Black Mafia Family
Encyclopedia
The Black Mafia Family (BMF), was a drug--trafficking organization originally based in Detroit, Michigan
. Founded by the Flenory Brothers (Demetrius
and Terry), the organization began in the late 1980s. By the year 2000, they had established multi-kilogram cocaine
distribution cells in cities throughout the United States. Through their Los Angeles
-based drug source, they had direct links to Mexican-based drug cartels. They established two main hubs for their operation. The Atlanta, Georgia
hub, for distribution, was operated by older brother Demetrius, while the Los Angeles, California
hub was operated by Terry to handle incoming shipments from Mexico
.
Around 2000, the organization tried to legitimize itself by entering the Hip-Hop music business, starting a company called BMF Entertainment. Through BMF Entertainment, it helped promote a number of artists, including Young Jeezy
, as well as BMF Entertainment's sole artist, Bleu DaVinci. Before their entrance into the music business, the Flenory Brothers were known to associate with a number of high-profile hip-hop artists, including Jay-Z
, Fabolous
, and Bun B
.
In 2005, the Drug Enforcement Administration
indicted members of the Black Mafia Family, ultimately securing convictions of running a Continuing Criminal Enterprise
against the Flenory brothers. Both were sentenced to 30 years to life. Subsequent indictments eventually targeted over 150 members of the organization. Prosecutors alleged the organization made over $270 million over the course of the conspiracy.
and his younger brother Terry "Southwest T" Flenory began their rise in crime by selling $50 bags of crack cocaine
on the streets of Southwest Detroit and Ecorse, MI during their high school years. By 2000, they had established multi-kilogram
cocaine distribution cells in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts, California, Texas, North Carolina, and Florida. A two-year federal investigation of the organization concluded that its membership, estimated at over 500, was extensive and nationwide. Around 2001, there was a split between the brothers, with Terry Flenory moving to Los Angeles with his girlfriend to head his own organization and Demetrius staying in Atlanta. By 2003 the two had a major falling out and hardly spoke to one another. Also around this time, they began to refer to their activities as being part of the "Black Mafia Family". Before this, they did not have any formal name to their organization.
In a conversation with his sister, caught by the DEA
on a wiretap, Terry discussed how he was worried his brother's excessive partying would bring the wrong type of attention to their business.
By the time charges were filed, the government had 900 pages of typed transcripts of wiretapped conversations from Terry's phone in a 5 month period.
In November 2007, the brothers plead guilty to running a continuing criminal enterprise. In September 2008, both brothers were sentenced to 30 years in prison for running a large scale nationwide cocaine trafficking ring across the United States from 2000 through 2005.
With credit for three years time served, "Big Meech", now 41, will be released on December 16, 2031, or around his 61st birthday; "Southwest T", now 39, will be released on December 14, 2031.
Big Meech is serving out his sentence at Atlanta USP
in Atlanta, GA. His brother Southwest T is serving his sentence at Herlong FCI
in Herlong, CA.
It received wide acclaim from radio and mixtapes DJs for the song "Streets on Lock", headed by BMF affiliate Bleu Davinci featuring Fabolous and Young Jeezy. A music video was later produced for the hit single, however never released to networks.
Creative Loafing senior editor Mara Shalhoup wrote an award-winning three-part series about the Black Mafia Family titled Hip-Hop's Shadowy Empire, which was the first in-depth report on the organization. Her book on the group BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family was published in March 2010.
Demetrius was interviewed from prison in Issue 35 of Don Diva magazine after his sentencing.
There are many hip hop artists who have been associated with BMF as a group and Big Meech in particular. Some of those artists include Young Jeezy
, Bleu DaVinci, Slim Thug
, Fabolous
, and many other well-known artists.
In February 2009, Demetrius was interviewed from prison by The Source magazine via telephone.
In July 2010, rapper Rick Ross
released a song titled, "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)
". The song makes reference to Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory as well as Larry Hoover
, founder of the Chicago-based street gang the Gangster Disciples
. Demetrius released a statement from prison saying that Ross Represented BMF to the fullest, and the people [artists] have to accept it. Rapper Young Jeezy
released a similarly titled song shortly thereafter, causing a small controversy; however, Young Jeezy has stated it was not in any way a dis song aimed at Ross.
In September 2010, the History Channel aired a segment on its Gangland
series about the Black Mafia Family titled "Death Before Dishonor." The segment included interviews with Mara Shalhoup, author of a book on BMF.
As depicted in their numerous DVD and music video appearances, BMF members engaged in a lavish lifestyle perhaps not fitting of many up-and-coming hip-hop labels. Big Meech sometimes bought every BMF member his own bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal champagne or Perrier Jouet Rosé while out partying at some club, which often meant purchasing Cristal by the caseload. The Black Mafia Family was known for throwing upwards of $20,000 in $1 bills in the air and at strippers when at the club.
The organization frequented many upscale Buckhead
area clubs outside Atlanta, including but not limited to Club Chaos, Velvet Room, Justin's, and Compound (where Meech had a lavish birthday party for himself, with live displays of exotic animals, costing well over $100,000.) Demetrius was very fond of strip clubs, and before taking the BMF entourage out to a regular club, they usually went to a strip club beforehand.
Receipts found in a house that was allegedly one of Meech's showed cash purchases of over $23,000 in a single trip to Bang & Olufsen
, a high-end audio retailer located inside Phipps Plaza
. When going to the club, upper-level members were seen in their own individual high-end luxury cars. In one commonly available video, it shows a Rolls-Royce Phantom
, Bentley Continental GT
, Lamborghini Murcielago
, and Aston Martin Vanquish all parked together and all owned by BMF members.
