CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Division of Police, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office announce that a Cuyahoga County Grand Jury returned a secret indictment on November 17, 2020 against ten members of the Percy Homies gang. The charges range from high level Drug Trafficking and Aggravated Robbery to Carrying Concealed Weapons and Failure to Comply with Lawful Orders. The gang mainly resides in the Harvard/Miles neighborhood on the city’s southeast side.
Thursday, members of the Cleveland Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Gang Task Force, under Operation Legend, executed arrest warrants, taking six of the ten individuals into custody. In addition, search warrants were executed on residential homes and a total of seven guns were seized. Narcotics including heroin and marijuana along with cash were also seized.
The Safe Streets Gang Task Force was assisted in the warrant executions by the Cleveland Division of Police SWAT Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation SWAT Unit, Eastside Departments Group Enforcement, the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force and the Ohio Investigation Unit.
A message from Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson, Director of Public Safety Karrie D. Howard and Police Chief Calvin D. Williams:
“These arrests and indictments should serve as a strong warning to those intent on participating in criminal activity. Our residents will not be terrorized and made to feel afraid in their homes due to these violent gangs. Our officers will continue to take these offenders out of our neighborhoods.”
"This group of individuals engaged in numerous crimes which brought danger and violence to our Cleveland neighborhoods,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge, Eric B. Smith. “The Cleveland FBI applauds this collaborative law enforcement effort and we will continue to stand side by side with our partners at the CPD and CCPO to assist in ridding our streets of those responsible for bringing violence and drugs to our doorstep"
“This community is drowning in gun violence,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “These arrests will hopefully bring some calm to the southeast side of Cleveland”.
"Operation Legend continues to successfully identify and remove violent criminals off the streets in the city of Cleveland," said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. "Thanks to the hard work of the men and women of the Cleveland Division of Police, FBI Safe Streets Taskforce, and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, these individuals will now face accountability for their actions."
The City of Cleveland and urban areas across the United States have been severely affected by skyrocketing violent crime statistics. Many of the cases involve incidents of drug and gang activity. Members of Law Enforcement continue to encourage citizens to report criminal activity to police and remind members of the public that they can do so anonymously by calling Crimestoppers at 216-25-CRIME.