Hearing about the ongoing war in “the red zone” might lead you to believe you’ve stumbled across references to cold war in Russia, or some similar communist country. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. The red zone actually refers to a section of Detroit’s eastside, between Seven Mile and Eight Mile roads, and bordered by Gratiot Avenue on the west and Kelly Road on the east in Wayne County. And while it is ground zero for an ongoing war, the soldiers here obey orders from no government beyond their own gang leader, and recognize no patriotism beyond the allegiance they owe to their own gang turf.
Gang violence in Detroit has been an ongoing problem for many years.
It’s been a problem that both the Detroit Police and the Feds have chipping away at for decades. And with the sudden rise of social media platforms, gangs have been granted new opportunities for communication and threat delivery. In particular, Instagram has become a vehicle for gangs to post online hit lists, and update followers when a rival gang member is ‘checked off the list’ by way of assasination. And one particular gang has been under the law enforcement microscope for years now.
The feds are taking the job of dismantling this gang very seriously.
The case took years to construct. Using Instagram and Facebook posts, and the lyrics of rap videos created by gang members and posted on YouTube, law enforcement has pieced together a case against numerous members of the Seven Mile Bloods and their rival gangs. All in all, Federal prosecutors have indicted 21 alleged Seven Mile Bloods members and other gang associates in the years-long crackdown. Several gang members have received life sentences so far for the roles they played in murders, drug running, and racketeering. Other will face the death penalty in federal court.
The Seven Mile Bloods are accused of a laundry list of crimes!
According to prosecutors, SMB gang members are guilty of targeting dozens of rival gang members for death on social media. They’re alleged to have participated in over 14 shootings, 11 attempted murders, and four homicides. In addition, they’re said to be the sole controllers of a drug pipeline, funneling thousands of prescription opioid pills to Charleston, West Virginia, every week and raking in countless thousands of dollars in the process. The red zone quickly became Detroit’s most dangerous neighborhood, with hundreds of unsolved assaults and murders taking place over the years.
Many SMB gang members are now facing extremely serious criminal charges!
In 2018 the first SMB members came to trial, and were convicted on a range of charges, from RICO Conspiracy and Firearms charges, to Drug Trafficking and Murder in Aid of Racketeering. Robert Brown II, aka “R.O., Keithon Porter, aka “KP,” and Eugene Fisher, aka “Fes,” were all convicted in 2018 on numerous violent felonies. Since then, Arlandis Shy, aka “Grymee” or “Vil,” and SMB gang leader Corey Bailey, aka “Cocaine Sonny,” have also been convicted. Bailey was sentenced to two life sentences in prison, and several more gang members await their day in court with very little hope of future freedom.
The feds don’t mess around when it comes to gang violence!
Federal penalties are notorious for being more severe than the punishments handed down in state courts across Michigan. It’s one of the reasons that local law enforcement sometimes hand cases over to the feds – to ensure that the defendant faces the harshest sentence possible if convicted. That’s why, if you’ve been charged with a crime by the feds in Michigan, you need a criminal defense attorney who can represent you in either the state or the federal courts. Here at The Kronzek Firm, our aggressive and highly skilled criminal defense trial lawyers can do both, and do it well. So call 866 766 5245 (866 7NoJail) today and get the representation that you need, to ensure the best possible outcome in your case. There’s a good reason we’re called the top warriors in Michigan’s criminal courts.