Community Post

More on Gang Busts – 8 More Charged for Drugs

On Monday we gave you the exclusive news of a big gang operation that used phone taps and controlled buys to bring federal charges against two large-scale drug distributors who were associated with the East Union Street Hustlers. We also mentioned at the time that there were additional suspects awaiting charges from the county prosecutor’s office. We received the documents for those additional charges earlier this morning, and found that an additional eight purported gang members are facing felony charges for drug sales in the Central District.

The additional suspects are tied to three different gangs: the Deuce Eights, the East Union Street Hustlers, and the Valley Hood Pirus. Police detectives used a series of controlled buys going back to April to build a case on the suspects, and then rounded them all up late last week in an attempt to disrupt potential gang violence at the Torchlight Parade.

Here’s the details on each:

Kevin F. Coleman Jr., aka “Gusto”, 24 years old, was arrested at SeaTac late on Sunday 7/26 as he arrived back on a US Airways flight from a jaunt to Las Vegas. His charges stem from a drug deal on 7/9 when a police witness bought a quarter ounce of crack for $220 from Coleman at 16th & Jefferson. Coleman conducted the drug sale in a blue Pontiac Grand-Am that is registered to a female. The witness also later got a price for a half ounce of crack ($460) via a phone call with Coleman on 7/14, but that deal was never consummated. Coleman has previous convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm, drug possession, and reckless driving. He made a $15,000 bail and was released from jail on Monday 7/27. Coleman’s last known address was in the 2600 block of E. Thomas, and he is alleged to be a member of the East Union Street Hustlers. 

Ryan J. Grant, aka “Fly”, was traveling with Coleman on the trip back from Las Vegas and was arrested with him at SeaTac airport. He’s charged with drug distribution connected to two separate buys with a police witness. One was on 4/16 outside the Walgreens at 24th & Jackson, and the other from 4/22 at MLK & E. Cherry. In each case he conducted the drug sales from his tan 4-door Nissan Maxima.

Joseph A. Counts, 19 years old, is held on a $35,000 bond in the King County Jail. Detectives targeted him for controlled buys with a police witness on 6/15 and 6/19, where he allegedly sold $50 and $60 worth of crack to the witness near Flo Ware park at 26th & Jackson. He was arrested on 7/22 and was found then to be concealing 3 grams of crack “in his buttocks.” Counts has previous convictions for DV assault and theft of a motor vehicle, and prosecutors say he is a “risk to community safety given he is a self-proclaimed Deuce Eight gang member.” Counts’ last known address is in the 500 block of 26th Ave S.

Edmond J. Cummings, aka “Scarface”, 19 years old, is alleged to be a Deuce Eight gang member and is facing drug charges based on three different controlled buys. On 4/29, a police witness bought $40 of crack from Cummings at Flo Ware Park, where the witness reported that Cummings had “a large roll of US currency in one hand and the clear plastic baggie of crack cocaine in the other hand.” The witness again bought $50 of crack from Cummings at 26th & Jackson on 5/20 and 7/1. Cummings was arrested on 7/21, held on a $30,000 bail, and released yesterday (7/29).

Kevin R. Brown is another alleged member of the Deuce Eight gang, and faces drug dealing charges from two controlled buys on 5/28 and 6/1 of this year, where a police witness was able to purchase $50 and $40 of crack from Brown. He is held in King County Jail on a $30,000 bail.

Joseph Gilmore, aka “Joe Dirt”, 21 years old, is held in jail on drug charges with a $30,000 bail. A police witness bought crack cocaine from him on 6/24 at 21st & Union and on 6/25 in the parking lot behind Catfish Corner. He was arrested in the post office parking lot at 24th & Spring and allegedly admitted to having $50 worth of crack hidden in his butt at that time.  He is varyingly described as a member of the East Union Street Hustlers and the Valley Hood Pirus.

Marqwez Stone, aka “Marquez Perkins”, 19 years old, allegedly sold a witness $32 of crack cocaine on 5/14 at Flo Ware park. He was arrested on 7/22 on First Hill but was released by the court at his first appearance. He is alleged to be a member of the Deuce Eights.

Finally, a juvenile with the street name “24 hours” is also facing felony drug charges for selling crack to a police witness at Flo Ware Park and 23rd & Jackson on two separate occasions in May.