In addition, when out at the clubs Big Meech threw after-parties in the presidential suite of the Buckhead Westin for his crew, as well as in the presidential suites of other upscale Buckhead
area hotels. Court documents reveal one informant relaying information about Big Meech paying off all his debts one day (totaling over $5.5 million in cash) at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Atlanta.
Two homes searched and allegedly lived in by Big Meech were both ultra-modern homes in very upscale suburbs. His brother Terry lived in a multi-million dollar home off of Mulholland Drive
in Los Angeles.
Although Terry lived with his girlfriend and their kids in a fixed home, Demetrius preferred to move from place to place. There were at least four Atlanta-area homes that he at one point lived in as well as a $30,000 a month rental home in Miami. When he was arrested, he claimed he lived all over with various girlfriends.
information from BMF members. On October 28, 2003, a 2-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation began, coordinated by the DEA's Special Operations Division, codenamed "Operation Motor City Mafia".
On April 11, 2004, BMF courier and high-level distributor Jabari Hayes was pulled over in Phelps County, MO
along I-40 driving a 40-foot motor home; supposedly for swerving over the fog line. After a K-9 unit alerted to drugs in the vehicle, in the back bedroom of the motor home were two suitcases containing approximately 95 kilograms of cocaine and 572 grams of marijuana. It was one of the largest drug busts in Missouri history. Three weeks earlier Jabari was pulled over in St. Louis in a 1999 Lincoln Town Car; with $600,000 in cash in the trunk.
In mid-September 2004 a wiretap on a low-level crack dealer in Atlanta, Rafael "Smurf" Allison led an HIDTA task force to a mid-level dealer named Decarlo Hoskins. Hoskins subsequently turned informant and said he grew up with 2 brothers, Omari McCree and Jeffrey Leahr, who were BMF members and able to supply multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine regularly. Omari McCree was a high-level distributor for the organization and was favored by Big Meech, wiretaps revealed. On November 5, 2004, Omari's brother, Jeffrey Leahr, were pulled over due to the wiretaps on I-75 in Atlanta with his girlfriend in a Porsche Cayenne
Turbo SUV. In the back seat was a duffle bag containing 10 kilograms of cocaine. They were released later the same day in an attempt to gather more information in regards to their supplier and the organization by use of the wiretaps. Omari and Jeffrey, being in a large debt now to BMF for the lost kilos, went on the run. When Omari was picked up June 8, 2005, he signed a confidential-source agreement and began to describe his role in BMF. He named "Big Meech" as the source of the cocaine but that he did not actually pick it up from Big Meech himself. According to Omari, Chad "J-Bo" Brown supplied him with cocaine on behalf of Big Meech. These events and a number of others formed the backbone of the government's case against the two brothers.
Although Omari McCree gave investigators information, he never actually testified against anyone in open court. During trial, the government's star witness was William "Doc" Marshall.
Testimony given during various trials says the organization operated as follows: Meech's side of the organization operated 5 stash houses in the Atlanta area, nicknamed "The Gate"; "The Horse Ranch"; "Space Mountain", or "Bugsy Siegel"; and "The Elevator". Approximately every 10 days, vehicles would arrive with 100-150 kilograms packed in secret compartments. Workers at the various stash houses were paid to unload the kilograms and place them inside the stash house. Customers who ordered would call in and said they have their vehicle ready (a transportation vehicle to put the narcotics in). Depending on the size of their order they were directed to a particular stash house where they would pull in, go inside, hand over money in $5,000 bundles, and receive kilograms in a bag of some sort, open so they could verify they received the correct number of kilos. The kilograms usually went for $20,000 each. The same trap vehicles would then be filled with cash (the proceeds from drug sales) to be sent back to the Mexican sources of supply
Workers inside the stash houses had certain duties; for example, two people may be in charge of counting bulk amounts of cash, usually in the millions. Other people were packing the kilos for customers that were arriving as they were told. Another method the BMF organization received drugs was through large containers at the airport. They picked the containers containing 100-150 kilograms of cocaine and delivered them to the stash houses.
During testimony, one DEA agent testified that just one seizure from the BMF organization was enough to put most mid-level wholesalers out of business. The fact so many large seizures occurred and the organization was still thriving is a testament to their wealth and power.
Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory, as well as his brother Terry "Southwest T" Flenory, were charged with continuing criminal enterprise (similar to Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
(RICO) except used in drug cases) conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. Demetrius was captured in a large home in a suburb outside Dallas. Inside, police found a small amount of marijuana and a few MDMA, or ecstasy, pills. In a safe inside the house were several weapons; a Springfield .40 pistol, FN Herstal 5.7x28 pistol, and a Para Ordinance .45 pistol. Outside and in the garage were a 2005 Bentley
Continental GT, a 2004 Ford F-150 truck, and a 2004 Dodge Magnum station wagon.
