WASHINGTON D.C. NEWS
April 25, 2013
Contact: Public Information Officer
Number: 202-307-3936
13 Correctional Officers among 25 Alleged BGF Gang Membersand Associates Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charges
Correctional Officers Smuggled in Cell Phones and Drugs and Were in Bed
with BGF Inmates; Surprise Searches Conducted by Federal Agents and Trusted Officers from Outside Baltimore
APRIL 25 (BALTIMORE)  -A federal grand jury returned a racketeering indictment charging 25individuals, including 13 correctional officers with the Maryland Department of Public Safety andCorrectional Services, for conspiring to run operations of the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) ganginside correctional facilities. All 25 defendants also are charged with conspiracy to distribute andpossession with intent to distribute drugs; and 20 of the defendants are charged with moneylaundering conspiracy.
The indictment and a detailed affidavit were unsealed today upon the arrests of thedefendants and the execution of 15 search warrants. Approximately 170 agents and officers assistedin todays arrests and search warrants. The indictment was returned on April 2, 2013. Onedefendant was killed in a robbery several hours before the indictment was filed. The defendants areidentified below.
The indictment arose from the efforts of the Maryland Prison Task Force, a group of local,state and federal stakeholders that met regularly for more than two years and generatedrecommendations to reform prison procedures.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J.Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts; Secretary Gary D. Maynard of the MarylandDepartment of Public Safety and Correctional Services; and Chief Mark A. Magaw of the PrinceGeorges County Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Rosenstein also recognized the efforts of the other members of the MarylandPrison Task Force in this investigation and prosecution, including: Baltimore City States AttorneyGregg L. Bernstein; Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; UnitedStates Marshal Johnny Hughes; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug EnforcementAdministration - Washington Field Division; Tom Carr, Director of the Washington-Baltimore HighIntensity Drug Trafficking Area; and Dave Engel, Executive Director of the Maryland Coordinationand Analysis Center.
Correctional officers were in bed with BGF inmates, in violation of the first principle ofprison management, said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. Preventing prison corruption requiresintensive screening at prison entrances and punishment for employees who consort with inmates orbring cell phones and drugs into correctional facilities.
This investigation revealed the pervasive nature of prison corruption in Baltimore CitysDetention Centers, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt. Such corruption causes theFBI to divert crucial investigative resources away from addressing violence on the streets ofBaltimore. In this case, the inmates literally took over the asylum, and the detention centers becamesafe havens for the BGF. Such a situation cannot be tolerated. Law enforcement should not have toconcern itself with criminal subjects who have already been arrested and relegated to detentioncenters.
Ninety-nine percent of our Correctional Officers do their jobs with integrity, honesty andrespect, said Secretary Gary Maynard of the Maryland Department of Public Safety andCorrectional Services. Todays indictment, along with those in the past, show that our Departmentwill not stand idly by and let a few bad actors affect the security of our institutions. Nor will weallow them to impugn the reputation of the men and women who come to work every day and goabout their jobs honorably. Those who would break the law should know we will always worktirelessly with our federal, state and local partners to root out corruption.
Today's multi-jurisdictional takedown of suspected BGF gang members and orchestratorswho infiltrated the criminal justice system is another example of the Baltimore Police Department'srelentless focus on targeting the malignant gang organizations that plague our communities," saidPolice Commissioner Anthony Batts. Thanks to the hard working detectives, federal agents andprosecutors who worked behind the scenes to build these cases. Our continued pledge to the peopleof Baltimore is that we will leverage the full capacity of our state and federal partnerships to identifythose responsible for violence and bring them to justice.
The 10 men and 15 women charged in the indictment are alleged to be members or associatesof the BGF, a gang active in prisons throughout the United States. According to the indictment,BGF has been the dominant gang at the Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC), and in severalconnected facilities, especially the Baltimore Central Booking Intake Center, the Womens DetentionCenter, which houses many men, and in the Jail Industries Building. The indictment alleges thatsince at least 2009, BGF members and associates in BCDC and related prison facilities engaged incriminal activities, including drug trafficking; robbery; assault; extortion; bribery; witness retaliation;money laundering; and obstruction of justice.
BGF members and associates allegedly bribed correctional officers at BCDC and relatedprison facilities to smuggle drugs, cell phones and other contraband. Correctional officers arrangedfavored treatment and privileges for imprisoned BGF gang members, and officers thwartedinterdiction and law enforcement efforts against BGF inmates. BGF members and associatesallegedly had long-term sexual relationships with several correctional officers and impregnated them.BGF leaders allegedly used contraband cell phones to order contraband. Co-conspiratorsdelivered contraband to corrupt correctional officers who smuggled the items into the prisons.Correctional officers often arranged payment for the contraband. Some gang dues and drug profitswere used to support activities of BGF street organizations outside the prisons.The charging documents allege that correctional officers were able to bring contrabanddirectly into the prisons through the main entrances. Inside the prisons, BGF was able to controlcontraband smuggling because BGF gang members were designated as working men. Workingmen are inmates who are paid to assist management and are free to move about the facility.Green Dot cash debit cards were allegedly used by inmates to pay BGF for smuggledcontraband and used by BGF to transfer criminal proceeds. Luxury automobiles were among thepurchases made by BGF with Green Dot cards.
