If they wanted to talk to me, they had to come at me the right way. Jackson is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and felon in possession of a firearm. June 8, 2017: Duane Peterson possessed a .40-caliber Glock handgun in a car he was driving, authorities said. You are unauthorized to view this page. 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. I was brutally beaten by Brown when I walked in on him with another woman, Lane-Jarmon, 43, wrote in an court affidavit. Members Only. Agents listening to the phone call determined the voice belonged to Brian Brown after comparing the voice to videos Brown posted on social media, according to the DEA. Officials accuse Duane Peterson of an act involving murder -- an assault on (the victims) with the intent to commit the crime of murder, the indictment says. Aug. 8, 2018: Duane Peterson had a stolen .40-caliber handgun with an extended magazine and talked with Dionne Peterson about law enforcements monitoring of their distribution in West Virginia, court records allege. The affidavit, obtained by The Detroit News, lists probable cause to raid multiple homes that allegedly are part of Browns empire. Young that he treated as a daughter. 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. 0:04. 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. Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. A Detroit fugitive once characterized by federal officials as among the top 10 heroin dealers in North America was arraigned Wednesday in U.S. District Court after being captured in an Ann Arbor hotel room with about 2.2 pounds of suspected cocaine. First, members wanted to get rich through criminal activity, officials said. ", Left Image:Brandi Davis at a 2017 fashion shoot got her lifestyle brand Freeprettygirls"(photo courtesy Brandi Davis). I convinced myself I'd be ok. We got busted in a sting set up by one of my drivers. Within months, the investigation spread to California. Aug. 6, 2017: Dionne Peterson had a stolen handgun, officials said. Somebody was going to do it, Curry said. During the height of his power, Davis was an international drug smuggler, supplying Detroit heavyweights like Young Boys Incorporated. He lived the culture, so people didnt view him as an outsider playing gangster. 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. Duane Peterson, Dayquan Johnson, Luther Peterson, Brown and another IJU member went to B.O.Bz Lounge in Detroit to confront the man and shot at him as he retreated from them, court documents say. 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 a Dec. 2 raid at the West Parkway home, agents found his girlfriend and an infant. Visit us in La Verkin, Roosevelt, and Vernal. FBI task force members set up surveillance nearby and watched the man for seven days. It can take years to investigate multi-state, large-scale drug rings. They were asking where Wonnie was. If someone proved their worth and another IJU member vouched for them, Duane Peterson would eventually allow them into the gang, officials said. 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. But all of that changed when Johnny met Richard. 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. Then, bullets started whizzing by and I hit the ground. Wershe rise to fame blew peoples minds and created frenzied news coverage. "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. I didnt sell drugs back then, but I would help count money and move money around. The Cadillac was registered to Browns wife, Akia, according to the DEA. Thats how I was introduced to Wonnie. 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. His mom had a Benz, and they were always dressed fresh, kept new cars, and lived the same way we did. Being with Cathy meant you were tied into the mainframe of the mother ship. While Brown is free on bond, his wife says on social media that she is filming a Lifetime reality show. A doctor holding pills. And big time guys, with lots of juice already without her in the picture. Jan. 24, 2019: Davis told Dayquan Johnson about his arrest for drug trafficking in West Virginia, according to officials. His lieutenants were Dionne, Deshawn and Luther Peterson, according to court records. I didnt feel like I was doing anything wrong. Shop Online. I had money at my disposal. According to the indictment, IJU is also known as 458," Young N Turnt, YNT, 25," Block Kings and BK." A business dispute with one of Browns rappers, Kash Doll, offers a peek inside Browns entertainment company. But even with organized crime Im speaking of the Italian and Sicilians they knew not to be too flashy.. Rap mogul stays out of jail amid heroin investigation. On social media, Brown portrays himself as a successful hood hero and last month posted a billboard near McNichols and I-75 promoting an upcoming self-help book. And any large-scale drug investigation inevitably takes many twists and turns along the way, Gabel said. On Thursday (Oct. 22), federal officials unsealed an indictment that charged seven members of the Its Just Us gang, including Duane Peterson, the alleged leader. 0:41. 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. One of the most painful things to emotionally endure was when my dad and I were sentenced on the same day in court. East Coast. I know you're going through what you're going through, but you can't keep living your life like that." 2:05. A little cash never hurt. Being supplied by local wholesale moguls Arthur AD Derrick and Sam Doc Curry (no relation), the Currys had an endless supply of powdery goodness that they cut and sold for an estimated $200,000,000 over the next three years. I ended up doing seven and a half. The fleet included a gray Nissan Altima, the DEA alleges. Federal authorities believe he possessed a handgun that day. 