For 14 years, federal and local investigators say the Hillside Enterprise gangplagued the Cherry Hill area of the city.
"The primary purpose of the organization is drug distribution,” U.S. State’s Attorney for Maryland, Rod Rosenstein said. “The means by which they achieved that though wreaked havoc on the neighborhood."
The street gang mainly pushed narcotics from the Cherry Hill Shopping Center, but also dealt crack, cocaine, heroin, pills and pot throughout the city, using guns and violence to keep rivals in-check and run the streets, according to officials.
13 suspects are behind bars, these eight violent gang members are still on the run. @ABC2NEWS pic.twitter.com/pI3DhPfv3j
— Catherine Hawley (@CatherineABC2) September 9, 2016
Investigators say gang members would commit robberies and home invasions, as well as beat people, and even shoot and murder people to intimidate anyone who got in the way of their drug dealing.
Twenty-one of the gang members were indicted by a Federal Grand Jury Friday, charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs. Including Shirley Seawall’s 20-year-old son, Daniel.
"The streets are worse now than they ever been,” she said. “These kids need help."
Hillside Enterprise has been credited with shooting at least 21-people. Investigators say eleven of the defendants are also responsible for killing at least 13 people.
"In some cases, the murders were retaliatory of members of rival gangs who allegedly had committed murders, this or shootings against this gang, people who had intruded in their territory to sell drugs, of rival drug dealers who selling drugs in the neighborhood, of residents and store owners who told the drug dealers to stop dealing on their street, and of innocent bystanders who just happened to be in the neighborhood," Rosenstein said.
The operation to take down the Hillside Enterprise gang was an 18-month multi-agency operation. It's the fourth competing Cherry Hill gang the Feds have gone after.
Thirteen of the gang members are in custody right now:
- 31-year-old Jerryan “Rhino” Burrell
- 24-year-old Delonte “Tay/Ziggy” Conley
- 24-year-old Christopher “Scarface” Dukes
- 22-year-old Michael “Pee Wee” Evans
- 25-year-old Marcus “Black” Johnson
- 24-year-old Keenan “Blackface” Lawson
- 20-year-old Cintront “Stitch/Lil Cuz” Lynn
- 38-year-old Van “Butt Butt” McNutt
- 21-year-old Devin “Donkey/Dick Butkus” Rodgers
- 20-year-old Daniel “June Bug” Seawell
- 20-year-old Michael “Papers” Truehart
- 29-year-old Robert “Beanhead” White
- 25-year-old Lemar “Mar/Tutta” Williams
Eight are still on the run:
- 24-year-old Travis “Sticks” Alewine
- 22-year-old Leonard “Nard” Chase
- 29-year-old Deaven “Gotti” Cherry
- 26-year-old Stevie “GB” Lawson
- 25-year-old Marshon “Killer” Floyd
- 24-year-old Kevin “What What” Horsey
- 28-year-old Terrell “Relly” Luster
- 24-year-old Caesar “Stinky” Rice
"A significant announcement like this gives people some breathing room to now know that people who've been terrorizing their communities are now off the streets," said Baltimore City Police Commissioner, Kevin Davis.
All 21 of the gang members face a minimum of 10-years to life in prison if they're convicted. The 11 criminals suspected of murder could see more time. Officials say many of the killings had been unsolved, and these arrests bring closure for loved ones.
You can anonymously text information about any of the fugitives using Report It.
