8 People Accused Of Gang Activity In Cleveland

CLEVELAND — Eight people have been accused of gang activity on Cleveland's west side, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office announced Friday.

“Gun violence has increased dramatically over the last few years and can largely be attributed to these criminal gangs and their gun-toting members,” Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said. “We are dedicated to eliminating these gangs to make our community a safer place.”

A Cuyahoga County grand jury returned an indictment charging Antonio Rodriguez, 18, Demerio Sancheze Lewis Watkins, 20, Donald Haley III, 20, Jorge Gonzalez, 23, Oscar Pruitt Jr., 23, Kato Laws, 24, Juan Fontanez, 26, and Timothy Looby, 26, with participating in a criminal gang and committing numerous felonies between December 2019 and March 2021.

Rodriguez, Gonzalez, and Fontanez are currently in custody. Arrest warrants have been issued for Watkins, Haley III, Pruitt Jr., Laws, and Looby.

The eight people prosecutors have charged are accused of taking part in Laflexico gang activity, primarily near W. 7th Street, Marquart Avenue, W. 112th Street and Lorain Avenue and W. 90th and Madison Avenue, prosecutors said.

On April 24, 2020, there was a shootout near W. 31st and Clark Avenue in Cleveland. Dozens of shots were fired and multiple homes were struck by bullets, the criminal complaint said. Cleveland police later accused the Laflexico gang of taking part in the shooting.

On Nov. 12, 2020, there was a shooting near W. 6th Street and Marquart. Several shots were fired and a nearby home was hit by bullet, the criminal complaint said. Again, prosecutors believe the Laflexico gang was responsible for the shooting.

Gang members were also involved in other incidents, including illegally possessing firearms, fleeing from police and trafficking cocaine, heroin and fentanyl, prosecutors said.

While investigating these crimes, Cleveland police said they recovered several guns, drugs and cash.

“The efforts of the Operation Legend Task Force continue to yield results. Cleveland Division of Police investigators, along with partnering agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation continue to work hard in order to take gangs out of our neighborhoods,” Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson, Director of Public Safety Karrie D. Howard and Police Chief Calvin D. Williams said in a joint statement.

Each individual named in Friday's indictment has been charged with the following crimes:

• Participating in a criminal gang
• Felonious assault
• Improperly discharging into habitation
• Discharge of firearm on or near prohibited premises
• Improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle
• Having weapons under disability
• Carrying a concealed weapon
• Trafficking
• Drug possession
• Possessing criminal tools
• Tampering with evidence
• Failure to comply
• Receiving stolen property

The public defender's office, representing the three men in custody, did not immediately return Patch's request for comment.