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. Authorities linked 400 grams of the fentanyl mixture/substance to Demarco Johnson, Maurice Johnson, Gary Johnson, Carlouse Johnson, Deantez Johnson, Janard Thomas, Jackson and Moses, the indictment says. 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. With the growth of the business, pharmacy dispensing automation . Duane Peterson and the other gang member split the $10,000, police said. In 1983 he was murdered outside La Players Lounge on Joy Road in Detroit. The woman helps hide cash from drug deals, according to the court filing. They were a true anomaly. BMB Records owner Brian Peanut Brown also is responsible for selling heroin laced with fentanyl, the synthetic pain medication fueling the nations deadliest addiction crisis, according to court records that chronicle a sprawling drug investigation involving Browns wife, a girlfriend, millions in drug profits and a mansion with a secret Narnia room. BMBs videos are cinematic, dramatic and occasionally star Brown. He declined comment Tuesday. They would also ask women to hide drugs on their person, according to the indictment. My dad was sentenced to eight years. Besides the Altima, the California drug dealers loaded narcotics in a Volvo C70. I met my sons father, Wonnie, around Thanksgiving 2000. Wonnie was indicted out of St. Louis in 2004 and went on the run. Members would also tout the gangs accomplishments via pictures, videos and messages on social media, federal officials said. Officials charged an addition 12 Detroit men earlier this month in connection with trafficking controlled substances and other charges. My father actually tried to steer me away from that life. Sept. 9, 2018: Dionne Peterson talked with fellow IJU members about the movement of buckets and money for narcotics trafficking, the indictment says. Detroit 'Empire': Rap boss attracts DEA scrutiny. Wonnie got hauled away and I was arrested for possession of the marijuana they found in the house. He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. She got caught with 27 kilos on a drive from Chicago to Detroit and agreed to set us all up. In February 2014, an undercover DEA agent negotiated with Brown to pick up money at an Olive Garden restaurant in Livonia. When we got serious, he started paying my bills. Pharmacy. On Nov. 30, 2015, the DEA was ready to raid Browns alleged drug empire, including at least seven locations across Metro Detroit. I partied every night. Digital Coupons. I moved back to Detroit and in with my parents. They threatened physical violence against others to maintain and protect the conspiracy, the indictment says. Underworld legend Doc Davis joined the Original Gangsters Podcast in studio! I had a privileged childhood. Led by twin brothers, Johnny and Leonard Curry, the gang was centered on the Eastside, conveniently stashed away from primary YBI and Pony Down sales districts further west. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 468K views 2 years ago DETROIT 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. The Detroit Drug Wars (Part 1) 9 years ago Scott Burnstein. By the 2000s, BMF was among the largest urban drug empires in American history. Agents shadowed the Cadillac along southbound I-75 before arranging a traffic stop. IJU operated primarily on Detroits east side, but also distributed drugs in Flint, Jackson and West Virginia -- specifically Huntington and Parkersburg, officials said. March 22, 2016: Davis sold heroin to an undercover officer in Parkersburg, West Virginia, according to the indictment. Justin peeped the kind of people I was around and one day he cut into me: "If I have some coke brought down here, can you move it?. A probation officer concluded Brown violated conditions of his release from federal prison, but Brown remained a free man. It is unclear whether the government has enough evidence to file drug charges against Brown, who has remained out of jail after federal agents obtained a search warrant to raid at least six homes and two banks. They were set up on the east side of Detroit, and it had been alleged that their father acted as their advisor in the early days of the gang. Another reason for their longevity was the fact that Johnny was married to Cathy Volsan, who was the niece of the Mayor at the time, Coleman Young. I missed being taken care of by a man. Yes, Taylor said. Once I moved to Atlanta and went to college, thats when I really began my friendships with them, and saw what level they were moving at. When I got to be about 16 years old, I finally realized what my dad did. I was just looking at him, like, Damn, its all come down to this. The Young Boys were innovative, opening franchises in other cities, promoting brand names, and unleashing extreme brutality to frighten away rivals. So at the time, it was money. Johnny was present at the screenings of a documentary about Richard and the Hollywood adaptation White Boy Rick. He has been a vocal supporter of Richards release and said that he bears no ill will towards him. Feb. 15, 2016: Luther Peterson sold heroin to an undercover officer in Jackson, feds said. He was at the house of Leon Lucas, his uncle and a gang member, when the young boy, unfortunately, died in a drive-by shooting. Anybody who made a living in the drug trade at that time would tell you that Johnny, known as Little Man and Leonard, known as Big Man were as well-respected and feared in the Motor City underworld as Butch Jones, Gun Buttrum, Reggie Davis and Frank Usher. Between April 2015 at the latest through September 2020, the 12 men above possessed and distributed controlled substances, according to an indictment. I didnt know exactly what he did for a living, but I knew we werent wanting for anything. They all dated drug dealers. The