U.S. Charges 8 With Narcotics Trafficking
Eight alleged street gang members, including the purported mastermind of a nationwide cocaine and PCP ring that operated for nearly six years, were charged with narcotics trafficking in a federal complaint that has been unsealed.
The alleged ringleader, Patrick Johnson, 26, of Compton, was among several reputed Crips gang members arrested over the weekend as a result of the charges, Assistant U.S. Atty. Thomas H. Bienert Jr. said. Other alleged gang members named in the complaint were Tyrone Hall, Eddie Edwards, Danny Webb, Derek Burkes, Ronald Crutchfield, Craig Smith and Oscar Mellado.
The drug ring, based in Compton, established local networks for the cocaine and PCP distribution in several cities including Washington, San Diego and Honolulu, court documents revealed. In the past three years, undercover investigators made many drug deals with the gang to learn the dimensions of the organization, the documents said.
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