FBI Announces SC Gang Arrests

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Wednesday, a 134 count indictment involving the Columbia section of “The Bloods” street gang, was unsealed. The document contains federal charges for crimes like racketeering, robbery, murder, firearms violations, wire fraud and even prostitution and sex trafficking involving minors. “Combatting gangs is not a one arrest event, it is an ongoing process,” says United States Attorney, Bill Nettles. Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Nettles announced the arrests of twenty-three members of “The Bloods” street gang. The arrests, made Tuesday, were part of a joint effort between the FBI, SLED, the Columbia Police Department, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the IRS. For years, law enforcement has been working to catch the guys, they call violent criminals. “You will learn we used some undercover operations and have some video equipment,” says Mark Moore, U.S. Attorney General’s Office. “Based on the number in this indictment, in this community, I think we have done a great deal to take a large percentage of the bloods off the streets,” says J.D. Rowell, U.S. Attorney General’s Office. But their work is not over, nearly a dozen remain on the loose and authorities are hoping you can help find them. “We depend on the community, law enforcement is not a one way street, community law enforcement is the only successful way to eradicate this sort of situation,” says U.S. Attorney Nettles. U.S. Attorney Nettles says while they are not releasing the names of the neighborhoods from where Tuesday’s arrests took place right now, they do plan to go back to these areas over the next several months to implement programs to prevent gang activity from returning. The defendants were arraigned on their charges in Federal Court, Wednesday afternoon. Court papers didn’t list attorneys for the defendants, and some have already pleaded guilty and are cooperating with the investigation. Several defendants are also scheduled to appear in court in Columbia later this month.