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Eight people from Harrisburg charged with federal drug, gun crimes described in YouTube videos

The alleged drug ring is tied to “a staggering number of violent incidents” in the city, according to U.S. Attorney David Freed.

  • Brett Sholtis
Harrisburg Police Commissioner Tom Carter talks to reporters Fri. Jan. 17, 2020.

 Brett Sholtis / WITF

Harrisburg Police Commissioner Tom Carter talks to reporters Fri. Jan. 17, 2020.

(Harrisburg) — Eight people from Harrisburg face federal charges for allegedly running a drug ring tied to “a staggering number of violent incidents” in the city, according to U.S. Attorney David Freed.

The group provided police with a tip of sorts by allegedly posting music videos of themselves with guns, drugs and piles of cash on YouTube, Freed said. The videos were posted by a music group named “Never Forget Loyalty” or “N.F.L.” and song lyrics described shootouts with rivals and warnings to others not to talk to police.

“You heard that right,” Freed said. “They broadcast what they were doing on YouTube and on social media, and the claims they made were backed up by the investigation that was done here by law enforcement.”

The 35 federal charges are related to conspiracy to deliver cocaine, crack, heroin and fentanyl and “numerous other gun and drug charges,” Freed said.

Qushawn Brown, 28, Wesley Garner, 26, Anderson Ortiz, 20, and Tyquann Langston, 24, all face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Adieas Johnson, 31, Kaleaf Brown, 24, and 56-year-old Donza Brown—the one woman in the group—each face a maximum sentence of 30 years. Nineteen-year-old Jaionne Miller faces up to 20 years.

All are residents of Harrisburg.

Brett Sholtis / WITF

Photos displayed at a press event depict screen captures from videos the men allegedly posted to YouTube. Those videos showed firearms that appeared to be the same ones later confiscated by police.

At least one of them may have been involved in the July 10, 2019, murder of Jerron Lewis and could face state charges, Freed said.

No charges have been filed yet against anyone in connection with that homicide, said Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo. “Harrisburg Bureau of Police detectives have been working hard on the case, and we believe we can achieve justice for Jerron Lewis and his family.”

Reed said police believe the group was involved in numerous criminal incidents.

Those include the Oct. 17, 2018, shooting in front of Hamilton Health Center, an Oct. 23, 2018, home invasion robbery in the 1500 block of Bigelow Court, and a series of reports of shots fired from November 2018 through April 2019, Reed said.

Two of the men in custody, Kaleaf Brown and Adieas Johnson, themselves were victims of a shooting on July 14, 2019.

Brett Sholtis / WITF

U.S. Attorney David Freed talks with reporters Jan. 17, 2020.

The collaboration between federal and local police law enforcement is part of “Project Guardian,” the U.S. Justice department’s effort to reduce gun violence and get illegal guns off the street.

Police confiscated at least 10 firearms, including a military-style rifle and a Glock handgun modified to be an automatic weapon.

Harrisburg Police Commissioner Tom Carter noted the arrests show how the city is working with federal authorities to stop gun violence. He also had a message for people who were engaged in such violence: “You have families that love you, you have moms, you have dads, you have grandparents — please put the guns down, because if you don’t, you give us no other choice but to come after you.”

Attorneys for the eight defendants were not immediately available.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to indicate that one of the eight people charged is a woman. 

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