United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama and DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen G. Azzam announced the unsealing today of a twenty-three count indictment charging 18 members and associates of a Selma-based street gang known as the MLK Gang” with narcotics conspiracy and firearms offenses.

A total of seven defendants were taken into custody this week; seven other defendants were already in Alabama state custody. Six of the 18 defendants will be presented and arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sonja F. Bivins today at 2:00 P.M. CHOIIS HARRIS was arrested in northern Alabama and was presented and arraigned before Magistrate Judge Herman N. Johnson, Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama yesterday. The case is assigned to United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock.

U.S. Attorney Richard Moore said: “The city of Selma has been plagued too long with a high level of violent crime that we are determined to stop. This indictment is only one part of the strategy of federal, state and local law enforcement to take back the streets of Selma. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to increase our presence in Selma and we are asking the residents of Selma to join us in making their streets safe again.”

DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen G. Azzam said, “The damage caused by drugs and violence affects everyone across the nation, including towns like Selma, Alabama. Our neighborhoods deserve to exist without fear and intimidation inflicted by violent drug gangs. The arrests of these individuals should be a warning to others who prey on the weak and defenseless through their drug trafficking and violent acts. We will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners, to relentlessly pursue these violent criminals and drug traffickers plaguing our communities.”

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Mobile federal court and in other court papers:



The MLK gang, comprised of “DTE” gang members and “Crips” affiliated individuals, concentrated in the processing of cocaine into crack cocaine and its distribution in and around the Martin Luther King Street area of Selma, Alabama. To protect its crack Distribution location, the MLK gang maintained a ready supply of firearms, including handguns, shotguns, and semi-automatic rifles. These weapons were often used by the MLK Gang against rival crack cocaine traffickers.



Count One of the Indictment charges DAMIAN ROGERS, aka DTE LI’DAME, aka A1 DAME, aka DAME, KEISHA WEST, aka TREECE, IRVIN WEST, aka TRIPPY, aka MOO MOO, MITCHELL WILLIAMS, JR., aka MINI MAN, aka MANY MAN, aka MAN E MAN, JAMARCUS BRENSON, aka DTE LISAVAGE, aka L’IL SAVAGE, aka SAVAGE, aka CHEESE, KAREEN WALKER, aka CHROME, JEREMIAH BROWN, aka UNC, EARL GOLDSBY, aka IRON HEAD, LEO CARTER, aka BO PEEP, JAMARRIOUS SHAW, aka DUKEY DUKE, JUWAN HOWARD, J’QUAHN HARVILLE, aka DTE MELO, aka MELO, aka RAHMEL, CHOIIS HARRIS, KENTREVIUS WASHINGTON, aka TREY, JAMES CARTEZ LEE, aka KNACK KNACK, JON GARY, aka ROUN, HORACE CRAIG, aka HONEY BEE, and JARRELL PRITCHETT aka RELLwith participating in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Count Nine of the Indictment charges DAMIAN ROGERS, aka DTE LI’DAME, aka A1 DAME, aka DAME, KEISHA WEST, aka TREECE, IRVIN WEST, aka TRIPPY, aka MOO MOO, MITCHELL WILLIAMS, JR., aka MINI MAN, aka MANY MAN, aka MAN E MAN, JAMARCUS BRENSON, aka DTE LISAVAGE, aka L’IL SAVAGE, aka SAVAGE, aka CHEESE, JEREMIAH BROWN, aka UNC, EARL GOLDSBY, aka IRON HEAD, JAMARRIOUS SHAW, aka DUKEY DUKE,JUWAN HOWARD, J’QUAHN HARVILLE, aka DTE MELO, aka MELO, aka RAHMEL, CHOIIS HARRIS, KENTREVIUS WASHINGTON, aka TREY, JAMES CARTEZ LEE, aka KNACK KNACK, and HORACE CRAIG, aka HONEY BEE, with participating in a conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

If convicted of the drug conspiracy in Count One, the defendants could be imprisoned from a minimum of five to a maximum of 40 years. If convicted of the firearm conspiracy in Count Nine, the defendants could be imprisoned up to twenty years. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Selma Police Department, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Luis F. Peral is handling prosecution of the case for the United States.

The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.