5 GANG MEMBERS CONVICTED; 1 IS ACQUITTED

After an exhaustive four-month trial that included thousands of taped
conversations and a storeroom of evidence, five members of a notorious
Carol City drug ring were convicted in Miami-Dade Circuit Court of stealing
cash and cocaine from dope dealers.

A sixth co-defendant, former Miami-Dade Police Officer Marvin Baker, was
acquitted. The 16-year veteran was accused of pulling over rival drug
dealers and robbing them of their cocaine. Baker was convicted on federal
charges 10 months ago and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

``When we started this trial, I told the jury my client was convicted in
federal court based on perjured testimony,'' said Roderick Vereen, Baker's
lawyer. ``Those same witnesses who testified on that trial testified in
this case.''

In the state case, prosecutors relied on testimony from another former
Miami-Dade officer, Trevin Johnson. He pleaded guilty after he was caught
robbing undercover officers of $16,000 and a duffel bag filled with more
than four pounds of cocaine.

Johnson was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

As part of his plea agreement, he provided testimony against the five other
defendants in the state trial.

But he told jurors in Circuit Judge Leonard Glick's court that he was not
aware of Baker's involvement in the rip-offs.

Despite Baker's acquittal, prosecutors said they were satisfied with the
verdicts.

``This was an enormously complex case,'' said Assistant State Attorney
Howard R. Rosen. ``We respect the jury's verdict.''

Others convicted Tuesday included:

Wallace Johnson, guilty of conspiracy to violate racketeering laws;

Ernest McKay, guilty of conspiracy, theft, robbery and trafficking in cocaine;

Daniel Hilbert Jr., guilty of theft and conspiracy to violate racketeering
laws;

Ranier Gillis, guilty of theft, robbery and conspiracy to traffic in cocaine;

Kanisky Evans, guilty of racketeering, theft and conspiracy to traffic in
cocaine.

The trial was landmark in its scope, prosecutors said.

It was the first time six defendants were tried at the same time on state
racketeering charges in Miami-Dade County.