They also claimed certain bars and restaurants as their own, which meant customers and owners recognized the gang members and allowed them to carry firearms inside and stay there after hours, federal officials said. Duane Peterson and the other gang member split the $10,000, police said. I missed a significant part of my early life in prisonthe majority of my 20s and the beginning of my 30s. While there, the dealer sold drugs and collected money with another man. Lower ranking members included Dayquan Johnson, Davis and Brown, officials said. Led by twin brothers, Johnny and Leonard Curry, the gang was centered on the Eastside, conveniently stashed away from primary YBI and Pony Down sales districts further west. Its like on the streets and in law enforcement after everyone got over the novelty of the two of them running together, all of sudden he changed skin color. I look at my son and what I did to him. The rap mogul and wife Akia Brown have established several businesses, including BMB Records, to hide and disguise drug profits, the DEA alleges in the search warrant document. DETROIT - Feds have charged 19 Detroit men in connection with drug crimes, and in one indictment, they broke down how the "It's Just Us" gang initiated its members, operated stash houses,. Oct 28, 2016 TRAVERSE CITY Prosecutors' recent efforts to target drug dealers who ship narcotics into the Traverse City area resulted in a lengthy prison sentence for a Detroit man. Read More: Where are White Boy Ricks Fiancee and Children Now? Weekly Ad Shop Online Digital Coupons. That, in itself, attracted me to the lifestyle. Little Man had allies in almost every nook and cranny of the citys political structure, deep inroads that reached all the very top of the Mayors office. Court records claim Poole and Battiste were linked to 40 grams or more of the fentanyl mixture/substance. April 19, 2016: Luther Peterson sold heroin to an undercover officer in Jackson, authorities said. Minus the flashy handle and juvenile preening, the press didnt want to write about the Currys. White Boy is a true-crime offering from Shawn Rech about a 17-year-old kid who ended up being dubbed as White Boy Rick, alleged to be one of the most notorious drug dealers in Detroit during the 1980s. They were an odd coupling, said one former highly-placed member of federal law enforcement of Johnny Currys association with the teenage drug dealing wunderkind Wershe. The federal indictment listed specific goals of the Its Just Us gang. Agents learned the rent for the Skokie home was being paid for via money orders. Davis was one of Detroit's largest drug kingpins in the 70s and 80s. The list of properties included Browns home in Warren, the house on Tracey, a Detroit riverfront loft and a home on West Parkway in Detroit used by Brown. That gang member and Duane Peterson fired shots into the Impala and struck another passenger in the torso, officials said. They were included in the same announcement from the United States Attorneys Office, but not specifically linked to any gang. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper. Agents conducted undercover surveillance on the couples 6,900-square-foot house, which includes a secret Narnia-themed room hidden behind an armoire, and spotted Browns stable of luxury cars. During the height of his power, Davis was an international drug smuggler, supplying Detroit heavyweights like Young Boys Incorporated. She was absolutely right, so I pulled myself together. REPUTED HEROIN DEALER SENTENCED \ TO 45 YEARS FOR COCAINE SMUGGLING Detroit Free Press (MI) - Tuesday, September 22, 1987 . It was the norm. Dec. 18, 2018: Maurice Johnson and Gary Johnson distributed 40 grams or more of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, court records say. By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Vice Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content. Johnny was convicted of running a drug enterprise and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Aug. 8, 2018: Duane Peterson had a stolen .40-caliber handgun with an extended magazine and talked with Dionne Peterson about law enforcements monitoring of their distribution in West Virginia, court records allege. They were "get money" dudes. And any large-scale drug investigation inevitably takes many twists and turns along the way, Gabel said. Cathy wasnt arrested, but named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the case, which mapped out her husbands airtight control of numerous Eastside drug houses and increase in power and territory acquisition after the incarceration