Daytona Beach police put stop to 819 Boyz street gang

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach police said they've put a notorious street gang out of commission. Investigators gave WFTV an update Friday on the case against the 819 Boyz gang, saying the gang is now off the street, most serving prison sentences ranging from a few years up to 65 years.

"If you're going to come to Daytona Beach toting a gun and slinging dope, and we catch you, if the state attorney's office doesn't prosecute you, the U.S. attorney's office and ATF are going to prosecute you, and you're going to spend a significant portion of your life behind bars," said Chief Michael Chitwood.

Operation 819 was conceived in 2008 with arrests starting in June of 2010. The idea was to arrest and convict the gang members in Daytona's “weed and seed” area.

Part of the operation included areas from Shady Lane to George Engram Boulevard and Nova Road to Ridgewood Avenue.

“There's an 11 percent reduction when you look at 2011,” said Chitwood. “There's a 21 percent reduction when you look at what occurred in 2010. We are going to continue keeping up the heat."

Most of the 49 people arrested over the past two years pleaded guilty, but one did not.

“There's always one knucklehead in the crowd,” said Chitwood. “Antonio Bizzell decided that, ‘Nope, I'm going to go to trial.' Well, he did go to trial, and he got sentenced to 65 years in prison."

The arrests were the result of an effort between Daytona Beach police, state and federal agencies.

"We want safer communities,” said Chitwood. “We want safer neighborhoods for our families and our children."

WFTV