Feds say they’ve smashed the Gangster Disciples crime ring

Here are the key players and concepts, according to the indictment.

» Chairman: the national leader, who is currently in prison but still communicates with gang leadership, the indictment claims.

» Board Members: highest-ranking members after the Chairman.

» Governor: Head of the state organization of the Gangster Disciples. "A Governor is aware of and coordinates much of the (gang's) criminal activity within that state," the indictment says.

» Governor of Governors: Person in charge of the governors.

» Chief enforcer: The gang member in each state who is responsible for enforcing codes, rules and regulations of the gang. "Responsible for seeing that punishment, including 'Kill on Sight' (KOS) orders and 'greenlights,' which authorize physical punishment, are effectuated for Gangster Disciples who violate gang rules."

» Count: The geographic divisions of the Gangster Disciples are called "counts" or "decks."

NAMES OF THOSE INDICTED

» Shauntay Craig, 37, of Birmingham, Ala., held the rank of Gangster Disciples “Board Member”.

» Vancito Gumbs, 25, of Stone Mountain was a member of the Gangster Disciples while at the same time serving as a police officer with the DeKalb County Police Department.

» Alonzo Walton, 47, of Atlanta held at different relevant times the positions of governor and governor of governors, the latter position controlling Georgia, Florida, Texas, Indiana, and South Carolina.

» Mangwiro Sadiki-Yisrael, 43, of Marietta held at different relevant times the positions of a first coordinator, assistant governor of Georgia, and governor of Georgia.

» Kevin Clayton, 43, of Decatur was the chief enforcer for the state of Georgia.

» Donald Glass, 26, of Decatur served as a first coordinator of the eastside group of the Gangster Disciples.

» Lewis Mobely, 38, of Atlanta was an enforcer.

» Vertious Wall, 40, of Marietta was a first coordinator for the Macon Gangster Disciples group.

» Adrian Jackson, 37, of San Jose, Calif., was the national treasurer for the Gangster Disciples.

» Terrence Summers, 45, of Birmingham, Ala., held at different relevant times the positions of governor of Alabama and governor of governors for Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida.

» Markell White, 43, of Atlanta was a regional leader in Macon.

» Ronald McMorris, 34, of Atlanta was first coordinator of the Atlanta group.

» Perry Green, 29, of Decatur was a member of the Gangster Disciples and acted as enforcer of a Gangster Disciples group.

» Dereck Taylor, 29, of Macon was a member of the Gangster Disciples and acted as security for a Macon group.

» Alvis O’Neal, 37, of Denver, Colo., was a senior member of and drug trafficker for the Gangster Disciples.

» Jeremiah Covington, 32, of Valdosta was a first coordinator for the Valdosta region.

» Antonio Ahmad, 33, of Atlanta was the chief of security for the state of Georgia.

» Eric Manney, 39, of Atlanta was a member of the Gangster Disciples and stored multiple guns at his house.

» Quiana Franklin, 33, of Birmingham, Ala., served as treasurer for the state of Alabama.

» Frederick Johnson, 37, of Marietta was a chief enforcer for a Gangster Disciples group.

» Charles Wingate, 25, of Conyers was chief of security for a Covington, Georgia, group.

» Thomas Pasby, 42, of Cochran, Ga., was a member of the Gangster Disciples.

» Denise Carter, 41, of Detroit was a member of the Gangster Disciples.

» Carlton King Jr., 25, of Cochran, Ga., was a member of the Gangster Disciples.

» Kelvin Sneed, 26, of Cochran, Ga., was a member of the Gangster Disciples.

» Arrie Freeney, 32, of Detroit was a member of the Gangster Disciples.

» Myrick Stevens, 26, of Madison, Wis., was a member of the Gangster Disciples.

» Curtis Thomas, 45, of Cochran, Ga., was a member of the Gangster Disciples.

» Yohori Epps, 36, of Marietta was a member of the Gangster Disciples.

» Michael Drummound, 49, of Marietta was a member of the Gangster Disciples.

In addition to the RICO conspiracy:

» Defendant Lewis Mobely was charged with committing attempted murder in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during that shooting; possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug charge.

» Defendant Donald Glass was charged with committing a murder in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during that murder.

A former DeKalb County police officer is among the 22 Georgians named in a massive federal indictment unsealed Wednesday against the Gangster Disciples, a violent street gang operating in 24 states.

The indictment filed in Atlanta identifies 32 alleged gang members, and a second indictment in Memphis, Tenn., charges 16 more. All are accused of participating in organized criminal activity, and the crimes alleged include murder, drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking, extortion, wire fraud, credit card fraud, and bank fraud.

The indictment states that former DeKalb County police officer Vancito Gumbs admitted he killed people as a "hitman" for the gang while he was a cop. Gumbs, 25, had been on the force less than two years when the department received a tip that he was involved with illegal drugs, DeKalb Chief James Conroy said. Gumbs lied during that investigation and was being terminated when he resigned in October, Conroy said.

“There are bad apples in every organization, and this was a bad apple,” Conroy said.

Gumbs allegedly traveled with another gang member last fall to “take care of GD business” and called another gang member in October to warn him to stay away from a sports bar that police were raiding, according to the indictment.

"Atlanta has historically been resistant to the incursion of these national gangs, but unfortunately today's indictment shows how this landscape has changed in just the last few years, as the Gangster Disciples are only one of several gangs that now boast a strong foothold," U.S. Attorney John Horn said. "These charges show how a national gang like Gangster Disciples can wreak havoc here and in communities across the country, with crimes that run the gamut from murder to drug trafficking to credit card fraud."

In Georgia, gang members have been linked to 10 murders and 12 attempted murders, Horn said Wednesday.

The majority of those from Georgia named in the indictment are from the metro Atlanta area, but some are from central and South Georgia, including one from Valdosta. All but two were in custody Wednesday afternoon, Horn said. The FBI conducted raids Wednesday in DeKalb, Cobb and Paulding counties.

The Gangster Disciples is a violent gang that began in Chicago in the 1970s when the Black Disciples and the Supreme Gangsters merged, the Atlanta indictment says. It is a highly structured and hierarchical organization divided into geographic groups.

Members bring money to the gang through crimes such as drug trafficking, robbery, prostitution and credit card fraud, according to investigators. In order to protect its power, members used threats, intimidation and violence, including murder, attempted murder and assault.

One of the gang’s targets was a rap musician identified only as “R.R.” in the federal indictment. Several members of The Gangster Disciples allegedly threatened the rapper with physical harm unless he paid them to use the gang’s name and symbols, the indictment states.

DeKalb District Attorney Robert James said the indictment confirms what is already known, that metro Atlanta has a significant gang issue.

“I’ve lived in a neighborhood where I did not feel safe,” James said.

James said he is encouraged by the indictment and local agencies working together to fight crime.

“We’re more organized, we’re more sophisticated, and yes, we’re determined,” James said.

The investigation into the Gangster Disciples is ongoing and could lead to additional indictments, Horn said Wednesday.

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