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FBI: 83 United Blood Nation Gang Members Arrested

Nick de la Canal
/
WFAE-FM
U.S. attorney for western North Carolina, Jill Westmoreland Rose, speaks to reporters Thursday

Following an early morning roundup by the FBI and state and local law enforcement, 83 alleged members of the United Blood Nation gang are facing federal charges.

Credit www.ncwd.uscourts.gov
Federal courthouse in Charlotte

The defendants are accused of committing crimes including murders, armed robbery, passing bad checks, and using fake credit cards.

The indictment says most of those incidents occurred in Charlotte, Shelby, and Gastonia. About a dozen of those arrested today are charged with at least one count of murder.

Lamonte Kentrell Lloyd who also goes by "Murda Mo" and Tyquan Ramont Powell also known as "Savage" are accused of killing Jimmy Ray Daniels and Cheeontah Howard early last year.

The indictment mentions four other murders:

  • Shamon Goins "Rugui" is accused of killing Devon Clement in May 2010.
  • Johnathan Wray "Snoop Yungin" is accused of killing Alejandro Chris Odoms November 27, 2015.
  • Five of those arrested are accused of killing Malik Brown July 26, 2016.
  • Drickey Dashon Huskey "Drizzy" is accused of killing Donnell Murray August 7, 2016. 

Multiple media outlets report the crackdown was part of a larger effort taking place in several states on the east coast today.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says members of the United Blood Nation are often identified by displaying red articles of clothing or signature tattoos. Those include the letters "M.O.B." which stand for "Member of Bloods," a five-pointed star representing the five "points of knowledge" in the gang, three circular brands or burn marks formed into a triangle, or tattoos that symbolize a particular hood.

Most recently, the United Blood Nation generated headlines when two suspected members pleaded guilty to killing a Lake Wylie couple in their home in October 2014. The two men, Jamell "Murda Mel" Cureton and Malcolm "Bloody Silent" Hartley, were sentenced to life in federal prison without parole.

INDICTMENT

Read the 163-page indictment made public Thursday. (PDF)

Nick de la Canal is an on air host and reporter covering breaking news, arts and culture, and general assignment stories. His work frequently appears on air and online. Periodically, he tweets: @nickdelacanal
Lisa Worf traded the Midwest for Charlotte in 2006 to take a job at WFAE. She worked with public TV in Detroit and taught English in Austria before making her way to radio. Lisa graduated from University of Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in English.