Friday, June 29, 2012
YOUNGSTOWN
A Mahoning County grand jury has handed up indictments against four people accused of participating in ongoing gang activity on the city’s South Side.
O’Keefe Brown, Frankie “Tank” Hudson Jr., Deon Sanders and Ruben Joel “Pilo” Sanchez Jr. are charged with multiple counts of robbery, aggravated robbery with firearm specifications, illegal possession of weapons and participating in a criminal gang.
A total of 16 counts are against each of the men.
Martin Desmond, an assistant county prosecutor, said the name of the gang is the H-Block Gang, identifying the Hilton Avenue area where the gang is said to operate.
Dion Weatherspoon, 24, of Hilton Avenue, was shot and killed on Hilton Avenue earlier this month. Desmond said Weatherspoon was a member of the H-Block Gang and would have been included in the indictment had he survived.
Desmond said the four individuals in the indictment are the first of what likely will be many more people to face indictment for association with the H-Block Gang.
“They are all charged with pretty much robbery, illegally having guns and things like that. ... This is the first of many indictments. We are working together to rid the city of these gangs and serve notice that we are here, and here we come,” said Desmond.
The investigation into H-Block Gang activity is a joint effort among the Youngstown Police Department Detective Division, gang unit, Violent Crimes Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.