Eight Alleged Members of Ivy Street Gangstas Indicted for Murder, Robbery, Drug Trafficking

NEWPORT NEWS, VA—Eight alleged members of the Ivy Street Gangstas (ISG) street gang have been indicted by a federal grand jury for running a criminal organization that engaged in acts of violence, including murders, robberies, narcotics distribution, and weapons violations.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Alex J. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Norfolk Division; James D. Fox, Chief of Newport News Police; Charles Jordan, Chief of Hampton Police, and other state and local representatives made the announcement after the indictment was made public today.

According to the 36-count indictment returned on March 11, 2011, the ISG gang operated in the area around the intersection of

9th Street

and

Ivy Avenue

in Newport News Virginia and the area of Brittany and Sweetbriar Apartments in Hampton, Va. Members and associates of ISG included members of the Bloods and Crips, which are national gangs. The eight men are accused of coordinating with one another to obtain money and property through robberies, narcotics distribution and acts of bank and credit card fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft. The proceeds of such criminal activities were allegedly used for the benefit of all gang members.

The alleged gang members are accused in the indictment of protecting their criminal activities through the use of intimidation, violence, and threats of violence—including the murders of John Henry Green on Jan. 18, 2007 and Demareo Dontae Hardy on March 20, 2009.

Those charged in the indictment are the following:

Andra G. Green, a/k/a "Andra Gabriel Green, Jr., Giz, Gizzle, A. Gizzle, and A. J.," 24, of Hampton, Va.

Zakarie X. Williams, a/k/a "Carie, Karie," 37, of Hampton, Va.

Joseph L. Williams, a/k/a "Joe Pro," 34, of Newport News, Va.

Kyheim D. Tucker, a/k/a "Paso," 23, of Newport News, Va.

Ray M. Fearrington, a/k/a "Ray Ray," 23, of Newport News, Va.

Alfonso D. Sheppard, a/k/a "Prime," 31, of Newport News, Va.

Bobby Kahill Mangrum, 21, of Newport News, Va.

Raymond E. Brown, a/k/a "Bae Bae, Goon, Goonie," 22, of Newport News, Va.

Green, Sheppard, Brown, and Mangrum were charged with murder with a firearm which is a death eligible offense, subject to a decision by the U.S. Attorney General.

A federal grand jury first indicted Green and Williams in March 2010, on bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, along with seven other individuals who have previously pled guilty and were alleged to be members or associates of the ISG street gang. This superseding indictment adds three alleged gang members, robbery and firearm charges, as well as two counts of murder with a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

This case was investigated by FBI and Newport News Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel, Eric Hurt, and Howard J. Zlotnick are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.uspci.uscourts.gov.