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Tampa police round up gang members, unveil anti-gang site

www.tampabaygangs.com

Warrick Dunn is the host of a Web site designed to educate people about gangs in the Tampa Bay area.

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 15, 2009

Updated: 07/15/2009 03:01 pm

TAMPA - As part of an anti-gang campaign, Tampa police say they have targeted key members of a loosely organized gang in the Grant Park neighborhood.

Investigators say the Young Godz Gang is selling drugs there. A roundup that began Tuesday is designed to target some of the gang's key figures and indict them on drug charges. Six members face federal indictments, and 10 face state indictments.The operation is ongoing. So far, police have arrested seven Tampa residents, and active warrants remain for nine suspects.

But there's more to law enforcement's anti-gang efforts than just trying to shut down one gang.

A $550,000 grant from the Department of Justice will help with the efforts, police and deputies say. A chunk of that money has gone directly to a new Web site, tampabaygangs.com, which police and deputies recently launched.

The community also donated $172,000 to help with anti-gang efforts. Those donations include 27 billboards throughout East and West Tampa about the Web site, as well as 30 donated bus advertisements and 300 time slots for public service announcements.

At a news conference today, Mayor Pam Iorio, Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee and Tampa police Chief Steve Hogue told people about the gangs and the gang lifestyle they're targeting.
In Hillsborough alone, there are 40 active gangs and 1,200 members, deputies say.

Hogue said tampabaygangs.com aims to discourage young people from joining the lifestyle. The site doesn't look like it comes from a government or police agency because that kind of look might turn off the people who need guidance about gangs, he said.

"We want to get to those children before the gangs do," he said.

Gee said law enforcement has worked hard over to the years to crack down on gangs but said adding an educational aspect should help.

About 75 percent of the federal grant will be used for gang enforcement, funding everything from overtime to equipment, Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said. Roughly 25 percent will be used for the Web site and marketing.

On tampabaygangs.com, people can learn from paid actors playing the roles of a former gang member, a parent, a citizen and an educator. The actors are telling composite stories about gangs.

Using a real former gang member to tell tales might have put him at risk and could have been less compelling on camera, said Jonathan Conrad, spokesman for wahimedia.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Warrick Dunn also offers information on the interactive site about the gang lifestyle and its dangers.

"If we can save even just one young person from falling into the hands of a gang, then it's all worthwhile," said Iorio, who added that she hopes it helps far more than one person.

The Web site, which targets children as young as 10, promotes automated human interaction.

"This technology creates the feeling of conversation by custom tailoring responses to each audience member," a Tampa Police Department news release states. "The site is designed to appeal to kids who may have glamorized gangs in their minds."

In the Young Godz roundup, police have arrested:

Hakeem "Red" Antwan Brown, 19; federal indictment for distribution of crack cocaine

Delvin "Dred" Darrell Williams, 19; federal indictment for delivery of crack cocaine

William "Colombo" Jair Uruena, 17: delivery of crack cocaine and possession of crack cocaine

Brandon Nobles, 22; possession of crack cocaine, marijuana possession

Nichole "Nikki" Pate, 19; possession of crack cocaine and marijuana possession

Doretha Denise Johnson, 41; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia

Nemal Rolle, 42; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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