0 thoughts on “More on Gang Busts – 8 More Charged for Drugs

  1. All their pictures should be posted. Posted on billboards all over Seattle. I don’t care what individuals do, until their actions affect the innocent in our community. Crack and Gangs have inflicted harm and fear in the honest law abiding citizens of this community. All you gang bangers should take your crack and move into the wilderness and go ahead and finish each other off. We perhaps will not have to worry about incarcerating you all , because you will have already killed each other off.

  2. Well now they know who the so called “confidential informants” are, who’s gonna have there back? I’m PRETTY sure they were some local crack heads from around the way. They gotta be paranoid as hell!!!!!

  3. No I don’t agree, what if they have siblings that are still in school, (elementary , middle, or high school) what about the teasing & drama they might endure?

  4. oh no, someone might get repercussions if they are related to an idiot!

    The job of society is to protect itself, not to avoid stepping on the toes of some family members who can’t take care of their own (like cleaning up their life)

    It’s not sad. It’s 100% right

  5. The whole crew should be chained to the bus stop in the neighborhood so people can piss and throw trash on them.

    Snitching is the only way to get this sort of garbage off the street!

  6. editors note: we did try to get photos for all of the individuals charged, as we do for all such cases, but Mr. Coleman was the only one with a photo on file with the state department of corrections. The other suspects were too young at the time of their previous convictions to be available.

  7. I wonder if the local crack heads know that the dealers are hiding the drugs in their asses? Do they realize they’re smoking butt crack?

  8. What makes you think SOME of these families were not trying there best to keep there son’s on the right track? I happen to know a couple of these families & young men on a personal level, that did not come from broken homes, with both parents in the homes, that have good jobs & are responsible citizens. What makes you think they need to “clean up” their life? Yes, it is sad when you have a child that was a good student in high school in AP classes in there 10th-12th grade enroll in college and then choose this type of life style……… Yes it is sad.

  9. What makes me think they need to clean up their life.?
    Crack + Guns + Gang = DEATH

    It’s a good idea to avoid DEATH

  10. I watch as drug deals and prostitution go on in our neighborhoods, and am as frustrated as anyone else, but the lynch mob mentality of yesterday has not proven to prevent others taking these YOUNGE men’s places. Why are these “suspects” so younge? Possibly because they replaced other, older men that are already in jail. Our outpooring or venting of frustration, may be justified, but I believe we all really want to see these younge people ( and those that follow ), find a better way through life. I am hopeful when I hear our President espouse better education, opportunities to go on to college or trade schools, and upgrading our work-force to compete in not only today’s climate, but in the world wide business climate of tomorrow.
    Ok, off my soap box. As to who was the snitch, well I would guess the Police have observed unusual activity at certain areas ( Flo Ware Park seems to have been mentioned quite a bit ), picked up a stoned user and found where the deal was done, or taken calls from worried parents or neighbors. Also, someone must be buying these dealers goods, why can’t the courts target these Customers with legal action too ( not just the homeless stoned ones currntly arrested, but the ones that drive back to Mercer Island to party )? I hear claims that the Police and courts already target the Prostitue’s customers, why not drug dealer’ customers?

  11. “sad”. I have lived in the CD well over 10 years, and see the same pattern repeated over and over again, and wonder where we or society went wrong, and yet know that the blame game does not find results. In many cases, the family and the young adult all seemed to be on the right path, but the excitement, the belonging to a group, or who knows what, set them on an alterded path to this distructive behavior. I truely appreciate your comments, and agree we can not set the blame on family, or anyone action or inaction.

  12. It doesn’t have to be somebody in their crew; these guys haven’t exactly been keeping a low profile. Most of the activity in the CD is so blatant, dozens of uninvolved civilians end up knowing about every little thing that goes down.

    If these guys wanted to stay out of jail, they should have taken it down a notch so it didn’t bother the neighbors. You can’t advertise as much that way, but long-term it works out better. Or they could have stayed out of the business altogether.

  13. Well now they know who the so called “confidential informants” are, who’s gonna have there back?

    I would imagine that the FBI and SPD will have their back.

  14. sad…his family first loses his lil bro and now him pretty much…RIP Quincy Coleman

  15. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?! These charges are alledged and that’s that. Posting photo’s and mentioning addresses is an obvious attempt to disgrace the families! Let the police and courts do their job.

  16. “why not drug dealer’ customers?”

