting violent crimes in aid of racketeering and discharg- ing firearms in aid of crimes of violence.
Eriaus Bentley, 29, of Tampa, and the three other defendants have each also pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit fraud and identity theft, and committing nu- merous substantive acts of fraud and identity theft.
Bentley faces a maxi- mum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.
Tywon Spann faces up to 20 years imprisonment.
Hornsby and Kareem Spann each face a maxi- mum penalty of life in fed-
TYWON SPANN
eral prison.
According to court docu-
ments, “Robles Park” is a criminal organization whose members and associates en- gaged in acts involving mur- der, assault, intimidation, narcotics trafficking, access device fraud, identity theft, obstruction of justice, and other crimes. Among other acts of violence, on July 19, 2020, Hornsby and Ka- reem Spann committed a shooting outside the Truth Lounge in Tampa, igniting a shootout in front of a crowd that left eight people injured, including minors.
On the afternoon of July 25, 2020, in retaliation for the Truth Lounge shooting, in the parking lot of the In- ternational Plaza in Tampa and near several witnesses, West Tampa gang members initiated an armed con- frontation with Hornsby and Kareem Spann. Hornsby and Kareem Spann exchanged fire with the gang members, leaving behind 25 spent shell casings and several damaged vehi- cles.
This enterprise also dis- tributed controlled sub- stances, with customers that would also cover sales for each other. Sales were arranged via text messages, phone calls, and in-person contacts. The defendants
KAREEM SPANN
maintained and used various premises to store and dis- tribute the narcotics.
On January 5, 2021, law enforcement officers searched one of the resi- dences and found 253.2 grams of cocaine, 298.4 grams of marijuana, and 174.2 grams of synthetic cannabinoids.
Additionally, members of the enterprise worked with each other and other persons to unlawfully obtain the per- sonal identifying informa- tion (PII) of other persons. They used this PII to submit false applications for unem- ployment benefits to which they were not entitled. In total, the defendants submit- ted more than 200 fraudu- lent claims, in 20 different states, with an intended loss of over $3 million. For many of those claims, a bank card was issued from the state in which the claim was filed, loaded with Unemployment Insurance funds. The defen- dants then used each of the cards to withdraw cash from an ATM.
On August 12, 2020, law enforcement officers searched Tywon Spann’s home and seized firearms, several pounds of marijuana, and $200,000 in cash, which is traceable to pro- ceeds of these offenses, and will be forfeited.
An investigation was launched after a Pinellas County deputy returned fire, injuring a suspect. The shoot- ing took place last Thursday (May 5th) in the area of 22nd Avenue, South and 34th Street, South in St. Peters- burg.
According to police, at ap- proximately 8:50 p. m. on Thursday, May 5, 2022, St. Petersburg Police Officer Christian Collins, 26, and his Field Training Of- ficer (FTO) responded to a call of a male armed with a gun walking in the area of 22nd Avenue South and 34th Street South in St. Peters- burg.
Detectives said the offi- cers arrived to the area and they saw the man, later iden- tified as 22-year-old Torey Barber. Barber was north of the intersection walking eastbound when the officers saw him with the firearm in his hand. The FTO ordered Barber to drop the gun.
Instead, Barber fled on foot northbound on 34th Street South.
Detectives say the FTO
TOREY BARBER
pursued Barber on foot as Officer Christian Collins followed the suspect in a fully marked, St. Petersburg Police Department vehicle. Barber ran into the parking lot at 2140 34th Street South and began running southbound.
According to detectives, Barber pointed his gun at Officer Collins. Officer Collins then fired his gun from the inside of his vehicle, striking Barber in the upper body area.
Barber was transported to a local hospital with non- life threatening injuries. Charges are pending.
Officer Collins was not injured. The investigation is continuing.
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