Twenty Charged in ‘Operation Shut Down Corner’
Dallas - Twenty alleged drug dealers and their associates have been arrested and charged in “Operation Shut Down Corner,” announced DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez.
The operation – which involved more than 150 agents and officers from the North Texas OCEDTF Strike Force – focused on Hamilton Park, a north Dallas neighborhood that has long been plagued by crime driven by a violent gang known as the Hamilton Park Posse.
During the investigation, DEA agents and their law enforcement partners seized 37 guns, 220 lbs of drugs (including cocaine, fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills, methamphetamine, and marijuana), $420,000 in assets (including U.S. currency, vehicles, and jewelry).
Sixteen defendants have been charged in two indictments alleging a variety of crimes, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, maintaining drug involved premises, using cell phones to facilitate the distribution of controlled substances, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
Many of the defendants arrested in Operation Shut Down Corner have extensive criminal histories and have faced charges including aggravated assault, battery, robbery, theft, forgery, drug possession, weapon possession, and terroristic threats.
“As the layers of this investigation began to reveal themselves, we identified a highly organized, poly-drug distribution organization, feeding our streets with cocaine, crack-cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, and deadly counterfeit prescription drugs containing fentanyl,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “The Hamilton Park area of Dallas was once described to me as a ‘Forgotten Neighborhood.’ That stops now.”
“This drug trafficking, gun wielding street gang has been terrorizing their neighborhood for far too long,” U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham said at a press conference at the DEA Wednesday. “I hope the residents of Hamilton Park will rest easier tonight knowing that the Justice Department has their backs.”
Those charged include:
• Randall Hoskins, aka “Rambo,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
• Demetric Watson, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
• Rosie Bush, aka “Shanta,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
• Kemerra Gilbert, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
• Jerome Brown, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
• Jimmy Reedy, aka “UM-8033,” charged with unlawful use of a communication facility
• Quientin Titus, aka “QT” or “Quick Trip,” charged with maintaining a drug involved premises and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
• Devonte Thursby, aka “Wook,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and unlawful use of a communication facility
• Jerome Miller, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
• Brian Williams, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
• Staecey Logan, charged with two counts of unlawful use of a communication facility
• Kimmy Blanton (fugitive), charged with unlawful use of a communication facility
• Tamara Cashaw, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and unlawful use of a communication facility
• Damone Dixon, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
• Michael Gipson, aka “Grip,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
• Bridney Fannin, charged with unlawful use of a communication facility
• Reginald Lamar Denson, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
• Jahmear Chance Jackson, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
• Addison Cole, aka “Addy” or “Scat Back,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
• Sergei Gharpetian, charged with conspiracy to launder money
• Tigran Mkrtchyan, charged with conspiracy to launder money
Indictments are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, some defendants face maximums of up to 40 years in federal prison.
The investigation was led by the North Texas OCDETF Strike Force – which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Division, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General – along with the Dallas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myria Boehm is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Elder.
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The North Texas OCDETF Strike Force investigates and prosecutes major drug trafficking, money laundering, and other high priority transnational organized crime networks.
