My son was nine months old. (Pexels) DETROIT - Officials said 19 people from 12 different cities, primarily in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, have been charged in a massive $41 million opioid. I partied every night. If a man couldnt do what he did for me, there was no point talking to him. "K{^wssE?_HRD^&z=:=nWU}Si67"u#x.Af` MN'tCCm{lug_qJVoM;m:`k+aj 55-tg^A] LLS~(slwjmw~OgFUkO`5\p470H\tx?xr6VTb33J@)8=ITxFZe1;*`W_T_t2KNo+.#%Z:qv2! +\&GeIozgvWA3hB&B\@9StvrO,\E{OZi+y\=5Z6*&,WXvLKV:a? The DEA would not discuss the case but confirmed the ongoing investigation. Nov. 8, 2019: Janard Thomas and Battiste distributed 40 grams or more of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, the indictment claims. Then it was just accepted by everybody. Members and associates of the enterprise were expected to retaliate with threats of violence and violence when members and associates of the enterprise were insulted, threatened, intimidated or assaulted, the indictment says. Cathy was a ghetto princess, said one former FBI agent. Reginald Gary Davis, described several years ago as "the main man in Detroit" drug trafficking While Im sitting out there and theyre searching the place, I heard gunshots. Mafia Insider. Wonnie got hauled away and I was arrested for possession of the marijuana they found in the house. Johnny Lil Man Curry, along with his brother Leo Curry, formed one of the most infamous criminal organizations in the city of Detroit back in the day. On our way, Pig told me we were going to pick up one of his homeboys. IJU operated primarily on Detroits east side, but also distributed drugs in Flint, Jackson and West Virginia -- specifically Huntington and Parkersburg, officials said. While there, the dealer sold drugs and collected money with another man. He didn't have a mom or dad for those years. They were asking where Wonnie was. Nov. 23, 2015: Luther Peterson sold heroin to an undercover officer in Jackson, officials said. Where are White Boy Ricks Fiancee and Children Now. April 17, 2018: An IJU member and an associate had 129 grams of fentanyl-laced heroin vacuum sealed in a magnetic box affixed to the back bumper of the car, police said. Right Image:(Photo by James Pozarik/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images). Featured. As the daughter of a big-time dope man, she lived a privileged childhood and adolescence, attending private school, driving a BMW, and going away to study in Atlanta. It wasnt out of the ordinary, it was just how I grew up. I picked up the money and plugged people with other people. Brown said that the money was going to be delivered by a man driving an older model gold-colored Buick, Popp wrote. In this full-length interview, former drug queenpin and BMF affiliate Brandi Davis elaborates on her upbringing as the daughter of an infamous drug dealer from Detroit, Mr. Davis. I brought in my dad and my stepbrother and we were off and running. Lurking in the shadows, the Curry gang sat back and watched as YBI and Pony Down went to war with each other, racking up headlines and flouting the law with bloodshed and overly-boastful behavior. I convinced myself I'd be ok. Later that year, a Detroit News article reported an on-going investigation into Hills possible role in leaking information and taking a payoff from Curry to impede progress in the case of a gangland homicide that was allegedly pointing in the direction of Curry and his crew. Within a few months, everybody just viewed him as black. You are unauthorized to view this page. My mom eventually took me aside and said "Look, bitch, you've got a son. Police towed the car and opened the trunk. April 3, 2018: Luther Peterson posted a picture on his Facebook account showing him and Dionne Peterson, officials said. All Davis Food & Drug Pharmacy locations: Accept most insurance plans. I had my first Rolex when I was in tenth grade. The following winter, the Curry and all of their underlings pled guilty, with Johnny and Leo each getting hit with 20-year sentences, which they served a little more than half of. They recognized who my dad was and knew that they had to treat me a particular way. While promoting her memoir, Akia Brown claimed in a recent interview that she conceived two children with her husband while he was in federal prison. He has stated that he isnt apologetic for the choices he made back then. He is a former assistant U.S. attorney who in 2014 successfully prosecuted three fez-wearing drug dealers involved in one of the largest narcotics rings in Metro Detroit history.. March 5, 2018: Brown and other members had heroin, crack cocaine, three digital scales, ammo and more than $2,000 cash at a Jackson home, authorities said. FBI agents and other law enforcement officers, including Detroit police officers, have worked to bring down the