His brother, Terry "Southwest T" Flenory, were captured in St. Louis with small amounts of marijuana and a few weapons being found throughout the house, which was also occupied by multiple people at the time of the arrest.
details Mr. Arabov's entanglements with the group and also reiterates public information that has surfaced regarding the case against BMF.http://www.vanityfair.com/fame/features/2006/11/jacob200611?currentPage=1 The Department of Justice
also shed light on more of the group's alleged activities in the indictment papers, which included running drug money through various banks, and money wiring services in an attempt to disguise its origin. The group has also been accused of obtaining several winning Michigan state lottery
tickets from a third party, which they paid cash for, and then cashing in the tickets in an attempt to make the money appear legitimate. This indictment also seeks the forfeiture of "more than 30 pieces of jewelry, 13 residences, 35 vehicles including Lincoln Limousine, BMW's, Range Rovers, Aston-Martin, and Bentleys, numerous bank accounts, over $1.2 million in seized currency, and a money judgment totaling $270 million." http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/states/newsrel/detroit061506.html
, the U.S. Attorney for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
unveiled an indictment of 16 more members of the Black Mafia Family. http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan/press/2007/07-25-07.pdf "The government is one step closer to eradicating one of today's most violent and notorious drug trafficking organizations", said Special Agent in Charge Rodney G. Benson of the Drug Enforcement Administration
Atlanta office. The indictment charged all defendants with participating in the nationwide cocaine
distribution conspiracy, which carries a penalty of between 10 years and life in prison, and up to a $4 million fine. Black Mafia Family once had billboards towering over Atlanta boldly proclaiming that the world was theirs", Mr. Nahmias said. "This indictment is a rejection of that claim. First in Detroit and Orlando, and now here, the government is shutting down the BMF's once-flourishing drug empire
All 16 defendants were charged with participating in the overall cocaine distribution conspiracy. The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $4,000,000 fine. Eventually, all defendants plead guilty before trial except Fleming Daniels, who chose to take his case to a jury.
Daniels also awaits trial for the July 2004 murder of Rashannibal Drummond Drummond, 23, was fatally shot in the Velvet Room parking lot in Atlanta after he slapped a luxury car to alert the driver not to back into him.
members of BMF have been arrested. However, the total number of BMF members exceeds well over 150; the federal government believes the 150 they have indicted and arrested account for the command and control structure as well as other key figures in the organization (distributors, stash house operators, transporters, etc.).
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. Founded by the Flenory Brothers (Demetrius
Demetrius Flenory
Demetrius Flenory , better known in many Atlanta circles as Big Meech, is an American convicted drug trafficker, one of the two founding leaders of the Black Mafia Family drug trafficking organization...
and Terry), the organization began in the late 1980s. By the year 2000, they had established multi-kilogram cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
distribution cells in cities throughout the United States. Through their Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based drug source, they had direct links to Mexican-based drug cartels. They established two main hubs for their operation. The Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
hub, for distribution, was operated by older brother Demetrius, while the Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
hub was operated by Terry to handle incoming shipments from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Around 2000, the organization tried to legitimize itself by entering the Hip-Hop music business, starting a company called BMF Entertainment. Through BMF Entertainment, it helped promote a number of artists, including Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
, as well as BMF Entertainment's sole artist, Bleu DaVinci. Before their entrance into the music business, the Flenory Brothers were known to associate with a number of high-profile hip-hop artists, including Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, Fabolous
Fabolous
John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
, and Bun B
Bun B
Bernard Freeman better known by his stage name Bun B, is an American rapper and was one half of the southern hip hop duo UGK . He is also a guest lecturer at Rice University located in Houston, Texas...
.
In 2005, the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
indicted members of the Black Mafia Family, ultimately securing convictions of running a Continuing Criminal Enterprise
Continuing Criminal Enterprise
The Continuing Criminal Enterprise Statute is a United States federal law that targets large-scale drug traffickers who are responsible for long-term and elaborate drug conspiracies...
against the Flenory brothers. Both were sentenced to 30 years to life. Subsequent indictments eventually targeted over 150 members of the organization. Prosecutors alleged the organization made over $270 million over the course of the conspiracy.
Flenory brothers
Demetrius "Big Meech" FlenoryDemetrius Flenory
Demetrius Flenory , better known in many Atlanta circles as Big Meech, is an American convicted drug trafficker, one of the two founding leaders of the Black Mafia Family drug trafficking organization...
and his younger brother Terry "Southwest T" Flenory began their rise in crime by selling $50 bags of crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
on the streets of Southwest Detroit and Ecorse, MI during their high school years. By 2000, they had established multi-kilogram
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
cocaine distribution cells in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts, California, Texas, North Carolina, and Florida. A two-year federal investigation of the organization concluded that its membership, estimated at over 500, was extensive and nationwide. Around 2001, there was a split between the brothers, with Terry Flenory moving to Los Angeles with his girlfriend to head his own organization and Demetrius staying in Atlanta. By 2003 the two had a major falling out and hardly spoke to one another. Also around this time, they began to refer to their activities as being part of the "Black Mafia Family". Before this, they did not have any formal name to their organization.
In a conversation with his sister, caught by the DEA
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
on a wiretap, Terry discussed how he was worried his brother's excessive partying would bring the wrong type of attention to their business.
By the time charges were filed, the government had 900 pages of typed transcripts of wiretapped conversations from Terry's phone in a 5 month period.
In November 2007, the brothers plead guilty to running a continuing criminal enterprise. In September 2008, both brothers were sentenced to 30 years in prison for running a large scale nationwide cocaine trafficking ring across the United States from 2000 through 2005.
With credit for three years time served, "Big Meech", now 41, will be released on December 16, 2031, or around his 61st birthday; "Southwest T", now 39, will be released on December 14, 2031.
Big Meech is serving out his sentence at Atlanta USP
United States Penitentiary, Atlanta
United States Penitentiary, Atlanta is a medium-security federal prison for men in Atlanta, Georgia. It also has a detention center for pre-trial and holdover inmates and an adjacent camp for minimum security male inmates...
in Atlanta, GA. His brother Southwest T is serving his sentence at Herlong FCI
Federal Correctional Institution, Herlong
The Federal Correctional Institution Herlong is a medium security institution housing male inmates, with a satellite camp that houses minimum security male inmates in Herlong, California....
in Herlong, CA.