of Butch Jones and Le Roy Buttrum. The attack was committed in front of Dionne Peterson, Dayquan Johnson, Davis and other IJU members, federal officials said. (Gil denied any such allegations). He declined comment Tuesday. It is unclear whether the government has enough evidence to file drug charges against Brown, who has remained out of jail after federal agents obtained a search warrant to raid at least six homes and two banks. Today, she is a self-described CEO with her own memoir, a billboard on the citys west side and an active life on social media, posting photos of herself in furs shopping at Chanel and sitting on a gold throne with armrests shaped like a ferocious beast. Twice in 2014, Brown allegedly arranged to have a large amount of cash picked up and sent to a large drug ring, according to the DEA. Jan. 22, 2019: Luther Peterson posted a message on Facebook warning IJU members against snitching because they would get f***** up," court documents claim. Davis was one of Detroit's largest drug kingpins in the 70s and 80s. While Brown is free on bond, his wife says on social media that she is filming a Lifetime reality show. in the 1990s. Its not adding up, McCoy said. The caption said, We still the on same s*** Chapo the bodyguard," according to court records. 0:04. But for some reason, she was attracted to drug dealers. April 17, 2018: An IJU member and an associate had 129 grams of fentanyl-laced heroin vacuum sealed in a magnetic box affixed to the back bumper of the car, police said. Unlike the Buttrum brothers and their Pony Down crew who looked to challenge top dog YBI at every opportunity or DFG which did an end-around and went out of state to move the bulk of its drugs, the Curry brothers were content to play second-fiddle to Butch Jones and his Young Boys empire. She was beautiful, educated and carried herself in a very high-powered manner. Then, bullets started whizzing by and I hit the ground. Brown allegedly using his rap label to hide money earned through large-scale criminal activity is a modern twist on a Prohibition-era racket, said Carl Taylor, a Michigan State University sociology professor who has studied drugs and gangs. July 3, 2017: Dionne Peterson was pictured with a handgun and an extended magazine, the indictment says. After Gatling went to prison in 2005, Davis made a decision that changed her life forever: She stepped foot into the drug game herself, a business shed always been around, but had never been fully involved in. Tags: 1980's, best friends gang, butch jones, crack cocaine, demetrius holloway, detroit, east side detroit, heroin, maserati rick, Members Only, mob hits, pony down, tiny, white boy rick, ybi, young boys. That IJU member hit one of the Impala occupants in the head with a handgun and said, This aint no m************ show, court records say. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. It was the murder of a 13-year-old Damion Lucas, who was caught in the crosshairs of a beef between two rival gang members. The substances included mixtures and substances containing detectable amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine, officials said. Johnny and Leo Curry might not have been as well-known to the general public as many of the other kingpins of the day, but in the streets, they were as big as it came. Investigators seized 1 kilogram of heroin, three firearms, $2,365 and three Harley-Davidson motorcycles, according to court records. The gang helped members and associates obstruct and hinder authorities to avoid prosecution, federal officials said. DEA agents allege Brown was a hands-on leader of the drug ring. Sept. 4, 2015: Deshawn Peterson possessed a handgun in Detroit, court documents say. Copyright 2020 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Brown owns the home, according to the DEA and property records. That's something I deal with every day. We just kicked it and shot the shit the whole night. Brown buys the drug from a group in California that has direct ties to Mexican drug cartels, the informant said. The Currys were in business for so long that their gangs activities spanned two distinct narcotic booms. Inside the Cadillac, Michigan State Police troopers found $143,940 hidden in a secret compartment. They finally ran up into the house with their guns drawn and I threw my hands in the air and let them know I was pregnant. Thats how I was introduced to Wonnie. % Underworld legend Doc Davis joined the Original Gangsters Podcast in studio! Brown pursued her for his rap label because he has a penchant for big boobs and butts, Knight