IJU gang since 2018, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. When the gang started up in the late-1970s, like everyone else, the Currys sold heroin. He choked me, blacked (sic) my eye, bruised my arm while I was still in a cast.. The home is owned by Akia Browns property management company and is the address on Brian Browns drivers license, according to Warren property records and the search warrant affidavit. Dec. 18, 2018: Maurice Johnson and Gary Johnson distributed 40 grams or more of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, court records say. Duane Peterson continued to punch the victim in the parking lot while another IJU member approached a Chevrolet Impala with three people inside who were watching the alleged assault, according to authorities. The most recognizable figure from the Curry gang proved to be Johnnys ace protg, Richard White Boy Rick Wershe, a teenage street prodigy with a fierce and flamboyant reputation he had earned by the time he was 15 years old. Sometime in or before 2014 through January 2019, Duane Peterson and Brown were among a group of people associated with an IJU racketeering scheme, according to authorities. Prospective members were required to have IJU or 458 tattooed on their bodies, the indictment says. Members and associates of the enterprise promoted a climate of fear through intimidation, threats of violence and violence to enhance the enterprises prestige, reputation and position in the community, the indictment says. During the height of his power, Davis was an international drug smuggler, supplying Detroit heavyweights like Young Boys Incorporated. 8 + 3 equals?*. In this full-length interview, former drug queenpin and BMF affiliate Brandi Davis elaborates on her upbringing as the daughter of an infamous drug dealer from Detroit, Mr. Davis. While I was fighting my case, Justin got into some trouble and gave up my dad and I to the feds. Davis was one of Detroit's largest drug kingpins in the 70s and 80s. Davis. "I believe every month in the '70s, we all had houses, condos, apartments out in California and he would pay all of the bills," said Davis. June 26, 2017: Duane Peterson searched online for jars, bags, packaging and shipping supplies, scales, pollen presses and magnetic stash boxes, officials said. The fleet included a gray Nissan Altima, the DEA alleges. Mafia. For example, IJU -- the initials of Its Just Us" -- correspond with the numbers 258 on a telephone keypad. Meech and his crew ended up doing it on a whole different magnitude, but it still felt normal. It was the norm. The lawsuit repeats some of the same allegations contained in the sealed federal search warrant, namely that Brown is a large-scale heroin dealer in the Midwest and that he is using BMB Records to launder drug money. Take a look at the BMB Records founder Brian Browns alleged drug empire and locations targeted by federal drug agents. Members would also tout the gangs accomplishments via pictures, videos and messages on social media, federal officials said. Its not adding up, McCoy said. She provided the kind of access criminals killed to have. I am not convinced that these artists are actually making him that much money. But for some reason, she was attracted to drug dealers. Underworld legend Doc Davis joined the Original Gangsters Podcast in studio! Johnny was convicted of running a drug enterprise and sentenced to 20 years in prison. REPUTED HEROIN DEALER SENTENCED \ TO 45 YEARS FOR COCAINE SMUGGLING Detroit Free Press (MI) - Tuesday, September 22, 1987 . I brought in my dad and my stepbrother and we were off and running. Sometimes, judges let defendants . I was around Big Meech and Southwest T from a young age, but I never knew they were as big as they were when I was a kid. The funny thing about that time is that a lot of guys who made major paper, guys like Little Man and Big Man, were considerably less well-known to the public than the guys who had these big personalities and were in all the headlines but didnt hold a candle to cats like the Curry boys when it came to hustling, Boyd said. Members Only. They werent on your TV screen at night on the nightly news, but they were the guys coming down the street or riding around Belle Isle with the freshest new cars and hottest threads.. I knew this was probably the end of the line. Along with family and friends, Davis began organizing 25-kilo shipments of cocaine from Chicago to her home turf of Detroit. Besides the Altima, the California drug dealers loaded narcotics in a Volvo C70. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. But all of that changed when Johnny met Richard. In one video co-directed by Detroit rapper Trick Trick, Brown steps from a luxury sedan in slow motion, smooths wrinkles on his suit and attends a clandestine meeting in an industrial ruin. I was only, like, 20 years old and it was a whirlwind romance. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. After Gatling went to prison in 2005, Davis made a decision that changed her life forever: She stepped foot into the drug game herself, a business shed always been around, but had never been fully involved in. Minus the flashy handle and juvenile preening, the press didnt want to write about the Currys. During the meeting, the agent received a black duffel bag filled with $236,900 from a man linked to Browns alleged drug ring, according to the court file. An Oakland County physician was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison in connection with health care fraud and illegally distributing prescription drugs . This video combines all the seperate chapters film maker Al Profit has done thus far, and inludes Doc's son Reggie Reg, former major Radio personality and . (Gil denied any such allegations). April 16, 2019: Gary Johnson is accused of distributing 40 or more grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl. Davis spoke to YouTube filmmaker Alan Bradley (nicknamed Al Profit) about his dad's lavish lifestyle as a heroin dealer which includes houses in Beverly Hills, limousines and more. I went to make a five-kilo pickup and before I could even turn on the ignition to the car, I was swarmed by police. The Davis Family Gang did them one better and lasted six. When Little Man married Cathy, he went from just another big time dealer to being practically untouchable. He showered me with gifts. But it was as a college studentwhen she dated Deron "Wonnie" Gatling, a power player in the iconic Black Mafia Family (BMF)that she started on a path toward her own notoriety. Akia Brown is a real estate agent, motivational speaker and author. and our So did Murder Row. Davis was one of Detroit's largest drug kingpins in the 70s and 80s. That's something I deal with every day. This account has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. Federal files allege the Curry brothers dad, Sam Sammy Mack Curry, acted as the gangs top advisor and reputedly chipped in with startup cash back in 1978 when the gang was formed. April 19, 2016: Luther Peterson sold heroin to an undercover officer in Jackson, authorities said. Duane Peterson was the leader of the operation, officials said. I ran through the cornfields with a blowup mattress on my back, Brown told celebrity news magazine Rolling Out. During the height of his power, Davis was an international drug smuggler, supplying Detroit heavyweights like Young Boys Incorporated. At Davis Food & Drug Pharmacies, we can help you with all your prescription and wellness needsall while saving you time and money. I started dating a guy from Chicago named Justin Turner. VICE talked to Davis to find out what it was like to become a major gangster in a criminal underworld traditionally dominated by men. DETROIT Feds have charged 19 Detroit men in connection with drug crimes, and in one indictment, they broke down how the Its Just Us gang initiated its members, operated stash houses, moved guns and drugs, and even gained control of restaurants and bars while creating a climate of fear on the east side. I didnt feel like I was doing anything wrong. Reginald Davis, 32, of Detroit, was convicted of distributing carfentanil, a synthetic opioid that is used on elephants and other large mammals. I missed being taken care of by a man. May 10, 2018: Dionne Peterson and Deshawn Peterson talked about IJUs drug trafficking business, according to authorities. Since she got out in 2016, Davis has published a book chronicling her journey, The High Price I Had To Pay 4, started a lifestyle and female-empowerment brand called FreePrettyGirls, and was cast in season three of the BET reality show, From The Bottom. The collection of 20 cars includes a $94,000 Maserati, an $88,000 Cadillac Escalade, an $81,000 Porsche Panamera and two Corvettes. Being white and not even old enough to hold a drivers license, he stuck out like a sore thumb, yet it made no difference. Possible victims or witnesses were kept in fear of the gang through intimidation, threats and violence, officials said. The attack was committed in front of Dionne Peterson, Dayquan Johnson, Davis and other IJU members, federal officials said. Eventually Doc became a fugitive and was on the top 10 most . July 3, 2017: Dionne Peterson was pictured with a handgun and an extended magazine, the indictment says. Brian Brown is well known to the Detroit Police Department narcotics division, wrote Ronald Robinson, a then-assistant Wayne County prosecutor, wrote in a court filing related to the drug and motorcycle seizures. I grew up down the street from Marlon Welch. There was no differentiation. 