Police: Three 'high-ranking' gang members charged in Greenville
Greenville police said Wednesday they have arrested three high-ranking gang members in a five-month investigation into illegal drugs and weapons sales.
Posted — Updated
The investigation was conducted by the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force, which includes officers and agents from Greenville police, Farmville police, the Pitt County Sheriff’s office, the State Bureau of Investigations and several federal agencies.
Investigations said the suspects are members of a gang called United Blood Nation. They are accused of buying and selling stolen weapons and drugs, supplying drugs to street-level dealers and conspiring to commit violent crimes.
Ernest Joshon Wright, 26, of Greenville, is charged with six counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, three counts of selling or delivering marijuana, two counts of selling or delivering cocaine, possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, possession with intent to sell or deliver a Schedule 1 controlled substance and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance.
He was jailed under a $1 million bond.
Police said Wright has at least 34 prior arrests for crimes including assault with a deadly weapon, drug violations, armed robbery, assault with intent to kill and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Chicobe Antrell Williams, 28, of Greenville, is charged with seven counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, seven counts of selling or delivering cocaine and three counts of conspiracy to sell cocaine. Police said Williams had 28 grams of crack cocaine with him when he was arrested.
He was also jailed under a $1 million bond.
Police said Williams has at least 39 prior arrests for crimes including assault inflicting serious injury, possession of cocaine, conspiracy to sell cocaine, breaking and entering and assault on a female.
Robert Lee Hopkins, 29, is charged with 11 counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, nine counts of maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance and 11 counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was jailed under a $650,000 bond.
Police said Hopkins has at least 25 prior arrests for crimes including assault on a female, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, kidnapping and larceny.
The investigation is ongoing and more arrests may follow, police said.
• Credits
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
