Three Central City street gangs — Calliope, 3NG and Byrd gang — targeted in indictments

During the investigation, the three arrested individuals were positively identified as perpetrators in an ongoing drug distribution operation investigation.

On March 1, 2018, investigators observed Skipper sitting on the porch of a residence in the 2400 block of South Robertson Street. Law enforcement officers moved in and apprehended Skipper and, upon further investigation, located and arrested the remaining two suspects inside of the residence.

A warranted search of the residence revealed two handguns and a semi-automatic rifle, as well as more than 100 grams of marijuana packaged for retail distribution.

The three subjects were each arrested and booked into the Orleans Parish Justice Center on charges of conspiracy to distribute heroin and distribution of heroin.

The three arrested individuals each currently face indictments secured by the Orleans Parish District’s Attorney’s Office on multiple narcotics and firearms charges.

Investigation remains active and ongoing. No further information is available at this time.

Anyone with additional information on these arrested individuals is asked to contact NOPD Sixth District detectives at 504-658-6060.

The indictment handed up Wednesday by an Orleans Parish special grand jury charges five members of the “3NG” gang with the toddler’s slaying more than six years ago, and other crimes. The “3NG” moniker is derived from the gang’s operational area centered around Third and Galvez streets in Central City. The indicted defendants are:

Demetrich “Meechie” Robinson, 34
Darrius “Smooth” Knox, 26
Kendall “Yeezy” Livingston, 31
Christopher J. Collins, 33
Larry “Larry Love” Scott, 26

Each is charged with the following:

Count 1: Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder of rival gang members from the former Calliope housing development, in furtherance of the criminal street gang known as “3NG”
Count 2: First-degree murder of Kiera Holmes, 1, on Dec. 18, 2011, in furtherance of the criminal street gang known as “3NG”
Count 3: Attempted first-degree murder of Emmett Allen on Dec. 18, 2011, in furtherance of the criminal street gang known as “3NG”

The special grand jury indictment was unsealed Friday afternoon, following the arrest of Love in the Houston area by U.S. Marshals and Harris County Deputies. The other four newly indicted defendants already are in Louisiana Department of Corrections custody, serving prison terms on other convictions.

Criminal District Judge Paul Bonin set bond amounts at $1 million for all defendants on Counts 1 and 3 of the indictment. No bond was set for the defendants on Count 2.

Also named, as an unindicted co-conspirator, is Charles “Buck” Anderson. Anderson was found murdered inside a home in the 2600 block of North Robertson Street less than 24 hours after Holmes’ death. Authorities determined Anderson was shot a total of six times by two different guns. The admitted 3NG enforcer Washington “Big Wash” McCaskill testified that he and Livingston killed Anderson over concerns that he was the “weak link” of people involved in Holmes’ murder, and the most likely to cooperate with authorities in hopes of a lenient sentence.

“The murder of Kiera Holmes just before her 2nd birthday remains one of this city’s most horrific crimes,” Cannizzaro said. “This innocent toddler’s death has left an indelible stain as testament to the rampant gun violence that has plagued New Orleans. We appreciate the hard work and perseverance of our law-enforcement partners from the NOPD, the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, the FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force, the U.S. Marshals and the United States Attorney’s Office in helping bring this little girl’s killers to justice.”

New Orleans police previously arrested Narkee Hunter as a suspect in Holmes’ shooting, but charges were refused after detectives recovered video showing Hunter at a bar at the time of the child’s murder. Later, Tyrone “T-Bone” Knockum and Terrious “T-Red” Owney were indicted and charged with Holmes’ death. Those charges were ultimately dismissed after further investigation and debriefings with multiple cooperating sources revealed Knockum and Owney were not involved in Holmes’ slaying.

Owney has since been convicted of other killings as part of the federal 39ers gang case and is serving multiple life sentences. Knockum cooperated with law enforcement and is serving a 24-year sentence for other gang-related convictions.

Winston “Spook” Williams, 24, and Denzel Lee, 27 and pictured above, were named in the seven-count indictment handed up Feb. 28 by an Orleans Parish special grand jury and unsealed Tuesday by Criminal District Judge Paul Bonin. Authorities allege the defendants are involved with the Calliope street gang, which has been embroiled in a violent feud over Central City narcotics turf with the rival Byrd Gang.

The indictment charges the defendants thusly:

Counts 1 & 2: Williams and Lee possessed with the intent to distribute heroin and marijuana on Feb. 6, 2018.
Counts 3 & 4: Williams, who pleaded guilty to simple burglary in May 2012, illegally possessed a firearm as a felon — a .40-caliber Beretta pistol on Feb. 6, 2018; and a 9mm Glock pistol on Feb. 6, 2018.
Count 5: Lee, who pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and Tramadol in June 2017, illegally possessed a firearm as a felon — a 9mm Sarmco pistol on Feb. 6, 2018.
Count 6: Williams illegally procured and possessed a stolen handgun — the .40-caliber Beretta — having reason to believe that the firearm was the subject of a robbery or theft.
Count 7: Williams illegally procured and possessed a stolen handgun — the 9mm Glock — having reason to believe that the firearm was the subject of a robbery or theft.

Lee, already in custody at the Orleans Justice Center jail, is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday (March 8) before Criminal District Judge Darryl Derbigny. Williams is being extradited from Florida, after being arrested Saturday by U.S. Marshals while working as a security guard at the Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival. He is scheduled to be arraigned before Derbigny on March 19.

Bonin set bond amounts at $500,000 for Williams and $300,000 for Lee.