0:02. March 6, 2017: Brown possessed marijuana packaged for sale in Jackson, according to authorities. According to the DEA, Reginald "Doc" Davis and Duane Davis of Detroit, Michigan were the two largest H dealers in the United States over the period 1975-1985. DETROIT - Feds have charged 19 Detroit men in connection with drug crimes, and in one indictment, they broke down how the "It's Just Us" gang initiated its members, operated stash houses,. I didnt know exactly what he did for a living, but I knew we werent wanting for anything. Members were expected to obey the rules and orders of IJUs leadership, particularly Duane Peterson, the indictment reads. The alleged reality show Lifetime officials did not respond to a message seeking comment has a name. Davis, 35, of Detroit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George LaPlata. The post had a picture of two men and linked to six Facebook accounts, including Luther Peterson and other IJU members, officials said. FBI task force members set up surveillance nearby and watched the man for seven days. Brown also supplied heroin to a convicted felon in Baltimore, a confidential source told DEA agents. Brandi Davis, 36, grew up around the drug game in Detroit. And any large-scale drug investigation inevitably takes many twists and turns along the way, Gabel said. On Nov. 30, 2015, the DEA was ready to raid Browns alleged drug empire, including at least seven locations across Metro Detroit. She was absolutely right, so I pulled myself together. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. Dionne Peterson, Deshawn Peterson, Luther Peterson, Dayquan Johnson and Davis are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Around mid-1984, the over two dozen Curry-owned heroin dens scattered throughout the city virtually all became crack houses. Little Man had allies in almost every nook and cranny of the citys political structure, deep inroads that reached all the very top of the Mayors office. Davis was one of Detroit's largest drug kingpins in the 70s and 80s. I was just looking at him, like, Damn, its all come down to this. My dad was sentenced to eight years. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. At the time, Richard was instructed by the FBI to infiltrate the Curry organization, and he did exactly that, gathering intelligence regarding their criminal activities and their drug empire. I expected them to look out for me and buy me things. Poole is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, two counts of distribution of controlled substances -- aiding and abetting and felon in possession of a firearm. Johnny and Leo Curry might not have been as well-known to the general public as many of the other kingpins of the day, but in the streets, they were as big as it came. Even if we get caught, Im thinking the man takes the beef, the woman never goes to jail. To become a member, possession of firearms is required, officials said. He bought me a Porsche, he moved me into a half-million-dollar house in Atlanta. They threatened physical violence against others to maintain and protect the conspiracy, the indictment says. A few weeks later, in August 2014, the Altima was back at the home in Skokie before returning to California. These guys laced them with lavish gifts and took care of them just like my dad took care of my mom. Later, Johnny also admitted to bribing Gil Hill in order to hinder a homicide investigation. In a calm, measured voice, confessed hit man Vincent Smothers sat in a Wayne County courtroom Monday and described how he gunned down a drug dealer who was sitting in a traffic jam more than 13. Keeping a low profile, the gang was in business for almost ten years, making a tremendous amount of money in the process. According to Curry him and Cathy met with Hill in his office the day after the Lucas murder and were informed that a member of Currys crew was the top suspect in the crime. Gang members shared information about plans and activities and distributed firearms to each other to carry out those plans, according to the indictment. He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. The seizure did not send Brown back to prison, but he forfeited a 2007 Harley-Davidson Road King. Brown allegedly using his rap label to hide money earned through large-scale criminal activity is a modern twist on a Prohibition-era racket, said Carl Taylor, a Michigan State University sociology professor who has studied drugs and gangs. [s8%UF}^0(8eY~Bgp~(YosnYbMY6-u z'*CSLQmw!.Z hC#tgFOla:(Fj]}"rhCRAqH 'nrW. Janard Thomas is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances -- aiding and abetting and three counts of distribution of controlled substances -- aiding and abetting. In the hood on the other hand, where it mattered the most, everybody knew the Currys werent anybody to mess with.. Akia Brown is a member of the (drug ring) and is instrumental in hiding and concealing the money that is derived from narcotic sales, DEA Special Agent Stephen Popp wrote in the court filing. IJU members convicted in the case have to forfeit money or property gained through the operation, officials said. