Violent crime is a thing despite President Biden's debate claims
A task force set up in 2022 just announce six indictments related to a Raleigh crime
Despite President Joe Biden's recent debate claims that violent crime was down under his watch, a federal-led violent crime task force established two years ago announced arrests in Raleigh, North Carolina.
According to a July 1 press release by the Eastern District of North Carolina, six people have been charged in a "kidnapping and robbery conspiracy" through the actions of the Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP).
“Two years ago, we launched a new multi-agency partnership to drive down violent crime in Raleigh,” U.S. Attorney Michael Easley said in a press release. “Today’s announcement shows the next phase of our strategy: a proactive focus on federal charges for violent offenders. We want Raleigh citizens to know our partners are working around the clock to keep our city safe.”
Indicted on multiple charges are Mario Scott, also known as "Homicide" or "Homi," age 21; Tyferia Shakur Sherrod, also known as "2 Wop" or "Wop," age 23; Donta Lamont Bush Jr., "Gonzo" or "Zo," age 24; Hasheem Langston, also known as "Tek," age 23; Quest Jaquan Davis, also known as "Tek," age 29; and Deivon Jalil Spidle, also known as "BDay," age 22.
All six are charged with "conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping and aiding and abetting, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery and aiding and abetting, and use and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence and aiding and abetting."
Each of the defendants face a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and possibly a life sentence.
These individuals used a GPS tracking device to follow the victim's car to carry out their crimes. Here’s the summary of the crimes committed, per the press release:
"On the night of January 15, 2024, conspirators allegedly confronted the victim and held him at gunpoint, stealing jewelry and cash from his person. Conspirators then allegedly forced the victim into a vehicle and drove him to other locations in Wendell and Knightdale as they attempted to force the victim to get family members to give the kidnappers more money.
During the course of the kidnapping, conspirators allegedly tied the victim’s hands and feet with duct tape and put a trash bag over his head. Some of the conspirators also allegedly used the victim’s apartment access information to break into his home and steal additional items.
Eventually, when the victim’s family members did not provide additional money, the indictment alleges the victim was told he would be killed. The victim fought one of the conspirators and was able to escape a moving vehicle. One of the conspirators allegedly shot the victim as he escaped."
Davis is also charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Spidle is also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Three of the six arrested have extensive criminal and conviction records that go back as far as 2017, when they were juveniles.
Scott’s criminal arrest and conviction record goes back to 2018 and includes vehicle theft crimes, weapons and drug charges, and multiple probation violations.
Sherrod also has a long criminal history and conviction record that goes back to 2017 when Raise the Age was first passed by the legislature. Similarly, Spidle also has a past lengthy arrest history and conviction record.
VCAP was announced by Easley in May 2022 as a means of combating violent crime in Rocky Mount. VCAP is a multi-agency effort that uses a "three pronged approach," which includes focused and strategic enforcement, inter-agency coordination and intelligence-led policing, and community engagement.
Agencies involved in VCAP include the Raleigh Police Department, ATF, FBI, and the U.S. Marshal Service, as well as sheriff's offices and the Wake County district attorney's office.
Per Easley's May 2022 press release, VCAP is "part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts."
"PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime."
More To The Story
The same day Easley announced the six arrests, residents and business owners in the Brier Creek area of Raleigh were meeting with police over the rise in crime. Brier Creek is an area just to the north of the Raleigh-Durham International Airport which encompasses a number of residential communities as well as an expansive shopping area near the intersection of highway 70 and I-540.
Members of the Durham Police Department and Raleigh Police Department as well as Raleigh city councilors were in attendance to discuss the increase in car break-ins, vehicle theft, business burglaries, and rising juvenile crime.
According to ABC 11, Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson "specifically cited "Raise the Age" legislation," which sends 16 and 17 year-olds to juvenile court regardless of the crime committed. Under Raise the Age, district attorneys had to petition to have violent and serious juvenile cases heard at a higher court level.
"So now what we're seeing is 16-year-olds, 17-year-olds stealing cars, breaking into cars -- repeatedly -- and what we're finding is the juvenile justice system is not equipped to handle that," Patterson said, per ABC 11.
Juvenile crime has spiked in recent years per the most recent crime statistics from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) from 2022.
