FBI: 8 more alleged gang members arrested on the coast

Just hours after six people in George County and one in Washington state were arrested, another eight members or associates of street gangs were picked up on federal drug charges on the coast.

A release from the FBI on Friday evening stated that eight additional people allegedly affiliated with the Black Gangster Disciples and Vice Lords Street Gangs have been arrested on federal drug charges in southeast Mississippi. In the afternoon of Feb. 2, 2017, FBI agents, task force officers and sheriff’s deputies arrested the following suspects:

• Learthur Silas, a.k.a. “Lil A,” age 36, of George County.
• Melvin Walker, a.k.a. “Hotboy,” age 27 of Greene County.
• Tykail Moye, a.k.a. "Ty," age 23, of George County.
• Darrell Dennis, a.k.a. "Weezy," age 31, of George County.
• Mario Fairley, age 36, of George County.
• Christopher Bolton, age 31, of Jackson County.
• Marquis Collins, age 29, of Jackson County.
• Edward Brown, a.k.a. "Black," age 30, of Jackson County.

SEE THOSE ARRESTED EARLIER IN THE DAY

All of the suspects have been charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

The eight suspects arrested Thursday afternoon as well as the seven Thursday morning appeared before United States Magistrate Judge John C. Gargiulo Friday in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi in Gulfport. Gargiulo ordered all the suspects to be held without bond pending detention hearings set for next week.

These arrests are the result of a two-year joint investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in southeast Mississippi by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force in Pascagoula; the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; the George County Sheriff’s Office; the Lucedale Police Department; the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team; and Southeast Mississippi Narcotics Task Force.

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In a separate operation, Louisiana officials announced Wednesday that three Hattiesburg residents identified by authorities as Gangster Disciples are among eight suspects indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with an extensive multi-state heroin and cocaine trafficking network.

George, Greene, and Jackson County District Attorney Tony Lawrence said a six-county coastal gang task force made up of several agencies "declared war" on the gangs on the coast a year and a half ago.

"We're fighting Latin Kings, Simon City Royals, people who are killing and robbing and committing crimes," he said.

The FBI Safe Streets Task Force is a Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiative, and is made up of special agents from the FBI and law enforcement officers from the Pascagoula, Moss Point, Gautier and Ocean Springs police departments; the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

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Contact Therese Apel at 601-961-7236 or tapel@gannett.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.