11 indicted in massive Hennepin County gang sweep

In a massive crackdown that Hennepin County authorities claimed would end a long streak of gang violence, 11 people were indicted this week in federal court and more charges could be coming.

Prosecutors described several of the defendants as high-ranking members of the 1-9 street gang and its offshoot the Stick Up Boys, according to a 13-count federal indictment returned this week.

The two gangs have been warring for years with two rival crews, the Taliban and Young 'N Thuggin', for control of drug turf in north Minneapolis, through which much of the area's narcotics trade flows.

U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said at a news conference Friday that the gang bust has effectively ended "a gang war that has brought violence and murder to our community."

The sweep represents one of the most significant efforts by authorities in recent years to break the foothold of area gangs clashing over control of the local drug and weapons trade. By bringing federal charges, authorities will be able to seek tougher sentences.

"The indictment of these alleged gang members is a step forward in the fight against violent crime in Minneapolis," Luger said. "As charged, these defendants engaged in armed robbery and drug dealing to fund the illegal purchases of firearms they used to conduct gang warfare."

The long-standing turf war has led to at least six killings and numerous shootings, which have been on the rise in recent years, following the high-profile murder of a high-ranking 1-9 gang member in downtown Minneapolis last year.

The defendants relied on "straw buyers," people with clean records who buy weapons for criminals, according to authorities. They bought at least 10 weapons and then handed them over to known gang members.

Luger said that local authorities have started to come down harder on these straw buyers, pointing to similar cases this year.

"We're looking to do more of those because that's the approach that the violent criminals are taking today, to have other people buy their guns, and we're tracking those down," Luger told reporters.

The Stick Up Boys has been described as one of the most fearsome gangs in Minnesota.

For months, authorities have conducted surveillance on known members and obtained court-ordered wiretaps to monitor their phone conversations.

Another time, authorities raided a known Stick Up Boys hangout in the 4000 block of Bryant Avenue N., seizing drugs, drug paraphernalia and guns.

Authorities said that such gangs are harder to track because their hierarchy is looser than some more well-established gangs, such as the Vice Lords and Gangster Disciples.

The latest sweep was the culmination of a monthslong investigation involving about 50 officers from the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force, a coalition of local and federal law enforcement agencies that includes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office and various city and suburban police departments. Authorities also seized nearly a dozen guns.

"The dismantling of this criminal enterprise, which we believe to be responsible for numerous acts of violence, is a huge win for law enforcement and the residents of Hennepin County," Sheriff Rich Stanek said.

Most of those arrested in the raids were indicted on charges of possessing weapons as a felon and conspiracy.

At least one of the defendants was already in prison for other charges when the indictment was filed.

"Getting illegal guns off our streets and holding responsible those who use them to victimize the people who live and work in our city are important strategies for making every neighborhood of Minneapolis a safe place to call home," Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said in a news release.

There was some concern among those at the news conference that the arrests could lead to further bloodshed, as new gang leaders emerge. But authorities insisted that criminals have been dealt a large blow.

Libor Jany • 612-673-4064

Twitter:@StribJany