Multi-Agency Gang Unit Investigation Nets Sweeping Indictment of 20 Defendants

NEW ORLEANS—Following another intensive and long term investigation by the Multi-Agency Gang (MAG) Unit, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office obtained a 30-count racketeering indictment against 20 defendants on Wednesday. The DA’s office indicted members of the 3-N-G gang who are responsible for at least 10 murders from October 2008 to February of this year.

The gang, which primarily operates out of an area bounded by South Galvez, South Claiborne, Jackson Avenue, and Washington Avenue, conspired to distribute illegal narcotics and used violence to gain and maintain its control over the area in which it operated. Investigators believe that the 3-N-G has operated in this area from May 2005 until today.

In response to yesterday’s indictment, District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro said, “As you can see, we intend to continue to focus on those groups who are responsible for a disproportionate level of violence on the streets of this community, and we will use every weapon in our arsenal to bring them to justice.”

Alfred Clay, aka “Al”; Christopher Collins, aka “Lil Chris”; Damien Barnes, aka “A.D.”; Darrius Knox, aka “Slick”; Demetrich Robinson, aka “Meechy”; Jared Johnson, aka “Lil J”; Kentrell Hickerson, aka “Black”; Kevin Lynch, aka “Weefus”; Lonnie Ingram, aka “Rilla”; McCoy Walker, aka “Rat”; Quincy Briggs, aka “Pizzle”; Rene Knockum, aka “Butcher”; Ronnell Owney, aka “Nelly”; Tadaro Keller, aka “T-Darryl”; Terrioues Owney, aka “T-Red”; Tyrone Knockum, aka “T-Bone”; Washington McCaskill, aka “Dumplin”; Dwight Bush, aka “White”; Chris McCann aka “Boogie”; and Rico Jackson, aka “Freaky,” were each indicted with a single count of racketeering. Additionally, each defendant was charged with various other crimes ranging from the distribution of narcotics to murder.

This indictment is the fourth racketeering indictment, two state and two federal, in the last three months stemming from the work of the Multi-Agency Gang Unit. Previous indictments involved MMG, the 110ers, and the Allen family.

NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas said, “The lawful people who live in this Sixth District neighborhood were essentially being held hostage in their own homes by this group of offenders who dominated public streets with violence and intimidation. This was an effective, continued team effort that’s allowing residents to take their neighborhood back...and we guarantee there will be more to come.”

The MAG Unit was formed in the fall of 2012 to try to focus additional resources on the groups of individuals who continue to commit acts of violence in our neighborhoods. The unit is an integral component of the Group Violence Reduction Strategy, a key initiative of Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s NOLA FOR LIFE comprehensive murder reduction strategy. The Group Violence Reduction Strategy, pioneered by criminologist David Kennedy, is designed to address the relatively small number of people who are locked in various group dynamics on the streets, and who are responsible for an overwhelming majority of murders. For those who choose to stop the violence and want support, there is a team providing support services to help them. Those who continue violence will bring unprecedented attention to their entire group from law enforcement.

“Our message in this Group Violence Reduction effort is simple—our community is demanding that the violence stop,” said Mayor Landrieu. “The cooperation of federal, state, and local law enforcement in this Multi-Agency Gang Unit is going to improve our ability to hold these gangs and groups accountable. In the past three months, MAG Unit investigations have led to the indictments of nearly 50 individuals. Our city will be safer for it. It is a clear signal that the rules have changed, and there is more to come.”

“This indictment, on the heels of the 110ers indictment, builds on the strong momentum of the tireless efforts of the MAG and its companion task forces to neutralize gang violence in New Orleans, which will yield even more gang indictments in the coming months,” said FBI Special Agent Michael Anderson.

The Multi-Agency Gang Unit is the central bureau tasked with gathering evidence against violent gangs and all of their members that leads to the prosecution and conviction of entire violent gangs in either state or federal court on criminal conspiracy, street gang, or racketeering charges. The MAG Unit is conducting several simultaneous investigations on identified groups, which will result in state and federal prosecutions of these groups—thereby removing violent offenders who are responsible for the majority of violence on the streets of New Orleans.

The following agencies are part of the Multi Agency Gang Unit:

• New Orleans Police Department (NOPD)
• Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office (DA)
• Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO)
• Louisiana State Police (LSP)
• Parole Board of the Louisiana Department of Corrections
• United States Attorney’s Office (USAO)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
• United States Marshal’s Service (USMS)
• United States Probation and Parole Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.