TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Police Department on Tuesday announced the arrests of nine men they say were associated with a violent street gang.
Police say the men from the "200 Skudda Gang" were arrested on homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated battery, narcotics, credit card fraud, racketeering, firearms violations, and identity theft charges.
Officers say the street gang is violent and associated with fraud throughout the United States involving hundreds of victims. According to police, the gang was operating within the city of Tampa, Hillsborough County and Conyers, Ga.
The nine men were rounded up in a series of arrests after a two-year-long investigation into the criminal activities, police say. The investigation began after the 2016 killing of 17-year-old Kelly Stacy in Tampa.
His alleged killer, Joshua Green, was arrested Tuesday morning and charged with third-degree murder, among several other charges.
Police also said the gang also was involved in a feud with a rival gang in Sulphur Springs. Two 200 Skudda Gang members shot two of the rival gang members on April 2, 2017. The victims survived. The gang members were successfully prosecuted by Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office and are serving prison time.
Representatives from Tampa police, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida attorney general's office discussed the arrests during a 2 p.m. news conference.
Tampa Police Chief Chris Dugan said some of the members are rappers who write songs about shooting people and having no fear of the police.
Dugan says he believes the term "Skudda" is street slang, but is unsure where it originated or what it means.
The investigation is ongoing and police are asking anyone with information on the case to contact them or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
These were the men were arrested and their charges:
Joshua Damian Green, 32
Racketeering
Conspiracy to engage in racketeering
Murder in the third degree
Criminal use of personal identification
Scheme to defraud
Rolando Luis Brown, 39
Racketeering
Conspiracy to engage in racketeering
Felon in possession of firearm
Cortez D'Mond Butler, 29
Racketeering
Conspiracy to engage in racketeering
Scheme to defraud
Aljawane Nathaniel Green, 44
Racketeering
Conspiracy to engage in racketeering
D'Andre Marquis Mattear-Lofton, 23
Racketeering
Conspiracy to engage in racketeering
Kendric Easley Brown, 28
Conspiracy to engage in racketeering
Leroy Livingston Johnson, 27
Conspiracy to engage in racketeering
Joshua Tarrell Washington, 28
Conspiracy to engage in racketeering
Xavier Marshall, 29
Conspiracy to engage in racketeering
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