Feds indict ex-officer, alleged gang members

ATLANTA (AP) - Alleged members of the Gangster Disciples, including high-ranking leaders and an Atlanta-area police officer who prosecutors say claimed to be a hit man for the gang, have been charged with racketeering in a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday.

The indictment filed in federal court in Atlanta last week names 32 people accused of participating in coordinated criminal activity, including drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking, extortion, wire fraud, credit card fraud, insurance fraud and bank fraud.

App users: Click here to watch a report of the gang bust

"There are bad apples in every organization.  This was a bad apple and we were saddened to learn of his involvement in this crime," said Chief Jim Conroy, DeKalb County Police Department.

Federal authorities in Memphis, Tennessee, have also announced a news conference "regarding the indictment of multiple alleged members of the Gangster Disciples," said Louis Goggans, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office there.

The Gangster Disciples is a violent gang that began in Chicago in the 1970s when the Black Disciples and the Supreme Gangsters merged, the Atlanta indictment says. It's a highly structured and hierarchical organization divided into geographic groups.

Charged in the indictment is Vancito Gumbs, who prosecutors say was the leadership of the Gangster Disciples while also serving as a police officer in DeKalb County. Gumbs said in August that he killed people as a hit man for the gang, the indictment says.

He traveled with another gang member last fall to "take care of GD business" and called another gang member in October to warn him to stay away from a sports bar that police were raiding and that the other gang member frequented.

App users: Click here to watch a report on what authorities said Gumb's role was in the organization

U.S. Attorney John Horn said Gumbs was the leadership of the Gangsters Disciples arrested Wednesday.

A 55 page federal indictment detailed some of Gumb's alleged involvement with the notorious gang. It states Gumb warned gang members to stay away from a sports bar police were raiding at the time. It also said Gumb traveled with a gang member to 'take care of GD business. U.S. Attorney John Horn said it gets worse.

"The indictment includes charges against a former DeKalb County police officer who claimed he killed people for the gang and who was instructed to find out what police were investigating," said Horn.

Public records show Gumbs was arrested for battery and simple assault in December of last year. The DeKalb County Police Department said Gumbs resigned from the force in lieu of termination in October 2015 following an internal investigation for truthfulness and allegations of illegal drug use.

At Gumb's Stone Mountain home, a man who identified himself as Gumb's friend said the former police officer's family is standing by his side.

"I'm here to support my friend, he's a brother and I love him so," he said.

Gumbs next-door neighbor who did not identify himself said his children grew up with Gumb. He said the former cop is also a veteran who served two tours in Afghanistan.

"I know when he came back from Afghanistan, he wasn't the same person," he said.

Gumb is scheduled to return to federal court in Atlanta on Monday for a Detention Hearing.

App users: Click here to watch Wednesday's press conference

The national leader, known as the chairman, is in prison and is identified in the indictment as L.H.

Board members are the highest ranking gang members after the chairman, and at least one of them, Shauntay Craig, is charged in the Atlanta indictment. State-level leaders are called governors. Regional leaders, who oversee several states, are called governors of governors.

Among those indicted in Atlanta were three people who prosecutors say served as governors of governors at various times: Alonzo Walton oversaw a region that included Georgia, Florida, Texas, Indiana and South Carolina; Terrance Summers oversaw Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida; and Adrian Jackson was governor of governor for the western states, including California.

It was not immediately clear whether any of those named in the indictment had lawyers who could comment on the charges.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta released the following list of defendants and outlines their roles in the organization:

• Shauntay Craig, 37, of Birmingham, Alabama, held the rank of Gangster Disciples "Board Member".
• Vancito Gumbs, 25, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples while at the same time serving as a police officer with the DeKalb County Police Department.   
• Alonzo Walton, 47, of Atlanta, Georgia, held at different relevant times the positions of governor and governor of governors, the latter position controlling Georgia, Florida, Texas, Indiana, and South Carolina.
• Mangwiro Sadiki-Yisrael, 43, of Marietta, Georgia, held at different relevant times the positions of a first coordinator, assistant governor of Georgia, and governor of Georgia.
• Kevin Clayton, 43, of Decatur, Georgia, was the chief enforcer for the State of Georgia.
• Donald Glass, 26, of Decatur, Georgia, served as a first coordinator of the eastside group of the Gangster Disciples.
• Lewis Mobely, 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, was an enforcer.
• Vertious Wall, 40, of Marietta, Georgia, was a first coordinator for the Macon Gangster Disciples group.
• Adrian Jackson, 37, of San Jose, California, was the national treasurer for the Gangster Disciples. 
• Terrence Summers, 45, of Birmingham, Alabama, held at different relevant times the positions of governor of Alabama and governor of governors for Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida.
• Markell White, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, was a regional leader in Macon.
• Ronald McMorris, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, was first coordinator of the Atlanta group.
• Perry Green, 29, of Decatur, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and acted as enforcer of a Gangster Disciples group.
• Dereck Taylor, 29, of Macon, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and acted as security for a Macon group.
• Alvis O'Neal, 37, of Denver, Colorado, was a senior member of and drug trafficker for the Gangster Disciples.
• Jeremiah Covington, 32, of Valdosta, Georgia, was a first coordinator for the Valdosta region.
• Antonio Ahmad, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, was the chief of security for the state of Georgia.
• Eric Manney, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and stored multiple guns at his house.
• Quiana Franklin, 33, of Birmingham, Alabama, served as treasurer for the state of Alabama.
• Frederick Johnson, 37, of Marietta, Georgia, was a chief enforcer for a Gangster Disciples group.
• Charles Wingate, 25, of Conyers, Georgia, was chief of security for a Covington, Georgia, group.
• Thomas Pasby, 42, of Cochran, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
• Denise Carter, 41, of Detroit, Michigan, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
• Carlton King, JR., 25, of Cochran, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
• Kelvin Sneed, 26, of Cochran, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
• Arrie Freeney, 32, of Detroit, Michigan, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
• Myrick Stevens, 26, of Madison, Wisconsin, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
• Curtis Thomas, 45, of Cochran, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
• Yohori Epps, 36, of Marietta, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.
• Michael Drummound, 49, of Marietta, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples.

U.S. Attorney John Horn said in addition to the RICO conspiracy, Mobely and Glass were also charged with attempted murder and possession of a firearm. Mobley also will face drug trafficking charges.