    How many cops do you think we have? Demand-side drug control has been proven ineffective time and time again, UNLESS you tackle the problem with rehabilitation and community services, something most US cities simply won’t commit to. You can do it, but it takes more than just rounding up the stoned people to make it work, otherwise you’re just wasting taxpayers money and cops’ time.

  17. He was proven guilty, many times before this last charge. It seems his picture was posted a few times too late.
    We and the justice system do not disgrace his family … He has disgraced his family. He and his crew.. Was the loss of one lil brother not enough ?
    Apparently not.Perhaps Scott can post it again for you after the judge throws him in jail.

  18. We see repeated comments again and again about posting pictures, and I am as ghoulish as any, but these are our neighbors, do we really need to add to our community and to these young men’s families pain? When we have a real reason to post pictures great, but seeing these pictures does no one any good.

  19. really u want to see pictures because your nosy…their face has nothing to do with you or the other nosy ones

  20. This is a place for people to leave their opinions…great! It is clear that the response to my opinion was met with ignorance and malice! Eyes…you are welcome to do the same…over and over again!!!!! You are a damn FOOL! It is obvious that many people in our community have nothing better to do with their lives or for that matter contribute to our beautiful city! And for the other negative comments by tif and irritated…the same applies to you! You are just ugly people…and it is a “disgrace” to live in the same neighborhood with people like you! I’m not leaving…I have been here longer then you! These young people will all be tried in a court of law and NONE of your opinions will make one bit of damn difference!!!!!

  21. I want to see what the vermin look like, so that I can be an upstanding citizen and ‘snitch’ when I see them pulling their low life, gang life bullshit, out in broad daylight. It’s like the old wanted posters of the wild west, we need to see what the devil looks like and clean up this town.

  22. No has asked you or anyone to leave because of you statement (geesh!). You do not like critiques of your writing, do you? Well, if you “do not like the heat stay out of the kitchen”, ie, do not write in public places.

    My hope is that when these criminals get sentenced that a stipulation is that they can not return to specific geographic location for an extensive length of time. No parole back to the CD or South East Seattle. That is why we have the problem we have today. Criminals were paroled back here after successful weed and seed work a decade or so ago.

  23. yes, i also want to know who the criminals are in the neighborhood. I’m sick of kids getting killed before they even have a chance to live. let’s break this cycle of destruction. start by identifying the known criminals. get them before they suck another innocent 12, 13, or 14 year old into their bullshit lifestyle.

  24. If you are seeing “them pulling their low life, gang life bullshit, out in broad daylight”, would it really matter if you had never seen their pictures before, or if it was the first time you had ever seen them? Take a risk, do the right thing ( either “snitch”, or take part in a block watch shift ), otherwise your posturing and blustering about wanting old west style posters might be viewed as painfully childish. Lets remember, chances are pretty good that people that have seen these guys in action, remembered them because they also had recognized that they were doing something not normal ( in this case, not legal )!

  25. whatever Karen, you took my post completely out of context. I am a block captain (so that would be a full time ‘shift’). Don’t advise me on taking risks or doing the right thing, or accuse me of being childish, it was a simple analogy. Argue however you want, pictures posted remind even clueless people of who the bad guy is ‘let’s remember’ that!

  26. You can hope whatever you like…the reality is that there are no laws or stipulations that would ban citizens from residing in or returning to particular neighborhoods once they have served the consequences of their actions. You are clearly “clueless” as to why the problem exists today! It is certainly NOT related to parole or DOC supervision!

  27. I’m sure these guys don’t mind their photos being posted. That’s just how it is living the glamorous life of the gangsta.

  28. That picture made my dam day … I loved it.. People ask “What good does a picture do ? A picture does a world of good . If this CRIMINAL EVER appears on my corner . I WILL CALL The PO PO FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH. Whether you like it or not , people must realize your ghetto time is liviolimited, we will call and report forever.. We will not curtsie, to your gangs and guns… You have met your match.. I have no sympathy for family whose relatives inflicted this on them selves.. I’m not stupid I’m not a puritan…

    I don’t defend guns crack and
    ,

  29. I have two words for you,
    Glad your happy in a crime ridden Zone. Check out Madison Park.. There are no crews there …… I hope you are a ” Social Worker “

    THey always seek the motivation … How many motivations do you need, to stop shooting up the residents, after loosing your little relative , perhaps you and Elle are not aware of what is going on since it is standard quote for the two of you…

    I hope they all rot in Jail , and stay; the hell away of the CD … They are not welcome .. Time have changed ..Perhaps you and Elle should emprace this change and move your defense elswhere….

