This week, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced more than a dozen gang leaders were arrested.
The 13 gang leaders “are part of the Bloods-affiliated Sex Money Murder gang” with 11 of them based in Florida. More than 40 gang members were arrested.
“The defendants face a wide array of charges stemming from gang activity that included a complex scheme to deal drugs in state prisons. Charges include racketeering, directing the activities of a criminal gang, witness tampering and conspiracy to commit murder,” Moody’s office noted.
“This massive law enforcement operation eliminated the main state leadership of a notorious, nationwide gang operating across Florida. Our law enforcement heroes put in countless hours and risked their own safety to take down gangsters who demonstrated a complete lack of respect for human life. Because of these officers and my Statewide Prosecutors, we are all safer, and their actions will have far-reaching, positive implications on communities across the state,” Moody said.
“All you need to know about this gang is in its title: Sex Money Murder. We are not going to put up with these gangs brazenly coordinating and committing crimes in our communities. They are an organized criminal enterprise, ruthlessly focused on violence, theft, fraud and profiting from the human misery and violence of the illegal drug trade. Our message to other gang members in Polk County and throughout Florida: don’t throw your life away on gangs. If you do, and we catch you, you will go to prison for a long, long time,” Judd said.
Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) Sec. Ricky Dixon also weighed in.
“FDC is proud to work in concert with our law enforcement partners as part of our public safety mission. This partnership represents an ongoing effort and our commitment to identifying and preventing criminal activity from occurring within our walls. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring a safe environment for those entrusted to our care and furthering public safety for all Floridians,” Dixon said.
Moody’s office offered some of the details on why the gang leaders were arrested.
“According to a multiagency investigation, leadership of SMM devised and executed a scheme to smuggle synthetic cannabinoids into at least three state prisons. Evidence secured during the investigation revealed that members of SMM sprayed the drugs onto pages of the Bible, Koran and greetings cards and then mailed them to gang members in the prisons,” Moody’s office noted. “During the execution of search warrants at the residences of gang leaders in three counties, police found firearms as well as large quantities of crack, cocaine and cannabis. Several members face charges associated with home invasions. During the investigation, SMM leadership also ordered murder-hits on two former gang members and face charges associated with those crimes.”
Moody’s office also listed out who was arrested and the charges they face. That information can be found below.
1. Hernando Thompson – Commissioner
Racketeering, RICO/Conspiracy and three counts of Directing an Activity of a Criminal Gang
2. James Roundtree – Number Two Leader (Hi-20)
Racketeering, RICO/Conspiracy and three counts of Directing an Activity of a Criminal Gang
3. Donahue Stephenson – Number Two Prison Boss (Hi-20)
Racketeering, RICO/Conspiracy and one count of Directing an Activity of a Criminal Gang
4. Andree Romeus – Gang Advisor
Racketeering, RICO/Conspiracy and three counts of Directing an Activity of a Criminal Gang
5. Jonathan Fleming – North Carolina Leader
RICO/Conspiracy
6. Tonisha Fisher – Number One Female Leader (First Lady)
Racketeering and RICO/Conspiracy
7. Cerenia Mixon – Gang Secretary
Racketeering, RICO/Conspiracy and two counts of Directing an Activity of a Criminal Gang
8. Tyreese Cruz – County-level Leader
Racketeering, RICO/Conspiracy and two counts of Directing an Activity of a Criminal Gang
9. Deshon Morris – Gang Enforcer
RICO/Conspiracy
10. Horatio Walker – General Member
Racketeering, RICO/Conspiracy and Tampering with a Witness
11. Antonio Taylor – General Member
RICO/Conspiracy and four counts of Recruiting Members to Join a Criminal Gang
12. Xavier Ulysse – General Member
Conspiracy to Commit Murder
13. Rodney Street – Member of the Nine-Trey Gangster Bloods
RICO/Conspiracy
Illegal drugs, firearms, and currency seized included:
21.45 pounds of methamphetamine
2,595 grams of cocaine
3,051 grams of cannabis
249 grams of MDMA
719 grams of synthetic cannabis
7.86 grams of fentanyl
28 grams of mushrooms
8 grams of alprazolam
52 grams of oxycodone
1846 grams of promethazine
18 firearms
$17,514 in US currency
The total street value of the drugs confiscated is more than $1.5 million.
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