Gangs in Memphis, Tennessee

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Memphis, Tennessee serves as the Southern headquarters for Tennessee based street organizations in the Southern United States. In 2021, there were approximately 102 gangs with 13,400 gang members in the city. [1] [2]

Contents

Gangs in the Memphis area are concentrated in high crime black neighborhoods like College Park, Hollywood, Hickory Hill, Parkway Village, Westwood, Raleigh, Frayser, Orange Mound, Whitehaven, Binghampton, Klondike and Smokey City; their presence is also felt in the suburbs of Tipton County, Tennessee. [3] [4]

After a series of gang related robberies at Tom Lee Park on the river bluff in downtown Memphis, the Memphis Police Department said that "they often feel powerless to control these out-of-control teens." [5] In May 2013, high school students warned Memphis City Schools against a proposed school merger of Booker T. Washington High School and Carver High school. "It's like putting the Crips and Bloods together in a national convention." [6]

In 2013, Memphis City Council and Memphis Mayor A C Wharton cut funding for Blue CRUSH, the gang division of the Memphis Police Department. [7]

Sex trafficking

In 2013, the FBI arrested Gangster Disciples Folk Nation members [8] on charges of sex trafficking and forced child prostitution. [9]

Neighborhoods

According to the Governor's Public Safety Forum on Tennessee Gangs, gangs operate in Memphis' rural communities like Millington, Mason, and, Northaven, and in low income neighborhoods of North Memphis, South Memphis, Raleigh, Frayser, Whitehaven, Binghampton, Orange Mound, Hickory Hill and Riverside. [10]

Infamous Memphis gang activity

In mainstream culture

Music styles that originated from Memphis gangsta rap culture include Young Dolph, Moneybagg Yo, Pooh Shiesty, Big30, Southern hip hop and crunk, made famous by 8 Ball & MJG, Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, and Hypnotize Minds. In the 2000s, the music genre gained acceptance after winning an Academy Award for the song "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" from Hustle & Flow .

See also

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In 2014, the city of Memphis ranked eleventh in violent crimes for major cities around the U.S. In 2006, Memphis led the nation in number of violent crimes. In 2001, 2005, and 2007, Memphis ranked second most dangerous in the nation among cities with a population over 500,000. It also ranked as most dangerous in 2002. There are approximately 182 gangs in Memphis, Tennessee with 8,400 gang members in the county.

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Craig Petties is an American convicted drug trafficker best known for the criminal empire he led in Memphis, Tennessee, from the mid-1990s to 2008, and for his connections to the Mexican drug cartel. The organization's prosecution was later described as the largest drug case in Memphis federal court history. Petties was sentenced to life in prison in 2013 at the age of 36.

References

  1. ↑ Ludlow, Candice (November 2, 2011). "Think Gangs Are Only In Memphis' Poorest Neighborhoods? Think Again". WKNO FM. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "ICE works with local law enforcement to arrest 26 gang members in Memphis". Ice.gov. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  3. ↑ "Gangs are making their way to the suburbs". America Now News. 2013. Archived from the original on 2 June 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "Mississippi School District To Clarify Gang Policy As Part Of Settlement Of ACLU Lawsuit". American Civil Liberties Union. February 9, 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  5. ↑ Hall, Sabrina (April 23, 2013). "Police Say Teens Hard to Control In Mob Robberies". WREG.com. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  6. ↑ Orozco, Jackie (May 1, 2013). "Fear of Gang Wars if Memphis High Schools Merge". LocalMemphis. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  7. ↑ Dries, Bill (January 10, 2013). "Blue CRUSH Cuts Point to Larger Divide". Memphis Daily News. Archived from the original on 3 March 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  8. ↑ Warren, Beth (August 13, 2013). "Prosecutors: Female defendant bit, punched, scratched and spit at Memphis guards". Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  9. ↑ "Three Charged with Forcing Child into Prostitution". Wreg.com. 28 July 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  10. ↑ Goggans, Louis. "Memphis' Gang Problem". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  11. ↑ "Sentencing set for Craig Petties, head of Memphis-based drug gang with ties to Mexican cartel". Associated Press. July 25, 2013. Archived from the original on 8 September 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  12. ↑ Grouchy Greg, Grandmaster (February 23, 2012). "DJ Paul's Half Brother Craig Petties Linked To BMF". All HipHop News. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Cousins on trial in Memphis as hit men for Sinaloa Cartel and Craig Petties". Borderlandbeat.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  14. ↑ Connolly, Daniel (June 27, 2010). "Blood Trade: The Story of Craig Petties". Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  15. ↑ "TN Court of Appeals" (PDF). Tsc.state.tn.us. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  16. ↑ "Ex-NBA player Wright's death remains mystery". Espn.go.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  17. ↑ Holliday, Marcus (February 25, 2013). "Gang Member Teams with Klansman to Protest Memphis KKK Rally". LocalMemphis. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  18. ↑ "Mob of Teens Knockouts Three In Kroger Parking Lot". Uptownmagazine.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  19. ↑ Goggans, Louis. "Three People Beaten by Mob of Teens in Kroger Parking Lot". Memphisflyer.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  20. ↑ 10 teens, 1 adult charged in brutal Kroger parking lot attack
  21. ↑ "Forty-Eight Alleged Members of Gangster Disciples Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charges". Justice.gov. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
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