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33 suspected Orlando gang members charged with racketeering

ORLANDO, Fla. — Thirty three members of gangs in central Florida have been charged in a racketeering case.
 
The Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation announced that arrest warrants were issued Wednesday, and authorities said they believe the suspects were responsible for hundreds of crimes through the area, including the shooting of 15-year-old Danielle Sampson.

Tyrone Mosby, the suspect in the Sampson case, has ties to the gang members arrested on Wednesday, police said.

Authorities seized handguns, shotguns, and drugs, including crack-cocaine.

Under the banner, “The Blood Gang," and with subsets like “The Mohawk Gang” and the “Bullet Boys,” law enforcement officials said the men and women arrested ran a criminal enterprise that touched nearly every part of Central Florida.

At the center of the investigation was Jabarus Nathan, a local rap artist with a long criminal history.

Authorities said they became aware of the violent gangs in 2006 and started an investigation last year involving federal, state and local agencies.

“This investigation focused on one of the most violent and sophisticated gangs in Central Florda,” said Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings.

The investigation was dubbed "Operation Strong Arm.”