Ten street gang members arrested, indicted on federal drug charges

By Steve Kanigher

Published Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 | 11:23 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 | 3:07 p.m.

Ten members and associates of the Las Vegas street gangs Donna Street Crips and Anybody's Murders have been arrested and indicted for crack cocaine trafficking and unlawful firearm possession, Nevada's U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said today.

The Las Vegas Safe Streets Gang Task Force, comprised of the Las Vegas division of the FBI, Metro Police and the North Las Vegas Police Department, conducted the investigation leading to the federal charges.

Four men who were charged with drug conspiracy were arraigned last week. They are: Jorge Montes, aka “Jaime,” and “Camotes,” 32; Brandon Johnson, aka “Spank,” 27; Antione Hall, aka “Bookworm,” 35; and Tarhain Woods, aka “Boochie,” 38, all of Las Vegas. They are each charged with conspiracy to distribute 280 grams of crack cocaine or more since June 2009, and variously with 16 counts of distribution of crack cocaine. They appeared earlier this month before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Foley, Jr., pleaded not guilty to the charges, and were detained pending trial.

Four other men charged with crack distribution are: Andrew Thorns, aka “Concrete,” 46, charged with four counts of distribution of crack cocaine; Bruce Johnson, aka “G,” 38, charged with two counts of distribution of crack cocaine; Maurice Swanson, aka “Mo Ski,” 38, charged with seven counts of distribution of crack cocaine; and Terrance Henderson, aka “Blunt,” 30, charged with three counts of distribution of crack cocaine. They are all Las Vegas residents.

Henderson had an initial appearance Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen, pleaded not guilty, and was released on a personal recognizance bond. Thorns, Johnson, and Swanson made their initial appearances last week before Foley, pleaded not guilty, and were detained pending trial.

Deniro Westfield, 20, of Las Vegas, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. Westfield made his initial appearance earlier this month, pleaded not guilty, and was detained pending trial

LaRon Moore, 39, of Las Vegas, was charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Moore made his initial appearance Dec. 6, and was detained pending a preliminary hearing, set for Jan. 20.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Bliss and Nicholas Dickinson.