alleges. True Crime. Gatling, meanwhile, was BMF's St. Louis crew chief and a close advisor to Big Meech. The fleet included a gray Nissan Altima, the DEA alleges. Johnny was released from prison after serving 14 of the 20 years. According to Curry him and Cathy met with Hill in his office the day after the Lucas murder and were informed that a member of Currys crew was the top suspect in the crime. I ended up doing seven and a half. As the daughter of a big-time dope man, she lived a privileged childhood and adolescence, attending private school, driving a BMW,. Rap mogul stays out of jail amid heroin investigation. Privacy Policy. I brought in my dad and my stepbrother and we were off and running. During the height of his power, Davis was an international drug smuggler, supplying Detroit heavyweights like Young Boys Incorporated. Officials said they would use homes in Detroit to store, conceal and distribute the drugs and proceeds from trafficking. Take a look at the BMB Records founder Brian Browns alleged drug empire and locations targeted by federal drug agents. Next The Detroit Drug Wars (Part 2) I know you're going through what you're going through, but you can't keep living your life like that." Jan. 25, 2015: Deshawn Peterson possessed marijuana, heroin, crack cocaine, digital scales and US currency in a Jackson house, the indictment alleges. Members would also tout the gangs accomplishments via pictures, videos and messages on social media, federal officials said. The informant told DEA agents that Brown was one of the largest heroin dealers in the Midwest and had accumulated millions of dollars in cash, luxury vehicles and expensive jewelry, according to court records. That is especially true when, like the Brown investigation, the probe spans states, delves into financial records and relies on informants, search warrants and wiretaps, said Jones Day law firm partner Louis Gabel. Within a few months, everybody just viewed him as black. I was brutally beaten by Brown when I walked in on him with another woman, Lane-Jarmon, 43, wrote in an court affidavit. Rudy Davis, the precinct narcotics crew chief in the Detroit Police Department's 10 th Precinct. Brandi Davis is the daughter of a famous kingpin and the girlfriend of a notorious drug dealer. Three weeks later, investigators tracked the alleged drug dealer to the Los Angeles area. doc davis detroit drug dealer doc davis detroit drug dealer 30 June 2022 . The car collection cost $519,000, or about 14 times as much money as Brown reported on his 2011 taxes, according to the search warrant affidavit. On March 6, 2018, Duane Peterson choked and repeatedly punched someone inside the Liquor Island convenience store in Detroit, officials said. During the height of his power, Davis was an international drug smuggler, supplying Detroit heavyweights like Young Boys Incorporated. Within days, the tracking device showed the Altima at a home on Tracey Street on Detroits west side. The heroin and fentanyl investigation coincides with a 57 percent rise in overdose deaths nationwide in recent years tied to synthetic opioids. He is a former assistant U.S. attorney who in 2014 successfully prosecuted three fez-wearing drug dealers involved in one of the largest narcotics rings in Metro Detroit history. Landing Cathy Curry was like bagging the kingfish. If someone disrespected IJU, violence was the means of retaliation, officials said. March 22, 2016: Davis sold heroin to an undercover officer in Parkersburg, West Virginia, according to the indictment. Another member had 365 grams of fentanyl-laced heroin, a sandwich bag of cocaine, two handguns and $6,999 at his home in Detroit, according to court records. When Little Man married Cathy, he went from just another big time dealer to being practically untouchable. These guys laced them with lavish gifts and took care of them just like my dad took care of my mom. Underworld legend Doc Davis joined the Original Gangsters Podcast in studio! Somebody was going to do it, Curry said. She provided the kind of access criminals killed to have. [s8%UF}^0(8eY~Bgp~(YosnYbMY6-u z'*CSLQmw!.Z hC#tgFOla:(Fj]}"rhCRAqH 'nrW. Battiste is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and two counts of distribution of controlled substances -- aiding and abetting. For more information, please see our LOUIS, Ill. - A U.S. District Court judge sentenced an East St. Louis man to 16 years and six months in prison after he pled guilty to several drug charges for his involvement in a national trafficking ring as the Metro East St. Louis leader. East Coast. I went to