The NCSBI Crime Index report’s subsection on juvenile offenses that shows a 2% increase in violent crimes and a 10% increase in property crimes committed by individuals under the age of 18 between 2021 and 2022.
Murder arrests for juvenile offenders went from 46 in 2021 to 60 in 2022; a 30% increase.
Trends for violent crimes committed by juveniles under 16 and under 18 both show increases between 2021 and 2022; 13.3% and 1.6%, respectively.
With the rise in serious juvenile crime since the pandemic, the General Assembly altered Raise the Age during the short session. The changes mean 16 and 17-year-olds committing serious crimes will go to Superior Court automatically. The bill making the changes was House Bill 834.
The changes to Raise the Age had bipartisan support but Governor Roy Cooper vetoed the bill, arguing certain severe crimes should be handled in juvenile court and citing concerns the change in the law "would keep some children from getting treatment they need while making communities less safe."
The day after Cooper issued the veto, three teens were charged with the murder of another teen in New Hanover County. All involved in the murder are 17-years-old, including the victim.
Additionally, A 16- and 15-year-old were charged with 1st degree murder of a 14-year-old in Charlotte and 17-year-old was also charged with the murder of an adult in the Charlotte area.
Including the arrests that followed Cooper’s veto, between Jan. 1 and June 26 of this year, at least 20 juveniles have been charged with murder or attempted murder in North Carolina.
January 2024
• 16-year-old charged with murder of an adult in Mecklenburg County
• 17-year-old charged with murder of an adult in Duplin County
February 2024
• 14-year-old charged with murder of a 21-year-old following a shooting in Wake County
• 16-year-old and 17-year-old charged with murder of a 17-year-old in Mecklenburg County
March 2024
• 17-year-old was charged with the murder of another 17-year-old in Robeson County
• 16-year-old was charged with the murder of a 17-year-old in Mecklenburg County
• 17-year-old was charged with murder in the death of a mother of three in Wake County
• 17-year-old was charged with the murder of another 17-year-old in Mecklenburg County
April 2024
• 17-year-old was charged with murder of a 21-year-old male in Mecklenburg County
May 2024
• Two 15-year-olds and a 17-year-old charged with murder during a home invasion in Iredell County
• 16-year-old charged with attempted murder of a 13-year-old in Iredell County
• 18-year-old sought for the April murder of a 17-year-old in Mecklenburg County
• 16-year-old charged with murder of a 14-year-old in Mecklenburg County
June 2024
• Three 17-year-olds charged with murder of another 17-year-old in New Hanover County
• One 17-year-old charged with murder of a 35-year-old man at a Charlotte motel in Mecklenburg County
• One 15-year-old charged with murder of 14-year-old in Mecklenburg County (related to May arrest of 16-year-old)
• A 17-year-old was shot and killed in Monroe. An 18-year-old was also wounded. No shooter charged yet but police say multiple shooters were involved.
• A 17-year-old was charged with the murder of an 18-year-old in Goldsboro at a Food Lion.
Cooper's veto of the Raise the Age modifications was overridden by lawmakers, along with two other vetoed bills.
When the bill was first passed by the House, the vote was 106-9, with 37 Democrats voting in favor and only nine Democrats voting against the bill.
The Democrats who voted to pass the bill included Ager, Alexander, Alston, Ball, G. Brown, T. Brown, Buansi, Budd, Butler, Carney, Crawford, Cunningham, Dahle, Everitt, Gill, Harris, Hawkins, F. Jackson, Jeffers, John, A. Jones, Liu, Lofton, Logan, Longest, Lucas, Majeed, Pierce, Price, Reives, Roberson, Rudow, Charles Smith, Staton-Williams, von Haefen, Willingham, and Wray.
The large Democratic support vanished during the House's June 26 override, which came in at 70-46, down party lines.
Like the House vote, the Senate vote had large bipartisan support with a passage vote of 41-4.
11 Democrats voted to approve the bill; Adcock, Batch, Blue, Chaudhuri, Lowe, Marcus, Mayfield, Mohammed, Smith, Waddell, and Woodard.
Also like the House override, all 11 Democrats abandoned their passage votes then the Senate completed the override on June 27 by a vote of 30-14.
The Raise the Age modifications became effective on the date the Senate completed the override.
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