run for Johnny and Leonard Curry atop the city's drug world came to an end in the spring of 1987, when the government indicted the Curry brothers and 18 of their foot soldiers in a racketeering case, with charges of mass narcotics trafficking and tax evasion dating back close to a decade. That was the way he acted and those were the type of girls he dated and people he hung around with. The dealer also identified cars used to haul drugs money between California and Detroit. As a result, Johnny was able to make contacts in the Mayors office and had a direct line to Gil Hill, the Head of the Homicide Department at Detroit PD. When Little Man married Cathy, he went from just another big time dealer to being practically untouchable. When agents found the man, he had the same Nissan Altima linked three months earlier to Browns wife Akia. Keeping a low profile, the gang was in business for almost ten years, making a tremendous amount of money in the process. Brandi Davis, 36, grew up around the drug game in Detroit. Receive all of VladTV's hard-hitting news in our daily newsletter, as well as our exclusive interviews. We both pled out and I got sentenced to ten years. He had been convicted June 30. Meech and his crew ended up doing it on a whole different magnitude, but it still felt normal. One night, Pig Triplett, a BMF member I knew from back home, called and was like, "Come on, sis, were going to Magic City." The fallout eventually spurred both of their downfalls and led to the Curry gang swooping in and coyly picking up the scraps left behind. When the curtain finally came down on the gangs tenure in the late-1980s, cocaine was the product being pushed, specifically crack. Jan. 22, 2019: Luther Peterson posted a message on Facebook warning IJU members against snitching because they would get f***** up," court documents claim. The DEA informant traveled to the Bob Evans restaurant at the prearranged time and met with a man who handed over a green bag filled with $100,060. My nerves were shot, my mind going a million miles a minute. After her child's father suddenly died in federal prison, she faced the challenge of maintaining the lavish lifestyle he provided. Jan. 12, 2017: A woman in Dayquan Johnsons car had 18 hydrocodone pills, 17 oxycodone pills and $449 while in Detroit, officials said. That was the worst day of my life. I feel a lot of regret for what happened. Brown was a familiar face to Detroit drug investigators. Little Man was real slick, a behind the scenes guy who got things done, Boyd said. My mom eventually took me aside and said "Look, bitch, you've got a son. Although he admits to speaking with Cathy on the phone the day after the Lucas homicide, he denies disrupting the investigation related to the murder and taking any money to help shield Curry from harm. 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. Thats how fast it started for me getting involved with selling drugs. Gang members would transport drugs by attaching magnetic boxes to the bumpers or engine areas of cars, court documents claim. She was an unemployed mother of four and $540,000 in debt when she filed bankruptcy in 2009, the year before her husband finished his prison sentence. Curious to know where he is now? Somebody dropped me about 30 kilos of cocaine and in a matter of days, I got rid of it. Brown said that the money was going to be delivered by a man driving an older model gold-colored Buick, Popp wrote. Aug. 3, 2017: Dionne Peterson got a text about law enforcement searching the Huntington, West Virginia, home, officials said. Another member had 365 grams of fentanyl-laced heroin, a sandwich bag of cocaine, two handguns and $6,999 at his home in Detroit, according to court records. On March 6, 2018, Duane Peterson choked and repeatedly punched someone inside the Liquor Island convenience store in Detroit, officials said. [s8%UF}^0(8eY~Bgp~(YosnYbMY6-u z'*CSLQmw!.Z hC#tgFOla:(Fj]}"rhCRAqH 'nrW. Mafia. Most of these connections were consummated the day Johnny married Cathy Volsan, a favored niece of longtime Mayor Coleman A. March 12, 2016: Davis sold heroin to an undercover officer in Parkersburg, West Virginia, according to the indictment. Kash Doll, real name Arkeisha Knight, sued Brown and BMB last year, accusing him of welching on a $5,000 signing bonus. The seizure did not send Brown back to prison, but he forfeited a 2007 Harley-Davidson Road King. Featured. 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. Around mid-1984, the over two dozen Curry-owned heroin dens scattered throughout the city virtually all became crack houses. Wonnie went up to my attic and I was scrambling around the house, trying to get all the jewelry out of sight. Young told agents Brian Brown was his heroin supplier, according to the search warrant affidavit. Cookie Notice Brown pursued her for his rap label because he has a penchant for big boobs and butts, Knight alleges. [1] Inside, investigators found 6 kilograms of heroin. Browns legal team denied allegations contained in the lawsuit, which is filled with references to violence, drugs and federal raids. Previous The Story of Detroit's Chambers Brothers & The REAL 'Crack Commandments'. Dec. 18, 2018: Maurice Johnson and Gary Johnson distributed 40 grams or more of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, court records say. All Davis Food & Drug Pharmacy locations: Accept most insurance plans. Unlike the Buttrum brothers and their Pony Down crew who looked to challenge top dog YBI at every opportunity or DFG which did an end-around and went out of state to move the bulk of its drugs, the Curry brothers were content to play second-fiddle to Butch Jones and his Young Boys empire. 