Police sweep gang from streets; Members of Tully Station Crew apprehended in connection with string of armed robberies, assaults.
Gazette, 16 Jan 2009 (McKeever).
Police have arrested 12 gang members during the last several weeks and are searching for another individual allegedly involved in more than a dozen armed robberies in Suitland throughout the past year.
Michael Dwayne Lewis, 20, of Capitol Heights; Keith Lemont Fletcher, 19, of Capitol Heights; Edward Jerome Walker, 27, of Washington, D.C.; and Lonnie Wade IV, 23, of Clinton have been arrested along with eight juveniles in connection with 13 robberies from September 2008 to October 2008, said Cpl. Clinton Copeland, a Prince George's County Police Department spokesman.
The apprehended men, part of a gang known as the Tully Station Crew, allegedly stole victims' money, wallets, cell phones and other items and were known to target Hispanics. They will be charged with robbery and either first- or second-degree assault, said Officer Henry Tippett, a Prince George's County Police Department spokesman.
Police believe that because the gang targeted Hispanics there may have been additional robberies that have gone unreported.
"Sometimes Hispanic and Latino populations may not be here legally," Tippet said, making these residents less likely to report crimes to police. A language barrier may also dissuade victims, he said.
The majority of robberies were strong-arm robberies, which left the victims in need of medical attention. Tippett said it seemed like most of the incidents involved assault through personal force but could not immediately confirm whether weapons were used in the attacks.
Many of the victims were hospitalized, according to a statement from police.
Through this investigation, police believe the 13 men comprise the entire Tully Station Crew.
"As a direct result, there have been no additional robberies in this area in several months," said Maj. Joseph McCann, commander of the District 3 station, in a statement.
Police Close Thirteen Robberies with Twelve Arrests Involving Local Gang .
Police, 16 Jan 2009 (Tippett)
Prince George’s County, Maryland… The Prince George’s County Police Department’s District III Robbery Suppression Team Detectives have closed thirteen robberies that have occurred in the Suitland area over the course of a year spanning from September of 2007 to October of 2008 with twelve arrests.
The arrests, involving three adults and nine juveniles, all part of a gang that was identified as the “Tully Station Crew” are a direct result of persistent investigative work along with the assistance from the community.
The majority of the robberies committed were strong armed robberies where the victims were attacked by between one to six suspects at a time. Many victims were assaulted and robbed of money, wallets, cell phones, and other items. As a result of the assaults, many of the victims had to be hospitalized due to their injuries. Detectives investigating the robberies believe that this gang may be responsible for many other robberies in and around the Suitland area. The gang targeted mostly Hispanic victims which is why detectives believe many other robberies may have not even been reported.
“It is gratifying to have these violent criminals off the streets of our neighborhoods. Due to this investigation, the entire “Tully Station Crew” has been arrested and taken off the streets of Prince George's County, and as a direct result, there have been no additional robberies in this area in several months,” said Major Joseph McCann, Commander of the District III station.
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