According to the indictment, members and associates followed directions from the rankingBGF members in BCDC, especially inmate Tavon White. On January, 5, 2013, White explained in aphone call: This is my jail. You understand that? I'm dead serious.... I make every final call in thisjail, ... and nothing go past me, everything come to me.... Any of my brothers that deal withanybody, its gonna come to me. You see what I am saying? Everything come to me.Everything. Before a mother-f----- hit a n----- in the mouth, guess what they do, they gottarun it through me. I tell them whether it's a go ahead, and they can do it or whether they holdback. Before a mother-f----- stab somebody, they gotta run it through me.... Anything thatget done must go through me.
Tavon White summarized his position in a conversation with correctional officer Adrena Rice on February 11, 2013: I told them worker men that they had to step down off the worker men spots or they was getting hit.... I hold the highest seat you can get... My word is law..., so if I told any mother-f------ body they had to do this, hit a police, do this, kill a mother-f-----, do anything, it got toget done. Period.
White allegedly used contraband cell phones to discuss BGF activities inside BCDC, such asthe collection of fees and taxes, to request information about inmates, to hear grievances from otherBGF inmates, and to coordinate his contraband smuggling operation. White and other gang membersdeveloped sexual relationships with officers in order to gain influence over them.
White allegedly had long-term sexual relationships inside BCDC with four correctionalofficers, Jennifer Owens, Katera Stevenson, Chania Brooks and Tiffany Linder, impregnating each ofthe four officers at least once. Owens had Tavon tattooed on her neck and Stevenson hadTavon tattooed on her wrist. All four officers allegedly help smuggle contraband into BCDC andrelated facilities. White allegedly gave Owens a diamond ring and provided luxury automobiles toOwens, Stevenson and Brooks. The indictment includes many overt acts in furtherance of theracketeering enterprise. For example, in November 2012, correctional officer Jasmin Jones allegedlystood guard outside a closet in BCDC so that correctional officer Kimberly Dennis and inmateDerius Duncan could have sex. Corrupt officers also warned BGF inmates about law enforcementoperations. For example, Brooks and Linder allegedly notified White when they learned aboutupcoming canine scans and jail cell searches. The affidavit specifies two occasions in whichwarning calls to White were intercepted: December 21, 2012 (from Brooks), and January 6, 2013(from Linder). White then used his cell phone to spread the word to other inmates.
On January 6, 2013, White allegedly said: I just got a message (from Officer Tiffany Linder) saying that they was going to pull a shake down (prison search) tonight. Let me call all these dudes in my phone and let them know.
The U.S. Attorney expressed appreciation to Secretary Maynard and select membersof his senior staff who confidentially arranged for 30 trusted correctional officers fromoutside Baltimore to join with federal agents and conduct surprise searches of BGF membersand their jail cells on February 14, 2013, resulting in the discovery of important evidence.
The indictment seeks the forfeiture of $500,000 and other proceeds of the enterprise,including luxury automobiles.
The defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the racketeeringand drug conspiracies, as well as for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Stevenson,Yarborough and Pinder each also face five years in prison for possession with intent todistribute marijuana. The defendants are expected to have initial appearances in U.S. District Court inBaltimore this afternoon.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment ispresumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Maryland Department ofPublic Safety and Correctional Services, Baltimore Police Department, the Prince GeorgesCounty Police Department and Maryland Prison Task Force, Baltimore City Assistant StatesAttorneys Kevin Wilson and Katie OHara for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosensteinthanked Assistant United States Attorneys Robert R. Harding and Ayn B. Ducao, who areprosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
The following defendants are charged in the indictment unsealed today.
Inmates: Tavon White, a/k/a Bulldog and Tay, age 36, of Baltimore;Jamar Anderson, a/k/a Hammer and Hamma Head, age 26, of Baltimore;Derius Duncan, age 26, of Baltimore;Steven Loney, a/k/a Stevie, age 24, of Baltimore;Jermaine McFadden, a/k/a Maine, age 24, of Baltimore;Kenneth Parham, age 23, of Baltimore; andJoseph Young, a/k/a Monster, age 30, of Baltimore.
Correctional officers: Antonia Allison, age 27, of Baltimore;Ebonee Braswell, age 26, of Baltimore;Chania Brooks, age 27, of Baltimore;Kimberly Dennis, age 26, of Baltimore;Jasmin Jones, a/k/a J.J., age 24, of Baltimore;Taryn Kirkland, age 23, of Baltimore;Katrina LaPrade, a/k/a Katrina Lyons, age 31, of Baltimore;Tiffany Linder, age 27, of Baltimore;Vivian Matthews, age 25, of Essex, Maryland;Jennifer Owens, a/k/a O and J.O., age 31, of Randallstown;Adrena Rice, age 25, of Baltimore;Katera Stevenson, a/k/a KK, age 24, of Baltimore; andJasmine Thornton, a/k/a J.T., age 26, of Glen Burnie.
Outside suppliers: Tyesha Mayo, age 29, of Baltimore;Teshawn Pinder, age 24, of Baltimore;Tyrone Thompson, a/k/a Henry, age 36, of Baltimore;Ralph Timmons, Jr., a/k/a Boosa, age 34, of Baltimore (deceased); andJames Yarborough, a/k/a J.Y., age 26, of Baltimore.