18 Alleged Gang Members Indicted In Howard Co. On Racketeering, Drug Charges
BALTIMORE (AP/WJZ) -- A federal grand jury has indicted 18 alleged members of the Bloods gang in Howard County on racketeering charges. Two of those gang members and three others are facing drug charges.
The indictment was unsealed Wednesday after the arrests of 15 defendants. Prosecutors say five defendants were already in custody.
Prosecutors say the gang members and associates sold drugs to support the gang.
Court documents show that members discussed this and other criminal activity to support the gang and their financial support, including reloadable debit cards, to incarcerated gang members during intercepted phone calls.
According to our media partner, The Baltimore Sun, some of those calls were made from the Chesapeake Detention Center, which is located across the street from the Baltimore City Detention Center.
Each of the 18 defendants charged in the racketeering conspiracy and each of the five defendants charged in narcotics conspiracies faces up to 20 years in prison.
The charges come after several guards at the city detention center were accused of cooperating with the Black Guerrilla Family gang.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
