U.S. Attorney, local authorities announce federal charges against 10 alleged gang members
(KSTP) – U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara and FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Leah Greeves announced charges against 10 alleged gang members at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
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On Tuesday, Luger announced charges against alleged members of a fourth gang — 10z/20z — which primarily operates out of the Ventura Village neighborhood near the intersection of East Franklin and Chicago avenues, particularly near Peavey Field Park.
Gang investigators from the Minneapolis Police Department and members of the FBI told the U.S. Attorney’s Office that members of 10z/20z wanted to reemerge after a period of less activity.
“It immediately became a priority of law enforcement and our office to bring charges quickly to ensure that the 10z/20z could not reemerge and would not be in a position to increase violence in Minneapolis this summer,” Luger said.
The alleged gang members charged include:
- Don Buddie Austin, 32, is charged with possessing a firearm as a felon.
- Albert William Bratton, 28, is charged with possession a firearm as a felon.
- Paul Antonio Early, 32, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
- Toraus Marquis Eason, 44, is charged with possession of a firearm as a felon, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and MDMA, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
- Billy Ismael Hawkins, 34, is charged with possession of a firearm as a felon.
- Jaquan Lavelle Jackson, 29, is charged with possession of a firearm as a felon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
- Bernard Augusta Mack, 29, is charged with possession of a firearm as a felon, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
- Joshua Benjamin Scott, 37, is charged with possession of a firearm.
- Austin Joevon Toy, 22, is charged with possession of a machine gun.
- Armond Quinton Wright, 33, is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Mug shots were only immediately available for four of the 10 who were charged:
“A little more than a year ago, we announced a series of charges against nearly 30 people who represented some of the worst of the worst criminal element that we faced,” O’Hara said. “At that time, the people standing here clearly stated that we would not allow this violence to continue and that more [charges] would follow. We were serious then and we are serious now.”
The charges come after search warrant executions, in which law enforcement found cash, drugs and 13 illegal firearms — including one equipped with an auto-sear, according to O’Hara.
O’Hara also noted that the neighborhood where the gang operates is near where fallen Officer Jamal Mitchell was killed, though he didn’t confirm whether the gang activity was related to the murder. He added that there is no evidence that anyone charged Tuesday was connected to the murder.