Hip-hop presence
In 2004, "World Is BMF's" was nominated for a Source Award. BMF appeared in numerous underground hip-hop DVD magazines, most notably several issues of S.M.A.C.K. DVD Magazine and The Come Up DVD. The organization's most highly visible appearance was in a full-length DVD that was produced by The Raw Report DVD-Magazine, which gave a detailed inside look at their movement. This DVD was featured in the cover article on BMF in the May 2006 issue of VIBE magazine.It received wide acclaim from radio and mixtapes DJs for the song "Streets on Lock", headed by BMF affiliate Bleu Davinci featuring Fabolous and Young Jeezy. A music video was later produced for the hit single, however never released to networks.
Creative Loafing senior editor Mara Shalhoup wrote an award-winning three-part series about the Black Mafia Family titled Hip-Hop's Shadowy Empire, which was the first in-depth report on the organization. Her book on the group BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family was published in March 2010.
Demetrius was interviewed from prison in Issue 35 of Don Diva magazine after his sentencing.
There are many hip hop artists who have been associated with BMF as a group and Big Meech in particular. Some of those artists include Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
, Bleu DaVinci, Slim Thug
Slim Thug
Stayve Jerome Thomas , better known as Slim Thug, Boss Hogg or Thug Boss, is an American rapper. He gained mainstream attention for his contribution to the popular single from rapper Mike Jones, "Still Tippin'"....
, Fabolous
Fabolous
John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
, and many other well-known artists.
In February 2009, Demetrius was interviewed from prison by The Source magazine via telephone.
In July 2010, rapper Rick Ross
Rick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
released a song titled, "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)
B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)
"B.M.F. " is the second single from Rick Ross' fourth studio album Teflon Don. It features Styles P. It was produced by Lex Luger. The song was originally released as an unmastered version on Ross' promotional mixtape, the Albert Anastasia EP...
". The song makes reference to Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory as well as Larry Hoover
Larry Hoover
Larry Hoover was the leader of the Chicago street gang called Gangster Disciples.-Early life:...
, founder of the Chicago-based street gang the Gangster Disciples
Gangster Disciples
The Black Gangster Disciple Nation is a gang which was formed on the South-side of Chicago in the late 1960s, by David Barksdale, leader of the Black Disciples, and Larry Hoover, leader of the Supreme Gangsters. The two groups united to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation .The gang has made...
. Demetrius released a statement from prison saying that Ross Represented BMF to the fullest, and the people [artists] have to accept it. Rapper Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
released a similarly titled song shortly thereafter, causing a small controversy; however, Young Jeezy has stated it was not in any way a dis song aimed at Ross.
In September 2010, the History Channel aired a segment on its Gangland
Gangland (TV series)
Gangland is a documentary television series that airs on The History Channel. It usually airs on Thursday evenings although it has been known to arbitrarily change days every so often. Gangland explores the history of some of America's more notorious gangs. It premiered on November 1, 2007 with a...
series about the Black Mafia Family titled "Death Before Dishonor." The segment included interviews with Mara Shalhoup, author of a book on BMF.
Lifestyle
The organization frequented many upscale Buckhead
Buckhead (Atlanta)
Buckhead is the uptown district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, comprising approximately the northern one-fifth of the city. Buckhead is a major commercial and financial center of the Southeast, and it is the third-largest business district in Atlanta, behind Downtown and Midtown...
area clubs outside Atlanta, including but not limited to Club Chaos, Velvet Room, Justin's, and Compound (where Meech had a lavish birthday party for himself, with live displays of exotic animals, costing well over $100,000.) Demetrius was very fond of strip clubs, and before taking the BMF entourage out to a regular club, they usually went to a strip club beforehand.
Receipts found in a house that was allegedly one of Meech's showed cash purchases of over $23,000 in a single trip to Bang & Olufsen
Bang & Olufsen
Bang & Olufsen is a Danish company that designs and manufactures audio products, television sets and telephones. It was founded in 1925 by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen, whose first significant product was a radio that worked with alternating current, when most radios were run from batteries...
, a high-end audio retailer located inside Phipps Plaza
Phipps Plaza
Phipps Plaza, owned by Simon Property Group, is an upscale regional mall in Atlanta, Georgia anchored by Belk, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. Located adjacent to its sister-mall Lenox Square, in the Buckhead district, Phipps has more than 100 specialty shops, five full-service restaurants, a food...
. When going to the club, upper-level members were seen in their own individual high-end luxury cars. In one commonly available video, it shows a Rolls-Royce Phantom
Rolls-Royce Phantom
Rolls-Royce has used the Phantom name on luxury cars over the past century:* Rolls-Royce Phantom I, 1925–1931* Rolls-Royce Phantom II, 1929–1936* Rolls-Royce Phantom III, 1936–1939* Rolls-Royce Phantom IV, 1950–1959...
, Bentley Continental GT
Bentley Continental GT
-Flying Spur:The four door Continental Flying Spur saloon was first displayed at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. The Flying Spur utilizes most of the technical underpinnings of the Bentley Continental GT, and was introduced to European and North American markets in the summer of 2005...
, Lamborghini Murcielago
Lamborghini Murciélago
The Lamborghini Murciélago is a two-door, two-seat sports car produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 2001 and 2010. Successor to the Diablo and flagship of the automaker's lineup, the Murciélago was introduced as a coupé in 2001. The automaker's first new design in eleven years, the car...
