Youngstown, other Ohio gang members charged in second superseding indictment
On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio unsealed a second superseding indictment against 18 members and associates of a Cleveland-based, violent street gang known as the Fully Blooded Felons or “FBF”, according to a Department of Justice press release.
The release stated the defendants charged are alleged to have committed numerous federal crimes, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, firearms violations, conspiracy, and drug trafficking.
The investigation that led to the second superseding indictment took place throughout the last two years, with the initial indictment issued on Dec. 20, 2023, followed by a superseding indictment on April 4, 2024.
According to court documents, members of FBF have engaged in criminal activity for more than a decade in Ohio, since approximately 2012. The gang was primarily based on the east side of Cleveland, but also established strongholds in Akron, Youngstown, and other areas. The scope and reach of the gang’s alleged criminal operations included attempts to infiltrate the Ohio prison system.
Federal and local law enforcement agents and officers apprehended individuals in a series of coordinated arrests. They seized several controlled substances, including cocaine, methamphetamine, and more than 400 grams of fentanyl. They also confiscated 15 illegally possessed firearms throughout the investigation, according to the press release.
“The superseding indictment alleges that these 18 defendants were leaders, members, or associates of the Fully Blooded Felons, a violent gang that — for more than a decade — made money and controlled territory in Northern Ohio through murder, arson, robbery, drug trafficking, and firearms possession,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Violence and other gang activities make communities less safe for all of their residents. Addressing violent crime — including through the arrests announced today — is one of the Criminal Division’s highest priorities. I am proud of the outstanding work done by our Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, in partnership with our federal, state, and local partners, to make our communities safer places to live by targeting the most violent offenders on our streets.”
During the investigation, law enforcement officials uncovered the defendants’ patterns of racketeering activity, which included their establishment of an organizational structure for their criminal enterprise involving gang membership hierarchy, titles, and rules.
The FBF’s framework was allegedly created by its highest-ranking member, Raven Mullins, who held the self-proclaimed position of “Godfather.” The gang structure included a “Commission” made up of a member subgroup known as “Commissioners.”
Together, they maintained the enterprise’s organization through physical discipline and by determining which illicit means they would pursue to generate income. To accomplish their goal of promoting and enhancing their criminal enterprise and its members’ and associates’ activities, and preserving and protecting their territories, FBF members and associates conspired to commit and did commit a murder, assaults, robberies, and drug trafficking.
“As the indictment alleges, the Fully Blooded Felons styled themselves after a Mafia crime family, terrorizing Cleveland’s streets and operating an open-air illegal drug market in the Cedar Central neighborhood for years. I commend the valiant efforts of our brave law enforcement partners who have worked diligently to win back our streets and protect our community by taking down these bad actors,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “The USAO will aggressively continue to pursue—through RICO prosecutions and other federal charges—violent criminals who seek to secure territory, power, and money by ruthlessly harming others, peddling poisons, and creating an atmosphere of fear. Members of FBF or other violent gangs in this District who have yet to be caught should think twice before continuing to engage in such illegal and destructive behavior.”
As the indictment alleges, each FBF member was expected to follow a set of rules that Mullins primarily established. Mullins and the Commission disseminated these expectations to FBF members online, in text messages, and by face-to-face communications.
Members were required to memorize and recite a set of rules, known as the “Fully Five,” at meetings, and they faced punishment if they answered incorrectly. Rules included following all orders issued by the Commission, pledging their loyalty to fellow members, and being respectful to the “Capos,” who were FBF members in leadership roles beneath the Commissioners. They were also expected to know and adhere to the “Fully Commandments,” another set of rules similar to the “Fully Five.”
Investigators discovered that gang members occupied two separate units at a local apartment complex that they used as stash-houses to facilitate drug trafficking. While executing two search warrants, law enforcement officers recovered more than 400 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and multiple firearms from these locations.
According to the second superseding indictment, on Sept. 12, 2023, Raven Mullins, Henry Burchett, and James Clemons, along with another unidentified individual, shot and killed a victim on the westside of Cleveland. After killing the victim, the defendants fled the scene in a stolen vehicle that was later set on fire.
The second superseding indictment alleges a years-long pattern of racketeering and violence, including a murder, kidnapping, assaults, and drug trafficking.
The defendants and their charges are as follows:
· Raven Mullins, aka Dunny, aka Dun, 35, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, numerous counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
· Henry Burchett, aka Noodles, aka Noo, aka Omerta, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, numerous counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
· Elijah Johnson, aka Loon, 37, of Youngstown, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
· Demarcus Elliott, aka Moo, aka Fast Lane, 37, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
· Dontez Hammond, aka Donny, aka Tez, 35, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
· Jeffrey Lee, aka Fatty, 24, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, numerous counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
· Jerrell Jones-Ferrell, aka Ruga, 25, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
· Devonte Johnson, aka D Nut, aka Nut, 32, of Euclid, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
· Jerome Williams, aka Jay, aka JT, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
· Christepher Horton, aka Cam, aka Killa, 41, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
· Deeundra Perkins, aka Drizzy, 33, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
· Deon Blackwell, aka White Boy, 38, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
· James Clemons, aka Flock, aka Pope, aka Fully Pope Flock, 32, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering.
· Alex Darden, aka Lil’ Pee Wee, 23, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
· Esmond Williams, aka Relle, 35, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
· Adrionna Null, aka Ali, 27, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with kidnapping in aid of racketeering and assault in aid of racketeering.
· Myeasha West, aka Action, 31, of Lorain, Ohio, is charged with kidnapping in aid of racketeering and assault in aid of racketeering.
· Kyla Sharie Tyler, aka Yayeo, 27, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with kidnapping in aid of racketeering and assault in aid of racketeering.
An indictment is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, with assistance from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, the Cleveland Division of Police, USMS, the DEA, and the ATF.
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 1:54 PM