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. I look back and I think that could've been me, but I chose the streets instead. If a man couldnt do what he did for me, there was no point talking to him. Nov. 12, 2019: Janard Thomas and Poole distributed a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, officials said. After that, it became a routine thing. I look at my friends that I went to college with, and I see them with thriving careers, they're married with kids. Officials said they would use homes in Detroit to store, conceal and distribute the drugs and proceeds from trafficking. Read More: Where are White Boy Ricks Fiancee and Children Now? Reginald Davis, 32, of Detroit, was convicted of distributing carfentanil, a synthetic opioid that is used on elephants and other large mammals. Court records allege they helped each other cover up the crimes to avoid successful law enforcement investigation. 0:35. Though one condition of his release was that Brown was not supposed to commit any new crimes for five years, Brown allegedly resumed his drug-dealing career, graduating from cocaine to heroin, according to court records. Members were expected to obey the rules and orders of IJUs leadership, particularly Duane Peterson, the indictment reads. Aug. 22, 2018: A Facebook photo showed Dionne Peterson holding a handgun, officials said. More than 50 search warrants were executed during the course of the investigation, officials said. The informant told DEA agents that Brown was one of the largest heroin dealers in the Midwest and had accumulated millions of dollars in cash, luxury vehicles and expensive jewelry, according to court records. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper. stream The money orders arrived in an envelope with the return address of a 1,900-square-foot ranch-style home near Masch Avenue and Eight Mile in Warren. Jan. 22, 2019: Davis and other members possessed 37 grams of gray-colored heroin, $5,891, digital scales and bus tickets in multiple names at a house in Parkersburg, according to authorities. Maurice Johnson is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances -- aiding and abetting. Larry. I went into a deep depression and started neglecting my duties as a parent. It appeared very effortless for him. I cant even explain the looks we had on our faces. Johnny has also maintained that he had nothing to do with the murder of Damion. 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. She then talks about her rise to prominence as a drug dealer in Detroit before detailing the story of how the feds used a close friend of hers to arrest her and her ex-lover, JT.Lastly, she talks about serving out a nine-year prison sentence, making the transition from prison inmate to working her first "real job" at a car dealership, and the challenges of raising her son after having missed some very significant moments in his life, while she was behind bars. I was pregnant and my sons father was going away. I picked up the money and plugged people with other people. My mom had four beautiful sisters. Prospective members were required to have IJU or 458 tattooed on their bodies, the indictment says. The judge commented that this was a sad day for our family because not only was my mom losing a husband to prison, she was losing a daughter too. It wasnt out of the ordinary, it was just how I grew up. Detroit Drug Wars - The Curry Brothers (1970s - 2000s). That gang member and Duane Peterson fired shots into the Impala and struck another passenger in the torso, officials said. Underworld legend Doc Davis joined the Original Gangsters Podcast in studio! Detroit A prominent Detroit music mogul allegedly is one of the largest heroin dealers in the Midwest and using his rap label to launder drug money, according to sealed federal court records. The caption was, Dont compete with the N***** you eat with," court records show. Johnny was convicted of running a drug enterprise and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Davis was one of Detroit's largest drug kingpins in the 70s and 80s. I dont know if it was a rebellion thing, growing up around the Mayors mansion or whatnot, but she strictly dated dopers. The substances included mixtures and substances containing detectable amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine, officials said. Underworld legend Doc Davis joined the Original Gangsters Podcast in studio! "We were moving like 60 keys a week. I think about the heartache and pain that I've caused my family. 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. Where is Johnny Curry Now? Brandi Davis, 36, grew up around the drug game in Detroit. Davis, 35, of Detroit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George LaPlata. April 18, 2018: Luther Peterson sold fentanyl-laced heroin to an undercover officer in Jackson, officials said. 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. Illinois had the sixth-highest number of opioid overdose deaths (1,381), and Michigan the eighth-highest (1,309). One early afternoon, we were in bed sleeping and the US Marshals showed up in my front yard. In many respects, it is like a choose your own adventure book and each new page of the investigation presents new opportunities and challenges.. However, the Curry brothers ruled for almost a full-decade, acquiring equal riches with far less fanfare and acquiring the type of highly-placed connections in both local politics and law enforcement that his contemporaries like Jones or Buttrum could only dream of. Seeing those two tooling around town together in Johnnys Benz was like watching Superfly tote around the kid from Leave It To Beaver. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. During the raid, agents found heroin and fentanyl, a synthetic substance that makes smaller doses of heroin more potent.

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