Gangs in Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee serves as the Southern headquarters for clicks in the United States. According to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, there are approximately 182 gangs with 84,000 gang members in the county.[1]

Major cliques like KingGate Mafia, DouglassMAAB, YoungMob, TrullaMafia, HoodMob, O Gangboyz and FastCashBoys also major street gangs such as the Grape Street Crips, Bloods, Concrete Cartel Vice Lords, and the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples, with a growing presence of Latino gangs like La Raza Nation, MS-13, Mexican Mafia, Latin Eagles, Maniac Latin Disciples and Latin Kings.[2] In 2010, 26 gang members faced deportation after they were arrested with ties to the Vatos Locos and Sureno-13 gangs.[3]

Gangs in the Memphis area are concentrated in high crime neighborhoods like Hollywood, Hickory Hill, Parkway Village, Westwood, Raleigh, Frayser, Orange Mound, Whitehaven and Binghampton; but their presence is also felt in the suburbs of Tipton County, Tennessee.[4][5]

After a series of gang related robberies at Tom Lee Park on the river bluff in downtown Memphis, the Memphis Police Department said that "they often feel powerless to control these out-of-control teens."[6] In May 2013, high school students warned Memphis City Schools against a proposed school merger of Booker T. Washington High School and Carver High school. "It's like putting the Crips and Bloods together in a national convention."[7]

In 2013, Memphis City Council and Memphis Mayor A C Wharton cut funding for Blue CRUSH, the gang division of the Memphis Police Department.[8]

Sex trafficking

In 2013, The FBI arrested Gangster Disciples Folk Nation members[9] on sex-trafficking charges and forced child prostitution.[10]

Neighborhoods

According to the Governor's Public Safety Forum on Tennessee Gangs, gangs operate in Memphis rural communities like Northhaven and in predominantly black neighborhoods of North Memphis, South Memphis, Frayser, Whitehaven, Binghampton, Orange Mound, Hickory Hill and Riverside.[11]

Famous Memphis gang activity

A member of the Gangster Disciples and allegedly the biggest drug dealer in the history of Memphis, getting drugs directly from Edgar Valdez Villarreal of the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel and funneling millions of dollars to the Black Mafia Family.[13] In 2011, he pleaded guilty to 23 counts of violent crime and racketeering after working with the Sinaloa Cartel to build a drug trafficking empire in 5 states.[14][15]

In mainstream culture

Music styles that originated from Memphis gangsta rap culture include Southern hip hop and crunk, made famous by Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, and Hypnotize Minds. In the 2000s, the music genre gained acceptance after winning an Academy Award for the song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from Hustle and Flow.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ludlow, Candice (November 2, 2011). "Think Gangs Are Only In Memphis' Poorest Neighborhoods? Think Again". WKNO FM. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  2. ↑ Orozco, Jackie (August 21, 2011). "Latino Gangs Growing in Memphis". LocalMemphis. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  3. ↑ ICE works with local law enforcement to arrest 26 gang members in Memphis
  4. ↑ "Gangs are making their way to the suburbs". America Now News. 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Mississippi School District To Clarify Gang Policy As Part Of Settlement Of ACLU Lawsuit". American Civil Liberties Union. February 9, 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  6. ↑ Hall, Sabrina (April 23, 2013). "Police Say Teens Hard to Control In Mob Robberies". WREG.com. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  7. ↑ Orozco, Jackie (May 1, 2013). "Fear of Gang Wars if Memphis High Schools Merge". LocalMemphis. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  8. ↑ Dries, Bill (January 10, 2013). "Blue CRUSH Cuts Point to Larger Divide". Memphis Daily News. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  9. ↑ Warren, Beth (August 13, 2013). "Prosecutors: Female defendant bit, punched, scratched and spit at Memphis guards". Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  10. ↑ WREG3. July 27, 2013 http://wreg.com/2013/07/27/three-charged-with-forcing-child-into-prostitution/. Retrieved 27 July 2013. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ Memphis’ Gang Problem
  12. ↑ "Sentencing set for Craig Petties, head of Memphis-based drug gang with ties to Mexican cartel". Associated Press. July 25, 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  13. ↑ Grouchy Greg, Grandmaster (February 23, 2012). "DJ Paul's Half Brother Craig Petties Linked To BMF". All HipHop News. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  14. ↑ Cousins on trial in Memphis as hit men for Sinaloa Cartel and Craig Petties
  15. ↑ Connolly, Daniel (June 27, 2010). "Blood Trade: The Story of Craig Petties". Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  16. ↑ TN Court of Appeals
  17. ↑ ESPN
  18. ↑ Moszczynski, Joe (August 8, 2011). "Former pro basketball player among 4 Bergen County members of 'James Bond Gang' arrested last week". The Star Ledger. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  19. ↑ ESPN
  20. ↑ Holliday, Marcus (February 25, 2013). "Gang Member Teams with Klansman to Protest Memphis KKK Rally". LocalMemphis. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  21. ↑ Mob of Teens Knockouts Three In Kroger Parking Lot
  22. ↑ Three People Beaten by Mob of Teens in Kroger Parking Lot
  23. ↑ 10 teens, 1 adult charged in brutal Kroger parking lot attack

External links

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