Eight Members of Miami Gardens Gang Convicted of Narcotics, Firearms, and Identity Theft Charges

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; and Matthew Boyd, Chief, Miami Gardens Police Department, announced that eight members of the Miami Gardens street gang known as the “Murda Grove Boys” were convicted by a jury yesterday afternoon on federal narcotics, weapons, and false identification charges.

The eight week trial before U.S. District Court Judge Joan A. Lenard involved more than 120 wiretap calls and almost 400 exhibits. The convicted defendants, along with counts of conviction and potential sentences, are listed below:

Antwan Roshax Gray, 24, of Miami Gardens, FL, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, marijuana and Ecstasy; possession with intent to distribute marijuana; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon; identity theft; and 11 counts of aggravated identity theft. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of life plus 27 years in prison.

Dexter Earl Kemp, 24, of Miami Gardens, FL, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, marijuana and Ecstasy; possession with intent to distribute marijuana; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of life plus five years in prison.

Tremaine Edward Kale, 26, of Miami Gardens, FL, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, marijuana and Ecstasy; three counts of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of life plus five years in prison.

Jonathan Giovanni Morley, 24, of Miami Gardens, FL, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, marijuana and Ecstasy; identity theft; and 20 counts of aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of life plus 40 years in prison.

Artrell Terrance Gray, 22, of Miami Gardens, FL, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, marijuana and Ecstasy; possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison.

Saheed Rasheed Thompson, 28, of Hollywood, FL, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, marijuana and Ecstasy; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison.

Shaheed Rashard Thompson, 30, of Hialeah, FL, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, marijuana and Ecstasy. He faces a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison.

Rahmin J. Jefferson, 26, of Carol City, FL, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer stated, “Thanks to the collaborative and close working relationship between the FBI and the Miami Gardens Police Department, we have succeeded in removing dangerous criminals from the Myrtle Grove neighborhood of Miami Gardens, making this community safer for law-abiding residents. We will build on this federal/local partnership as we continue to battle gangs, guns, drugs, and the violence they breed.”

“The violence and crime in Myrtle Grove and surrounding neighborhoods had a devastating effect on this community. Today’s convictions sends a strong message that violence will not be tolerated,” said John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Miami Division. “The results of this investigation includes dismantling the Murda Grove Boys gang operating in this area and making South Florida a safer place to live for years to come. These efforts would not have been possible without the cooperation between local and federal law enforcement and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.”

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Miami Gardens Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Miami Dade Police Department Narcotics Bureau. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Kelly Karase, and Christina Maxwell.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.