, and Aston Martin Vanquish all parked together and all owned by BMF members.
In addition, when out at the clubs Big Meech threw after-parties in the presidential suite of the Buckhead Westin for his crew, as well as in the presidential suites of other upscale Buckhead
Buckhead (Atlanta)
Buckhead is the uptown district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, comprising approximately the northern one-fifth of the city. Buckhead is a major commercial and financial center of the Southeast, and it is the third-largest business district in Atlanta, behind Downtown and Midtown...
area hotels. Court documents reveal one informant relaying information about Big Meech paying off all his debts one day (totaling over $5.5 million in cash) at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Atlanta.
Two homes searched and allegedly lived in by Big Meech were both ultra-modern homes in very upscale suburbs. His brother Terry lived in a multi-million dollar home off of Mulholland Drive
Mulholland Drive
Mulholland Drive is a street and road in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California. It is named after Los Angeles pioneer civil engineer William Mulholland...
in Los Angeles.
Although Terry lived with his girlfriend and their kids in a fixed home, Demetrius preferred to move from place to place. There were at least four Atlanta-area homes that he at one point lived in as well as a $30,000 a month rental home in Miami. When he was arrested, he claimed he lived all over with various girlfriends.
Operation Motor City Mafia
The investigation into the Black Mafia Family began sometime in the early 1990s before there was any name to the organization which Demetrius and Terry headed. The lead-up to the October 2005 indictments began with a series of large drug seizures and subsequent informantInformant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
information from BMF members. On October 28, 2003, a 2-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation began, coordinated by the DEA's Special Operations Division, codenamed "Operation Motor City Mafia".
On April 11, 2004, BMF courier and high-level distributor Jabari Hayes was pulled over in Phelps County, MO
Phelps County, Missouri
Phelps County is a county located in south-central Missouri in the United States.According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it includes the mean center of U.S. population in 2000. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the county's population was 39,825. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 42,205....
along I-40 driving a 40-foot motor home; supposedly for swerving over the fog line. After a K-9 unit alerted to drugs in the vehicle, in the back bedroom of the motor home were two suitcases containing approximately 95 kilograms of cocaine and 572 grams of marijuana. It was one of the largest drug busts in Missouri history. Three weeks earlier Jabari was pulled over in St. Louis in a 1999 Lincoln Town Car; with $600,000 in cash in the trunk.
In mid-September 2004 a wiretap on a low-level crack dealer in Atlanta, Rafael "Smurf" Allison led an HIDTA task force to a mid-level dealer named Decarlo Hoskins. Hoskins subsequently turned informant and said he grew up with 2 brothers, Omari McCree and Jeffrey Leahr, who were BMF members and able to supply multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine regularly. Omari McCree was a high-level distributor for the organization and was favored by Big Meech, wiretaps revealed. On November 5, 2004, Omari's brother, Jeffrey Leahr, were pulled over due to the wiretaps on I-75 in Atlanta with his girlfriend in a Porsche Cayenne
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is a five seat mid-size luxury crossover manufactured by the German manufacturer Porsche since 2002, with North American sales beginning in 2003. Its platform was developed by Porsche and is shared with the Volkswagen Touareg and the Audi Q7. It is the first V8-engined vehicle...
Turbo SUV. In the back seat was a duffle bag containing 10 kilograms of cocaine. They were released later the same day in an attempt to gather more information in regards to their supplier and the organization by use of the wiretaps. Omari and Jeffrey, being in a large debt now to BMF for the lost kilos, went on the run. When Omari was picked up June 8, 2005, he signed a confidential-source agreement and began to describe his role in BMF. He named "Big Meech" as the source of the cocaine but that he did not actually pick it up from Big Meech himself. According to Omari, Chad "J-Bo" Brown supplied him with cocaine on behalf of Big Meech. These events and a number of others formed the backbone of the government's case against the two brothers.
Although Omari McCree gave investigators information, he never actually testified against anyone in open court. During trial, the government's star witness was William "Doc" Marshall.
Testimony given during various trials says the organization operated as follows: Meech's side of the organization operated 5 stash houses in the Atlanta area, nicknamed "The Gate"; "The Horse Ranch"; "Space Mountain", or "Bugsy Siegel"; and "The Elevator". Approximately every 10 days, vehicles would arrive with 100-150 kilograms packed in secret compartments. Workers at the various stash houses were paid to unload the kilograms and place them inside the stash house. Customers who ordered would call in and said they have their vehicle ready (a transportation vehicle to put the narcotics in). Depending on the size of their order they were directed to a particular stash house where they would pull in, go inside, hand over money in $5,000 bundles, and receive kilograms in a bag of some sort, open so they could verify they received the correct number of kilos. The kilograms usually went for $20,000 each. The same trap vehicles would then be filled with cash (the proceeds from drug sales) to be sent back to the Mexican sources of supply
Workers inside the stash houses had certain duties; for example, two people may be in charge of counting bulk amounts of cash, usually in the millions. Other people were packing the kilos for customers that were arriving as they were told. Another method the BMF organization received drugs was through large containers at the airport. They picked the containers containing 100-150 kilograms of cocaine and delivered them to the stash houses.
Drug and cash seizures
In addition to the aforementioned drug and cash seizures, the following is a list of seizures allegedly tied to the Black Mafia Family as a whole, as described in the original indictment.- On or about October 4, 1996 in the Eastern District of Michigan, agents from the U.S. Customs Service (now known as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE), working undercover, received approximately $300,000 in cash intended for payment for cocaine from the organization.