Catholic School and stayed in the suburbs, but I always dated drug dealers. Akia Brown declined comment and referred calls to her lawyer, John Royal. Underworld legend Doc Davis joined the Original Gangsters Podcast in studio! Here are the seven men who were charged, along with their known nicknames: Our message to violent drug-dealing gang members could not be more clear: Our federal and state law enforcement team knows exactly who you are, and we are coming after you, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said. My dads business, which I really didnt know anything about until later, afforded me a lot of nice things early in life. Kash Doll, real name Arkeisha Knight, sued Brown and BMB last year, accusing him of welching on a $5,000 signing bonus. Receive all of VladTV's hard-hitting news in our daily newsletter, as well as our exclusive interviews. At the time, Richard was instructed by the FBI to infiltrate the Curry organization, and he did exactly that, gathering intelligence regarding their criminal activities and their drug empire. Surprisingly, the assimilation process was very fast, he was accepted very quickly by all the major players outside the Curry boys as one of their own. The run for Johnny and Leonard Curry atop the citys drug world came to an end in the spring of 1987, when the government indicted the Curry brothers and 18 of their foot soldiers in a racketeering case, with charges of mass narcotics trafficking and tax evasion dating back close to a decade. The FBI estimated that they sold anywhere between $150 to $200 million worth of drugs in the 1980s. Also along for the ride was the familys baby brother Rudell Boo Curry, an eager lieutenant almost always at his older siblings sides, being groomed for a future leadership role. Id get paid for my services like anybody else. Mr. The gun belonged to Brown, his girlfriend told agents, court records show. Gary Johnson is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances -- aiding and abetting, distribution of controlled substances. They kept asking us who we called over to start shooting at them. As a result, Johnny was able to make contacts in the Mayors office and had a direct line to Gil Hill, the Head of the Homicide Department at Detroit PD. Since she got out in 2016, Davis has published a book chronicling her journey, The High Price I Had To Pay 4, started a lifestyle and female-empowerment brand called FreePrettyGirls, and was cast in season three of the BET reality show, From The Bottom. You are unauthorized to view this page. Somebody dropped me about 30 kilos of cocaine and in a matter of days, I got rid of it. Even if we get caught, Im thinking the man takes the beef, the woman never goes to jail. Seven months later, in March 2013, Browns entertainment company, BMB Records, was created and registered at the same house raided by Detroit Police. His mom was dating Southwest T, Big Meechs brother. Mafia. The SWAT showed up, the helicopters were flying around, but the shooter got away. Nov. 22, 2019: Janard Thomas, Poole and Battiste distributed more than 40 grams of a mixture and substance containing heroin and fentanyl, according to court records. March 20, 2018: Duane Peterson talked to another IJU member about drug sales and how much money that member owed him, authorities said. I look back and I think that could've been me, but I chose the streets instead. It is inconceivable that Browns rap label generated millions of dollars to acquire expensive homes and vehicles, said hip-hop industry expert Regan Sommer McCoy, a Columbia University community scholar and founder of the New York-based archive project, The Mixtape Museum. Reginald Davis, 32, of Detroit, was convicted of distributing carfentanil, a synthetic opioid that is used on elephants and other large mammals. After serving time in prison they became successful business and family men. Curious to know where he is now? Around May 2005, Wonnie came to Atlanta, even though I told him I didnt feel like it was safe. On social media, Brown portrays himself as a successful hood hero and last month posted a billboard near McNichols and I-75 promoting an upcoming self-help book. Agents say Browns drug ring is responsible for distributing more than 440 pounds of drugs throughout the U.S. and amassed millions in cash, luxury vehicles, real estate and expensive jewelry. April 12, 2015: Dionne Peterson posted a Facebook photo that said, Tag a cousin you will kill for, authorities said. As a result of their ability to avoid the spotlight, the Currys wound up being the longest lasting of all the