Zoe Pound

Last updated

Zoe Pound
Founded1990;35 years ago (1990)
Founding location Miami, Florida, U.S. [1]
Territory South Florida, [2] [3] [4] Chicago, [5] Quebec, [6] and the Bahamas [7] [8]
Ethnicity Haitian [1]
Membership (est.)2250[ citation needed ]
Criminal activitiesDrug trafficking, robbery, murder, prostitution, [1] and racketeering [4]
Allies Black Mafia Family, [3] Bloods, and Crips [6]
RivalsSapp Boys, [9] MS-13, [3] and Hells Angels [6]

Zoe Pound is a criminal street gang based in Miami, Florida founded by Haitian immigrants in 1990.

Contents

Etymology

"Zoe" is an anglicized variant of the word zo , Haitian Creole for "bone", as members were considered "hard to the bone." [10]

The origin of "Pound" is disputed, but the most widespread theory is that it acts as an acronym of "Power Of Unified Negroes (in) Divinity". [9] [11]

History

Zoe Pound was founded in 1990 in response to growing attacks on Haitian Americans, initially acting as a vigilante self-defense group before morphing into a gang by the mid-1990s. [9] [10] Throughout its early years, members engaged in piracy, targeting Haitian trawlers throughout the Miami River. Any crew who resisted were often tortured and/or killed. [12] [13] [14]

In 1999, the Miami-Dade Police Department cracked down on the Boogie Boys and John Does, both at-the-time prominent Miami gangs. [15] [16] [17] Zoe Pound took advantage of the power vacuum caused by their sudden decline, expanding across Florida and eventually other states.[ citation needed ] By 2006, their territory had reached Winchester, Virginia. [18]

In 2009, six Zoe Pound leaders were arrested on racketeering and conspiracy charges in Fort Pierce, Florida after Florida Department of Law Enforcement offices convinced several gang members to give testimony for the prosecution. [4]

Three of the perpetrators of the 2018 murder of XXXTentacion were members of ZMF, a faction of Zoe Pound. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakeland, Florida</span> City in Florida, United States

Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. Located along I-4 east of Tampa and west of Orlando, it is the most populous city in Polk County. As of the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal city of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lakeland is situated among several lakes including Lake Morton downtown and is sometimes locally referred to by the nickname "Swan City" due to its sizeable population of swans, all of whom are descendants of two mute swans given to Lakeland by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. Lakeland is home to several colleges and universities. Lakeland Linder International Airport is in Lakeland as is the corporate headquarters of Publix, a supermarket chain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Publix</span> American supermarket chain in the southeastern United States

Publix Super Markets, Inc., doing business as Publix, is an employee-owned American supermarket chain headquartered in Lakeland, Florida. Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, Publix is a private corporation that is wholly owned by present and past employees and members of the Jenkins family. Publix operates throughout the Southeastern United States, with locations in Florida (874), Georgia (217), Alabama (94), South Carolina (69), Tennessee (59), North Carolina (55), Virginia (22), and Kentucky (1). Kentucky is the most recent addition to the Publix footprint, with the company's first store in that state having opened on January 10, 2024, in Louisville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latin Kings</span> Hispanic and Latino street gang based in Chicago, Illinois, United States

The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation is a gang active primarily in the United States as well as internationally. The gang was founded by Puerto Ricans in Chicago, Illinois, in 1954. The Latin Kings are one of the largest Hispanic and Latino street and prison gangs worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddie Mitchell</span> American football player (born 1978)

Freddie Lee Mitchell II is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He was chosen as a consensus All-American in 2000 while playing college football for the UCLA Bruins. Philadelphia selected him in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft, and he spent four seasons as a member of the Eagles, culminating in an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIX following the 2004 NFL season.

Ricky Allen Helling is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michel Martelly</span> President of Haiti from 2011 to 2016

Michel Joseph Martelly is a Haitian musician and politician who served as the 42nd president of Haiti from May 2011 until February 2016. On August 20, 2024, the United States sanctioned the former president for trafficking drugs, in particular cocaine, into the United States, and for sponsoring several gangs based in Haiti.

The Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown.

