19 accused gang members were taken into custody while Columbus police enforcement worked with the FBI and DEA.
The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office worked with the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and other agencies to detain and serve search warrants on Thursday, resulting in the arrest of nineteen suspected members of a gang. The 19 accused gang members, according to Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman, were connected to both the “Crips gang” and the “Zohannon gang.” As a result of Thursday’s investigation, Countryman said, 12 more persons were taken into custody, bringing the total number of individuals facing charges to 31.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the 19 accused gang members are facing a number of federal crimes, including drug trafficking, drug distribution, possessing drugs with the purpose to distribute, having guns in support of drug trafficking, having guns as convicted felons, and more. The 19 defendants could get a maximum jail sentence of 10 years to life if found guilty.
The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office reports that the 12 other defendants were taken into custody on state-related offenses. At the state level, those individuals were charged with comparable offenses such drug possession, drug trafficking, theft, felonious gun possession, and more. In Alabama, three of the people were taken into custody.
Countryman released a statement on Thursday stating, “Over the years, the Zohannon gang, Crips gang, and other criminal gang enterprises, have attempted to cripple the quality of life for the Citizens of Muscogee County.” The Zohannon gang and other illegal gang operations have been the subject of an investigation by the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office for the last two years. We have pooled our resources to use the DEA, FBI, and other important law enforcement agencies to put an end to gang activity in our neighborhood.