JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Nineteen suspected Jacksonville gang members are behind bars following a JSO operation targeting gangs, violent crime and narcotics.
Sheriff T.K. Waters says the ‘insane gangster disciples’ was a local gang operating out of the westside.
The arrests come from what JSO calls operation ‘crown down’, a 6-month-long investigation.
“Investigators crafted this operation with the intention of arresting as many members as possible,” said Sheriff T.K. Waters.
Sheriff T.K. Waters said that the “insane gangster disciples” or IGD operated out of the west side near 103rd Street and California Avenue.
But he said their local gang branch stemmed from a much larger criminal entity, the gangster disciples, a national gang, based out of Chicago.
“These arrests and prosecutions have taken dangerous people off our streets,” said State Attorney Melissa Nelson.
Now they face felony charges, some of which include murder, manslaughter stemming from a fentanyl overdose investigation and carjacking.
Law enforcement found 18 total guns and illegal drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana.
The murder weapon JSO said was used in the 2022 murder of Devonte Jackson was one of the 18 guns investigators found as part of this operation.
Sheriff T.K Waters has a message for other gangs in the community.
“To those gang members that continue to terrorize our community, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will continue to use all of our resources and those of our partnering agencies to stop your organizations,” said Sheriff T.K. Waters.
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