TAMPA, Fla. — Six members of a gang that ran drug houses in and around Bradenton and killed at least seven people, one in front of hundreds of children, have been convicted in federal court.
The six men were members of a racketeering enterprise that terrorized the Bradenton community for eight years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
The gang maintained a number of “trap houses” where they distributed cocaine, MDMA, oxycodone and marijuana, and “used extreme violence to collect drug debts and enforce its control of the drug trafficking in its territory,” the office said in a news release. “The enterprise also used threats of violence to prevent members of the community from testifying against enterprise members.”
The group killed at least seven people, either because they were paid or because the victim crossed members in some way, investigators said.
One of the killings was reported at a community center in front of hundreds of children and their parents, court documents said.
Members of the group tried to kill an eighth person, who survived but is now paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, officials said.
“These six individuals were part of a ruthless criminal enterprise that, for too long, preyed on the community by committing seven murders and countless other acts of violence,” U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley III said after the conviction. “These men engaged in an escalating gang war, culminating with the public execution of Brenton Coleman during the first day of peewee football in Bradenton.”
The convictions came after a 12-week trial.
- Nathaniel "Popo" Harris, 25, convicted of conspiracy to distribute drugs, racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder, attempted murder, armed kidnapping, maintaining a house used for drug distribution, use of a firearm in furtherance of maintaining a drug house, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and cocaine, use of a firearm in the furtherance of drug crimes, being a felon in possession of ammunition and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition
- Napoleon "Pole" Harris, 32, convicted of conspiracy to distribute drugs, racketeering conspiracy, murder and being a felon in possession of ammunition
- Charlie "Mr." Green, convicted of conspiracy to distribute drugs, racketeering conspiracy and three counts of murder
- Jerry "Jerk" Green, 30, convicted of conspiracy to distribute drugs, racketeering conspiracy and two counts of murder
- Corey "James" Harris, 26, convicted of conspiracy to distribute drugs, racketeering conspiracy and three counts of distribution of crack cocaine
- Deonte "Tang" Martin, 31, convicted conspiracy to distribute drugs, racketeering conspiracy, murder, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm
Twelve other enterprise members and co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, firearms and other offenses in connection with the case, officials said.
Cox Media Group