Lakeland Senior High School, opened in 1902, is the oldest public high school in Lakeland, Florida, United States. The school was originally located on North Florida Avenue and was destroyed by fire in 1927. It is part of Polk County Public Schools. Lakeland Senior High School was the original high school in the city. It also shares its campus with Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts. Harrison students attend academic classes at Lakeland Senior High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakeland station</span> Passenger train station in Lakeland, Florida

Lakeland station is an Amtrak train station in Lakeland, Florida, served by the daily Floridian. The station is located on the northern shore of Lake Mirror. The Floridian doubles back between Auburndale and Tampa to serve Tampa station. Each train serves Lakeland twice – both before and after serving Tampa – so that passengers to/from Lakeland do not have to ride the Tampa portion of the route.

Crime in Haiti is investigated by the Haitian police. Since the late 2010s, the country has suffered from widespread gang warfare and civil unrest, including a massive prison breakout in 2024. It also suffers from extreme corruption and high levels of sexual violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Lauderdale–Tampa Bay rivalry</span> Club soccer rivalry in Florida

The Fort Lauderdale–Tampa Bay rivalry, also known as the Florida Derby, refers to the suspended soccer rivalry that most recently involved the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and the Tampa Bay Rowdies, both of whom played in the North American Soccer League through the 2016 season. Over the years the rivalry has spanned more than one hundred matches across eight soccer leagues and several tournaments, and involved nine different teams from the two regions of Florida. At times it has involved players, coaches, management and fans. Even the press has fanned the rivalry's flames at times. From 2010 through 2014, the winner of the regular season series automatically won the Coastal Cup as well. The status of the rivalry beyond 2016 remains unclear because the Rowdies have since joined the United Soccer League, while the Strikers ongoing ownership and legal battles of 2016 and 2017 have left them defunct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Libertore</span> American football player (1939–2017)

Lawrence Paul "Lightning" Libertore Jr. was an American college football player, real-estate agent and politician in the state of Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kodak Black</span> American rapper (born 1997)

Bill Kahan Kapri, known professionally as Kodak Black, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He gained initial recognition following the release of his 2014 songs "No Flockin" and "Skrt", both of which led him to sign a recording contract with Atlantic Records. The former received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA), while the latter received platinum certification; "No Flockin" marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 two years later as a sleeper hit.

The Miami drug war was a series of armed conflicts in the 1970s and 1980s, centered in the city of Miami, Florida, between the United States government and multiple drug cartels, primarily the Medellín Cartel. It was predominantly fueled by the illegal trafficking of cocaine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XXXTentacion</span> American rapper and singer-songwriter (1998–2018)

Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion gained a cult following among his young fan base during his short career with his depression- and alienation-themed music. Critics and fans often credit him for his musical versatility, with his music exploring emo, trap, trap metal, nu metal, indie rock, lo-fi, hip hop, R&B, and punk rock. He was considered to be a leading figure in the establishment of the emo rap and SoundCloud rap genres, which garnered mainstream attention during the mid-to-late 2010s.

Carol Jenkins Barnett was an American philanthropist and businesswoman, the daughter of George W. Jenkins, the founder of Publix Super Markets. Jenkins Barnett was president of Publix Super Markets Charities and as a member of the board of directors of Publix Super Markets. She had been included in a Forbes list of The World's Billionaires every year from 2008 on.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of XXXTentacion</span> 2018 murder in Deerfield Beach, Florida, US

On June 18, 2018, 20-year-old American rapper and singer-songwriter Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, known professionally as XXXTentacion, was murdered in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Onfroy was fatally shot and killed by 22-year-old Michael Boatwright after being robbed in his car by Boatwright and his accomplices Trayvon Newsome, Dedrick Williams, and Robert Allen outside RIVA Motorsports, an upscale seller of motorcycles and watercraft in Deerfield Beach. Authorities charged the four men with first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Franklin (politician)</span> American politician (born 1964)