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, acting on a tip, arrested Davis last September in Ann Arbor and . Jan. 12, 2017: A woman in Dayquan Johnsons car had 18 hydrocodone pills, 17 oxycodone pills and $449 while in Detroit, officials said. My dads business, which I really didnt know anything about until later, afforded me a lot of nice things early in life. Johnnys contacts and Cathys influence made it a profitable enterprise. He is a former assistant U.S. attorney who in 2014 successfully prosecuted three fez-wearing drug dealers involved in one of the largest narcotics rings in Metro Detroit history. Surprisingly, the assimilation process was very fast, he was accepted very quickly by all the major players outside the Curry boys as one of their own. I look at my son and what I did to him. May 22, 2019: Jackson possessed a Savage Arms Model 321 12-gauge shotgun that was shipped and transported interstate, knowing he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison, according to authorities. Deantez Johnson is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances -- aiding and abetting. It was the murder of a 13-year-old Damion Lucas, who was caught in the crosshairs of a beef between two rival gang members. June 8, 2017: Duane Peterson possessed a .40-caliber Glock handgun in a car he was driving, authorities said. Duane Peterson followed the man until he fell face-first on the ground, and then he and another member fired handguns at the back of the victims head while standing over him, officials said. July 6, 2017: An IJU member had a sandwich bag of cocaine in Detroit, officials said. DEA agents learned a large drug ring needed money picked up from a Detroit-based drug dealer. First, members wanted to get rich through criminal activity, officials said. NOTE: All dates are described as on or about" in the indictment. The FBI estimated that they sold anywhere between $150 to $200 million worth of drugs in the 1980s. Cookie Notice Heres what we know! Aug. 6, 2017: Dionne Peterson had a stolen handgun, officials said. Two months later, while free on bond, Brown allegedly beat one of his rappers, Charli Baltimore, whose real name is Tiffany Lane-Jarmon. The car collection cost $519,000, or about 14 times as much money as Brown reported on his 2011 taxes, according to the search warrant affidavit. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents say they have seized at least one kilogram of fentanyl while investigating Browns alleged drug ring. Investigators tracked the alleged drug trafficker to a hotel next to Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus days later. Lucas uncle had allegedly screwed the Curry brothers on hotel reservations in Las Vegas for the Marvin Hagler-Tommy Hearns fight the gang had attended fight weeks earlier. Kash Doll, real name Arkeisha Knight, sued Brown and BMB last year, accusing him of welching on a $5,000 signing bonus. Brandi Davis is a popular American TV personality, actress, and businesswoman. On Detroits east side, IJU maintained stash houses for drugs and guns while also selling drugs, according to court records. Three weeks later, investigators tracked the alleged drug dealer to the Los Angeles area. That, in itself, attracted me to the lifestyle. We recounted how Detroit heroin dealers conspired with corrupt cops to succeed and to dominate an ever more competitive market for the stuff of white powder dreams. Today, she is a self-described CEO with her own memoir, a billboard on the citys west side and an active life on social media, posting photos of herself in furs shopping at Chanel and sitting on a gold throne with armrests shaped like a ferocious beast. Brandi Davis is popular for her appearance in American Gangster: Trap Queens. The roots of the drug case date to 2012 and investigators have seized $550,000 in cash, 8 kilograms of heroin and the fentanyl. Jackson is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and felon in possession of a firearm. 2:05. Court records claim Poole and Battiste were linked to 40 grams or more of the fentanyl mixture/substance. Brown coerced (Knight) into signing a recording agreement with his company BMB stating If you dont sign with me, I will destroy you and any career you think you may have, Knight alleged in a Wayne County Circuit Court lawsuit. True Crime. We both pled out and I got sentenced to ten years. To see my mom crying and for her to have to go through that was a tremendous blow. He lived the culture, so people didnt view him as an outsider playing gangster.