    Ps ONce your are charge with a crime any source amy report … If your lucky and found innocent that innocent report most likely will not appear in the news and internet….

  30. Can we get real about these families? The guy who is pictured comes from a family with generational issues with crime. He is a jr. Mr Sr. has been in and out of jail for 30 years, is still getting picked up for crimes in his 40s, and lives at the same place this guy does. It goes on and on and on.

  31. if demand based drug control is “known” not to work, why does everyone think controling the dealing side will? I might admit some abuse is purely “because it’s there”, but a whole lot of demand is driven by want and need, not by supply.

  32. I’ve been here for like 20 years now and yes I’m white. I call it my area because I have been here alot longer than these little shits that are causing all the problems. FYI it was a Jewish area before all “you” people moved in. It belongs to all of us who live here you idiot!

  33. It’s not an either-or proposition. However, simply arresting the users (as we have tried to do in this country in the past in our “War on Drugs”) has CLEARLY been shown to be ineffective. However, you’re right, JUST going after dealers is also ineffective, you need to reduce demand, but the way to do that, as has been proven over and over and over again, is not through throwing users in jail. Not to mention its expensive, inefficient and a waste of taxpayer dollars.

  34. Well that’s great for the people who have been here for 20 years
    but for the new people to the area if you didn’t like the hood you shoulda stayed
    where you came from!!!!!!

  35. The one thing you can’t stop is change, if you don’t like what’s happening you can always leave too:-).

  36. Yes there is and it’s called an SOA (stay out of area). It is applied to prostitutes and other criminals.

    Please, try and improve your perspective on life and seek higher education. It just may open your closed eyes and extinguish your misguided assumptions.

  37. Actually the CD was and is the homeground for the Salish tribes that inhabited the area for over 5,000 years. There were distinct trails between Puget Sound and Lakw Washington that transversed through our neighborhoods. It the Salish “hood” if you want to be technical about it!

    I would like to appologise about my many pervious posts about the Police and city officals ignoring our neighborhood and it being a containment zone. I know I annoyed many of you with my repetitive rant. Based upon the stunning work of the SPD and FBI in what I hope will be a continuance in removing these criminal elements from our neighboorhood; I will now cease and desist calling our neighborhood a “Containment Zone”. I will only bring it up again if they are paroled back here again.
    Thanks to the City and Feds for great work!!!!!

  38. Get the F out of CD. It needs to be a safe area for BLACK and WHITE and MEXICAN, ASIAN, and etc etc

    The race issue is stupid. The people who are affected MOST by this garbage is the BLACK community. Trying to blame or point fingers at people who moved in “later” (any time in the last 30 years is too late?) is missing the point. These people are not one of “us”. They are a criminal element that is dragging ALL of us down.

  39. The problem now is that the court system will have these criminals released in no time. They will probably all get drug court (that which was originally intended for drug users NOT SELLERS!!)

  40. one nite a lonely brotha was going down from Cherry and 23rd to Union and he was jacked up by some hoods, who knocked him upside his head and took his wallet and phone, and took off, leaving him in bad shape. a dude he went to HS with from downtown came up from the am/pm, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a mom and her minivan with her kids drove by and and saw him, and they speeded up and passed by on the other side. But then the somali dude who runs a coffee barn was running down, late to open his shop came pasthe was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and took off his shirt and wrapped up a bandage on his head, and pulled him into his van and brought him to the ER. When he had a chance later that morning, he went back to the ER, and left some moeny with the nurse to give to him and told him to come by for some coffee when he was feeling better. Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him?

  41. YOU SOUND SO IGNORANT YOU REALLY DONT HAVE A CLUE DO YOU, SO PRISON IS WHERE YOU NEED TO BE.

  42. I have lived in the CD since 1960, and it has always been a black community, not jewish My grandmother, mother, aunts, uncles & cousins have all been raised here. I raised my children here. This is not the only area effected by this gang and drug activity, its just the only place you hear about it. Things happen in Madison Park, West Seattle, people get shot in Lake City, Lynnwood, Everett! There is this kind of activity all over the city. The CD is a beautiful community and we have lots of community based events, and programs and school. As a graduate of Garfield high school, I think I went to one of the best schools in the city and am proud to say so. I agree that the activity has become more in your face, but most of the people on the streets don’t even live in the neighborhood. Their friends do and they come and push their drugs and then go home to Kent.