- On or about October 29, 1996, U.S. Customs agents in an undercover capacity seized $250,000 in cash also intended for cocaine payment.
- On or about October 3, 1997, police in Spalding County, Georgia seized $143,221 in cash from Martez Jackson, an alleged BMF member.
- On or about May 10, 1999 in Polk County, Texas, police seized approximately 18 kilograms of cocaineCocaineCocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
.
- On or about September 14, 1999, police in Beaumont, Texas seized $425,190 in cash from Bruce Martin.
- On or about December 2, 2000 in or near Flagstaff, Arizona, police seized approximately 17 kilograms of cocaine.
- On or about February 5, 2001 in Kansas City, Missouri, police seized approximately 9 kilograms of cocaine.
- On or about September 15, 2002 in Collin County, Texas, police seized approximately 23 kilograms of cocaine.
- On or about February 26, 2003, police in Gray County, Texas seized approximately $723,790 in cash from Brian Ronell Garrett and Kim Vernell Williams.
- On or about March 20, 2003, Cleveland Cato purchased a cashier's check with cash in the amount of $4,800.
- On or about August 14, 2003 in Crawford County, Arkansas, police seized approximately 27 kilograms of cocaine.
- On or about March 16, 2004, police in Fenton, Missouri seized $588,605 in cash from Jabari Hayes.
- On or about April 5, 2004 in Florissant, Missouri, police seized approximately 9 kilograms of cocaine.
- On or about April 11, 2004 in St. Louis, Missorui, police seized approximately 113.5 kilograms of cocaine.
- On or about July 28, 2004, police in Atlanta, Georgia seized $199,690 from Martez Jackson
- On or about January, 2005, police in Encino, CA seized $576,000.
- On or about January 11, 2005, police in Sherman Oaks, California seized $576,000 in cash from Tonesa Lynette Welch, Terry Flenory's girlfriend.
- On or about January 27, 2005, police in Detroit, Michigan seized $648,550 in cash from Stanley Leon Lackey, Jr. and Derrick Keith Peguese, Jr.
- On or about April 5, 2005, police in Romulus, Michigan seized $580,250 in cash from Stanley Lackey, Jr.
- On or about June 16, 2005 in Woodland Hills, California, police seized approximately 250 kilograms of cocaine; police also seized $1,868,759 in cash from the residence during the raid.
During testimony, one DEA agent testified that just one seizure from the BMF organization was enough to put most mid-level wholesalers out of business. The fact so many large seizures occurred and the organization was still thriving is a testament to their wealth and power.
Allegations of Violence
Prior to "Operation Motor City Mafia" and shortly after its commencement, there were numerous acts of violence alleged to have been committed by BMF members.- On November 11, 2003, Meech was arrested in connection with the Buckhead-area shooting deaths at club "Chaos" of Anthony "Wolf" Jones, former bodyguard of P. Diddy, and Wolf's childhood friend, Lamont "Riz" Girdy. However, Meech was also wounded in the shooting and was subsequently never indicted.
- On July 25, 2004, at a midtown Atlanta club called the "Velvet Room", a man named Rashannibal "Prince" Drummond was killed. The incident began after alleged 3rd-in-command of BMF, Flemming "Ill" Daniels, accidentally almost backed into Drummond in his Porsche Cayenne Turbo. Drummond hit the car to alert the driver and the passengers of the car got out and all began beating Drummond and his friends. During the fight, a friend of Drummond's fired a warning shot to scare everyone off; it is alleged Ill retrieved his gun, returned fire, then walked over to Drummond and executed him on the ground.
- In September 2004, Ulysses Hackett and girlfriend Misty Carter were executed in their Highland Avenue apartment in Atlanta. Police claim the murders were ordered by Tremayne "Kiki" Graham, then son-in-law of Atlanta Mayor Shirley FranklinShirley FranklinShirley Clarke Franklin is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and served as mayor of Atlanta, Georgia from 2002 to 2010...
and alleged associate of BMF. They claim Ulysses was thinking of turning states witness and Graham grew suspicious and ordered their murder.
- On May 10, 2005, Henry "Pookie Loc" Clark was killed by rapper Gucci ManeGucci ManeRadric Davis , better known by his stage name Gucci Mane, is an American rapper. He debuted in 2005 with Trap House and followed with albums such as Hard to Kill in 2006, Trap-A-Thon and Back to the Trap House in 2007. In 2009, his second studio album The State vs. Radric Davis was released...
after an attempted robbery of the rapper by Clark and 4 other men. The five men attacked Gucci Mane in an apartment of a stripper he met earlier in the day, but Gucci Mane was armed and managed to fire at the attackers—hitting Clark. The incident occurred in between a "beef" between Gucci Mane and rapper Young JeezyYoung JeezyJay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
, who is good friends with Meech. Gucci was later cleared of murder charges due to acting in self-defense, but Gucci's lawyers alleged the 5 men were ordered by BMF to do the robbery.
- On May 11, 2005, a fugitive named Deron Gatling was located by a regional drug task force in Chamblee, GeorgiaChamblee, GeorgiaAs of the 2010 Census Chamblee had a population of 9,892. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 45.0% white , 7.0% black or African American , 2.1% Native American , 1.8% Vietnamese, 1.6% Asian Indian, 4.6% other Asian, 33.5% from some other race and...
