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More LSP Gang members face arraignment over next 3 weeks
YOUNGSTOWN
Prosecutors say the 31 men they have identified as members of the LSP Gang wreaked havoc on South Side neighborhoods for 10 years, but now they are spending their time visiting various courtrooms facing felony charges.
LSP stands for the streets from which the gang ran its suspected criminal enterprise — LaClede, Sherwood and Parkview avenues. Police and members of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been investigating the group for two years.
Carlton Council, 28, of Youngstown had been on the short list of five men not yet apprehended by authorities, but he surrendered to police Monday and was arraigned before federal Magistrate Judge George J. Limbert in the Thomas D. Lambros Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse on Market Street. A date for a detention hearing in the case against Council will be set at a later time.
Michael Jones, 26, no address given, had been wanted but, with his attorney, Ron Yarwood, surrendered to police 10 days ago. He was set for a detention hearing in his case Monday but waived his right to have that hearing, electing to remain in jail as his case progresses through the courts.
Yarwood told the court he would like to reserve the right to revisit the issue of bond for his client at a later date.
Alleged gang members will be arraigned in federal court in Cleveland over a period of three consecutive days this week. The first to be arraigned was Shawn Jones, 21, of Youngstown on Monday afternoon.
Daniel J. Riedl, assistant United States attorney, said Jones pleaded not guilty to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act charge and waived reading of the charges against him in open court. He will have a preliminary hearing April 19.
Riedl said there will be eight more suspected LSP gang members in federal court today for arraignment. They are Dominique Callier, 19; Corey Council, 22; Ryan Davis, 21; Daquann Hackett, 21; Derrick Johnson, no age given; Melvin Johnson III, 19; Wayne Kerns, 20; and Braylyn Williams, 20.
Riedl said Maurise Kerns, 21, will be arraigned Wednesday in federal court in Cleveland.
A 42-count federal indictment released in March detailed 24 men facing charges as alleged gang members under the RICO Act. An additional seven men are facing state charges in connection with suspected gang activity.
Federal agents say the LSP gang has operated on the South Side for nearly a decade selling drugs and guns and plotting murder.