POLICE NAB 10 DRUG SUSPECTS

Alleged Radford Ring Nearly 'Out of Business'

ROANOKE - A violent drug ring that has battled police and terrorized
the city of Radford is no longer the predator but the prey, a federal
prosecutor in Roanoke said yesterday.

U.S. Attorney John Brownlee announced that 10 suspected members of the
fierce cocaine ring were arrested Sunday, and investigators are now
trying to capture six others, including alleged leader Malcolm Lewis,
who is described as probably armed and dangerous. All 16 had been
indicted in February.

To protect their lucrative trade, the Radford-based gang of friends
and relatives pulled a gun on a deputy, tried to run down another
police officer, shot at one officer's house, besieged and shot up an
apartment building, attacked rival drug dealers and carried out
drive-by shootings, said Bart McEntire, a Roanoke agent with the
federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

The gang sold more than $1 million worth of cocaine, crack cocaine and
marijuana in Radford, Pulaski County and the surrounding area from
December 1997 through February 2002, federal authorities said.

"These guys are violent," McEntire said. "They had no problem taking
on law enforcement. Their thought was, 'We control the streets.'"

Brownlee said the gang, which at one time allegedly had two members
enrolled at Radford University to help distribute drugs, grew violent
because of a turf war with a rival drug gang in Radford.

"They sold $1 million worth of drugs. The rivalry and competition for
that money is what drives the violence."

Said McEntire: "The city of Radford was basically being terrorized by the
drug rivalry."

The 20-page, 29-count indictment alleges that Lewis, 28, of Radford,
bought drugs from California, then had friends and relatives sell it
throughout Virginia, though primarily in the Radford and Pulaski areas.

McEntire said local police and federal agencies have looked for Lewis
in five states but have so far come up empty.

"As soon as we arrest [the six fugitives], we'll pretty much have put
the organization out of business," he added.

Those arrested Sunday are James "Jay" Turner, 27, of Charlottesville;
Sandy Lewis, 41, of Norfolk; and Radford residents Melbourne "Roscoe"
Latten, 21; James R. Brown, 23; Ronald Branch, 24; Dewayne Antonio
Parrish, 28; Christopher Hairston, 28; Troy Mintor, 21; Christiana
Carter, 21; and Dixie Woodard, 22.

The arrests, made by federal and local authorities, were the result of
a 21/2-year investigation, Brownlee said.

Those being sought are Lewis; Mario Greene, 26, of Radford; Shawn
Hamp, 23, of Chantilly; Anthony Ray Lewis, 28, residence unavailable;
and Antonio Baylor, 30, and Anthony Vines, 35, both of Long Beach,
Calif.

The 16 face a variety of drug, firearms and money-laundering charges.
If convicted, all face up to life in prison, except Woodard, who faces
up to 40 years behind bars.

Brownlee said that although the six are on the run they probably are
still selling drugs.

"These guys will never stop [dealing] until they're locked up, and
they even do it from prison," Brownlee said. "They line their pockets
by distributing poison. They never stop until we stop them."