. Task force agents found Gatling behind insulation in the attic; at that moment shots were fired from outside the house at law enforcement. They traced the last number called in Gatling's phone to Jerry Davis, leader of the Sin City Mafia, supposedly a sister organization to BMF. Police allege Gatling called Davis to report the officers at his house, and Davis ordered the shots to be fired.
- On May 23, 2005, Shane and Kelsey Brown, nephews of famous R&B singer Bobby BrownBobby BrownRobert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
, were stabbed in the neck with an ice pick at a birthday party at P. Diddy's Atlanta restaurant, "Justin's". Witnesses claim that Marques "Baby Bleu" Dixson, younger brother of BMF Entertainment artist Bleu DaVinci, got into an altercation with the Brown's along with bodyguards of rapper FabolousFabolousJohn David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
, who was there with Dixson. During the altercation, Dixson is alleged to have stabbed both in the neck, causing permanent dis figuration.
Informants
Bringing "Big Meech", his brother "Southwest T", and other BMF members to trial and ultimately a conviction was based solely upon informant testimony from former BMF members. There were no drugs seized from any of the defendants in the case besides personal use amounts; the personal use amounts were not considered in the charges. Below is a list of some of those informants. This list is not complete, there are others who also provided testimony not listed here (such as those listed in the above "Investigation" section.) Informants in BMF-related cases in Los Angeles, St. Louis, and other jurisdictions are also listed here as they are considered part of the overall conspiracy.William 'Doc' Marshall
The government's "star" witness during trials in Orlando, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Former Chief Financial Officer of BMF, Marshall was the person who acquired vehicles, houses, and other property for the entire organization. He also admitted to personally distributing more than 1700 kilos while a member of BMF. Despite this, because of his testimony against everyone else he received just over 8.5 years in prison, pleading guilty to money laundering charges only, no drug charges.Daniel Corral
Arrested as part of a related BMF case out of Los Angeles. Once a supplier to Demetrius Flenory of 400-500 kilogram cocaine loads. Also testified against other suppliers he had, now testifying against other defendants in Los Angeles, including testifying against his wife and former supplier, Yvonne Vasquez. Named other defendants as suppliers "Chi Chi" and "Wilbur", however their first names and last names are unknown.Ralph Simms
Testified in trials in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Testified he unloaded vehicles with cocaine in them that arrived in Atlanta; then subsequently loaded them with cash once the drugs were sold for the cash to be delivered back to Los Angeles.Harold Wilcox
Provided information against Terry "Southwest T" Flenory. Pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking and money laundering charges, faces up to 13 months in federal prison.Benjamin Johnson
Friend of the Flenory brother's during their high school years. Claims he used to pick up kilograms of cocaine from a hole above the linen closet in the Flenory household. He has been charged with cocaine distribution and has not yet had an outcome in his case. One of the first informants to come forward. He ran the Detroit operations on behalf of Terry Flenory.Charles Parson
Also provided information against "Southwest T". Pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking and money laundering charges, faces up to 87 months in federal prison.Eric Bivens
Provided information against "Southwest T". Pleaded guilty no outcome in case yet.Marc Whaley
Allegedly helped BMF members obtain high-end luxury automobiles in Orlando, FL. Sentenced to 2½ years for money laundering. Whaley claims his life was threatened after giving testimony to the federal government.Arnold Boyd
Cooperating against "Southwest T". Pleaded guilty to cocaine and money laundering charges and faces up to 17 years in federal prison.2005 Raids and Arrests
In October 2005, it was reported that some 30 members of BMF were arrested in a massive drug raid orchestrated by the DEA. During these raids, the DEA seized $3 million in cash and assets, 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, and numerous weapons. Prior to the October 2005 raids, throughout the course of the investigation, the DEA had arrested 17 BMF members, seized 632 kilograms of cocaine, $5.3 million in cash, and $5.7 million in assets. They claimed BMF was responsible for moving over 2,500 kilograms of cocaine a month throughout the United States.Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory, as well as his brother Terry "Southwest T" Flenory, were charged with continuing criminal enterprise (similar to Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
(RICO) except used in drug cases) conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. Demetrius was captured in a large home in a suburb outside Dallas. Inside, police found a small amount of marijuana and a few MDMA, or ecstasy, pills. In a safe inside the house were several weapons; a Springfield .40 pistol, FN Herstal 5.7x28 pistol, and a Para Ordinance .45 pistol. Outside and in the garage were a 2005 Bentley
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
Continental GT, a 2004 Ford F-150 truck, and a 2004 Dodge Magnum station wagon.
His brother, Terry "Southwest T" Flenory, were captured in St. Louis with small amounts of marijuana and a few weapons being found throughout the house, which was also occupied by multiple people at the time of the arrest.
2006 Indictments
On June 15, 2006, the U.S. Department of Treasury reported that 16 additional individuals had been charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and money laundering charges under a second, superseding indictment, bringing the number of people charged in the case to 49. Included in this list was Jacob Arabov, popularly known as Jacob the Jeweler, a well-known celebrity jeweler in the hip-hop community. Mr. Arabov and the others named in the indictment are being charged with conspiracy to launder more than $270 million in illegally obtained funds. A November 2006 article in Vanity FairVanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
details Mr. Arabov's entanglements with the group and also reiterates public information that has surfaced regarding the case against BMF.http://www.vanityfair.com/fame/features/2006/11/jacob200611?currentPage=1 The Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
also shed light on more of the group's alleged activities in the indictment papers, which included running drug money through various banks, and money wiring services in an attempt to disguise its origin. The group has also been accused of obtaining several winning Michigan state lottery
Michigan Lottery
The Michigan Lottery offers numerous on-line and scratch-off games, giving players a wide variety of prize possibilities. Initiated under the authority of Public Act 239 in 1972, the games collect funds to support Michigan’s public school system.- History :...
tickets from a third party, which they paid cash for, and then cashing in the tickets in an attempt to make the money appear legitimate. This indictment also seeks the forfeiture of "more than 30 pieces of jewelry, 13 residences, 35 vehicles including Lincoln Limousine, BMW's, Range Rovers, Aston-Martin, and Bentleys, numerous bank accounts, over $1.2 million in seized currency, and a money judgment totaling $270 million." http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/states/newsrel/detroit061506.html
2007 Indictments
On July 25, 2007, David NahmiasDavid Nahmias
David Nahmias is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia and the former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.-Education and early career:...