Detroit drug syndicates of their era. The collection of 20 cars includes a $94,000 Maserati, an $88,000 Cadillac Escalade, an $81,000 Porsche Panamera and two Corvettes. Nobody outside of the game back then would have been able to tell you who Little Man and Big Man were. Hill then allegedly told them, You have nothing to worry about, and according to Curry, accepted a bribe of $10,000 in cash to keep him and his inner-circle out of the investigation. I dont know if it was a rebellion thing, growing up around the Mayors mansion or whatnot, but she strictly dated dopers. She served almost eight years in prison; meanwhile, her dads health failed him shortly after his own early release. A month later, in January 2015, the investigation led to Birmingham, Alabama, where agents raided a home and arrested Eric Young, who banking records showed had wired money to Brian Brown. I had money at my disposal. 0:41. Nov. 23, 2015: Luther Peterson sold heroin to an undercover officer in Jackson, officials said. Being supplied by local wholesale moguls Arthur AD Derrick and Sam Doc Curry (no relation), the Currys had an endless supply of powdery goodness that they cut and sold for an estimated $200,000,000 over the next three years. I dont want to say these people are washed up, but. Illinois had the sixth-highest number of opioid overdose deaths (1,381), and Michigan the eighth-highest (1,309). FBI agents and other law enforcement officers, including Detroit police officers, have worked to bring down the IJU gang since 2018, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Young Boys Incorporated, also known as Y.B.I., was a major drug organization in Detroit, Michigan, who were among the first African American drug cartels to operate on inner-city street corners. They liked it that way. Aug. 3, 2017: Dionne Peterson got a text about law enforcement searching the Huntington, West Virginia, home, officials said. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. For example, IJU -- the initials of Its Just Us" -- correspond with the numbers 258 on a telephone keypad. We got busted in a sting set up by one of my drivers. I went to make a five-kilo pickup and before I could even turn on the ignition to the car, I was swarmed by police. The lanky, mop-topped, almost gawky, fresh-faced 15-year old was Johnny Currys right hand man and that said it all. When the curtain finally came down on the gangs tenure in the late-1980s, cocaine was the product being pushed, specifically crack. The documentary involves interviews with Richard Wershe Jr.s acquaintances from back in the day, law enforcement, and attorneys as well. But even with organized crime Im speaking of the Italian and Sicilians they knew not to be too flashy.. He was indicted on a federal cocaine conspiracy charge in 1993 the case was dismissed and again in 1999. There was no differentiation. Federal officials said one or more kilogram of the heroin mixture/substance was linked to Maurice Johnson, Gary Johnson, Carlouse Johnson, Deantez Johnson, Janard Thomas, Jackson and Moses. Underworld legend Doc Davis joined the Original Gangsters Podcast in studio! Jan. 12, 2017: A woman in Dayquan Johnsons car had 18 hydrocodone pills, 17 oxycodone pills and $449 while in Detroit, officials said. Featured. Davis was indicted in 2010 for his role in a multimillion dollar mortgage fraud scheme. March 6, 2018: Dionne Peterson received a text informing him that authorities had searched and recovered drugs and money in Jackson, according to the indictment. Eventually Doc became a fugitive and was on the top 10 most . Where is Johnny Curry Now? They would also ask women to hide drugs on their person, according to the indictment. Davis Drugs added a drive-thru window in the early 2000's for the convenience of. Later that year, a Detroit News article reported an on-going investigation into Hills possible role in leaking information and taking a payoff from Curry to impede progress in the case of a gangland homicide that was allegedly pointing in the direction of Curry and his crew. Moving along, she details the trouble that she got into as a high school student before detailing how she met the guys from BMF after she relocated to Atlanta. Officials said the guns matched shell casings found at the scene. Johnnys contacts and Cathys influence made it a profitable enterprise. Wonnie went up to my attic and I was scrambling around the house, trying to get all the jewelry out of sight. Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Wonnie ended up dying in prison from an asthma attack just over a year later.