, the U.S. Attorney for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia is a United States District Court which serves the residents of forty-six counties...
unveiled an indictment of 16 more members of the Black Mafia Family. http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan/press/2007/07-25-07.pdf "The government is one step closer to eradicating one of today's most violent and notorious drug trafficking organizations", said Special Agent in Charge Rodney G. Benson of the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
Atlanta office. The indictment charged all defendants with participating in the nationwide cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
distribution conspiracy, which carries a penalty of between 10 years and life in prison, and up to a $4 million fine. Black Mafia Family once had billboards towering over Atlanta boldly proclaiming that the world was theirs", Mr. Nahmias said. "This indictment is a rejection of that claim. First in Detroit and Orlando, and now here, the government is shutting down the BMF's once-flourishing drug empire
Atlanta BMF Indictments
On July 26, 2007 the government unsealed indictments charging 16 BMF members in Atlanta with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Those arrested were: Dionne Beverly, 35, of Hurricane, West Virginia; Ramon Dobson, 27, of Lithonia; Lamar Fields, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia; Victor Hammonds, 42, of Conyers, Georgia; Jamal Mitchell, 38, of East Orange, New Jersey; Franklin Nash, 56, of Decatur, Georgia; and Darryl Taylor, 46, of Stockbridge, Georgia. Already in custody in other jurisdictions were co-defendants Fleming Daniels, 34, of Roswell, Georgia, and Derek Pitts, 33, of Newark, New Jersey.All 16 defendants were charged with participating in the overall cocaine distribution conspiracy. The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $4,000,000 fine. Eventually, all defendants plead guilty before trial except Fleming Daniels, who chose to take his case to a jury.
Fleming Daniels
Fleming "Ill" Daniels, a top member of the Black Mafia Family drug ring, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug trafficking on December 17, 2008. The federal judge also fined Daniels $10,000 for taking part in the violent group. Daniels was the 16th defendant indicted in Atlanta on charges stemming from their role in the organization. Daniels is the only defendant in the Atlanta indictments to go to trial, and 11 have already pleaded guilty. The government's case relied on testimony from William "Doc" Marshall and Ralph Simms to convict Daniels. Daniels had not been caught with even a single ounce of cocaine nor caught on any wiretaps discussing drug business. However, because of the testimony from Marshall that he had seen Daniels receive multi-kilograms of cocaine while he himself was picking up cocaine, the jury returned a guilty verdict.Daniels also awaits trial for the July 2004 murder of Rashannibal Drummond Drummond, 23, was fatally shot in the Velvet Room parking lot in Atlanta after he slapped a luxury car to alert the driver not to back into him.
Barima "Bleu DaVinci" McKnight
Rapper and sole artist of BMF Entertainment, Barima "Bleu DaVinci" McKnight, was sentenced October 30, 2008 to 5 years, 4 months in federal prison. It was said that McKnight was used because of the fact he had very small hands and could get that last kilogram or two of cocaine out of a stash spot where others could not. McKnight said at sentencing that when he first met Demetrius "Meech" Flenory that Meech did not show him "the other side of his world", meaning the cocaine business. He said Meech presented himself as being in the music business and it was not until much later that Meech let him in on the cocaine side of the business.2009 Arrest
The last remaining suspect, Vernon Marcus Coleman, was arrested on July 17, 2009 in Atlanta. He was indicted in 2007 for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. To date all 150 indictedIndictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
members of BMF have been arrested. However, the total number of BMF members exceeds well over 150; the federal government believes the 150 they have indicted and arrested account for the command and control structure as well as other key figures in the organization (distributors, stash house operators, transporters, etc.).
See also
- African-American Organized CrimeAfrican-American organized crimeAlthough a minority during the 19th and early 20th centuries, African-American organized crime first began to emerge following large scale migrations of Caribbean and African Americans to major cities of the Northeast and Midwest...
- Continuing Criminal EnterpriseContinuing Criminal EnterpriseThe Continuing Criminal Enterprise Statute is a United States federal law that targets large-scale drug traffickers who are responsible for long-term and elaborate drug conspiracies...
- Philadelphia Black MafiaBlack MafiaThe Black Mafia, a Philadelphia-based organized crime syndicate whose small beginnings started from holding up crap games and dealing in the illegal drug business, was formed in September 1968 by Samuel Christian, who later adopted the name Suleiman Bey under the Nation of Islam, and was at its...
- Young JeezyYoung JeezyJay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
- Gucci ManeGucci ManeRadric Davis , better known by his stage name Gucci Mane, is an American rapper. He debuted in 2005 with Trap House and followed with albums such as Hard to Kill in 2006, Trap-A-Thon and Back to the Trap House in 2007. In 2009, his second studio album The State vs. Radric Davis was released...