Clifford Scott Franklin is an American politician and businessman who has served in the United States House of Representatives since 2021. He represented Florida's 15th congressional district from 2021 to 2023, and has represented Florida's 18th district since 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assassination of Jovenel Moïse</span> 2021 murder in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Jovenel Moïse, the 43rd president of Haiti, was assassinated on 7 July 2021 at 1 A.M. E.D.T. (UTC−04:00) at his residence in Port-au-Prince. A group of 28 foreign mercenaries, mostly from Colombia, are alleged to be responsible for the killing. First Lady Martine Moïse was also shot multiple times in the attack, and was airlifted to the United States for emergency treatment. Later in the day, USGPN killed three of the suspected assassins and arrested 20 more. A manhunt was launched for other gunmen as well as the masterminds of the attack. Haitian chief prosecutor Bedford Claude confirmed plans to question Moïse's top bodyguards; none of the president's security guards were killed or injured in the attack. U.S. authorities have since arrested eleven suspects alleged to have conspired in the assassination. Martine Moïse and former prime minister Claude Joseph were formally charged on 19 February 2024 with conspiring in the assassination.

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Twenty-Two Charged Federally in Evansville Drug Trafficking Case". Federal Bureau of Investigation. 4 February 2010. Archived from the original on 17 August 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  2. ↑ "ICE Operation in South Florida Net 24 Criminal Aliens". Hispanically Speaking News. 25 February 2011. Archived from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 "Crime Stoppers helps to catch Miami's Little Haiti Zoe Pound member". WPLG. 19 May 2014. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 Greenlee, Will (18 June 2009). "Six alleged leaders of Fort Pierce gang facing charges". TCPalm. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  5. ↑ DiDonato, Nicole (4 February 2010). "Officers: Drug ring stretched from Miami to Chicago". WFIE. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 Thibault, Eric (30 August 2012). "Parrains floridiens?" [Florida sponsors?]. Le Journal de Montréal (in French). Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "Bahamas: The Zoe Pound gang, including activities, areas of operation, key members and state response (2013-September 2018) [BHS106154.E]". Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. 27 September 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2024– via ecoi.net.
  8. ↑ Smith-Cartwright, Tanya (15 February 2021). "INSIGHT: 'We're living in a cowboy town and there's nothing anyone can do about it'". The Tribune. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2024. Back in the day there were high school gangs like the "Syndicate" and the "Raiders". Now there is the Haitian movement Zoe Pound and One Order to name a few.
  9. 1 2 3 "All Hell Breaks Loose". Gangland. Season 3. Episode 12. 4 December 2008. History Channel.
  10. 1 2 Daddy, Trick; Bailey, Peter (2010). Magic City: Trials of a Native Son . New York: Simon & Schuster. p.  169. ISBN   978-1-4391-4852-5.
  11. ↑ Astre, Kerline (12 July 2000). "Haitian rap group on the rise". The Miami Times. p. 23. Retrieved 14 December 2024– via Florida Digital Newspaper Library.
  12. ↑ "Zoe Pound Gang: Learn More About Haitian Group Featured On History Channel". HuffPost. 18 March 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  13. ↑ Royse, David (16 May 1997). "The Land Pirates In Miami, Pirates In Pickup Trucks Board Freighters At Boat Yards, Robbing, Torturing And Kidnapping Sailors For Drugs And Money". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 20 April 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  14. ↑ Gordon, Marcy (16 May 2000). "Tattered Haitian boats taunt U.S. anti-drug agents on Miami River". The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  15. ↑ Champion, Marsan (31 December 1998). "Cops mount crackdown on killer gang warfare". The Miami Times. p. 1. Retrieved 15 December 2024– via Florida Digital Newspaper Library.
  16. ↑ "John Doe gang members convicted of federal drug, firearm charges". The Florida Star. 30 October 1999. p. A10. Retrieved 15 December 2024– via Florida Digital Newspaper Library.
  17. ↑ Wilson, Catherine (27 March 2000). "11 convicted in drug gang war". The Lakeland Ledger. Archived from the original on 15 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  18. ↑ "COCAINE RINGS HIT IN WINCHESTER". Daily Press. Associated Press. 15 September 2006. p. C5. ProQuest   343397080 . Retrieved 15 December 2024– via Proquest.
  19. ↑ Aguila, Grethel; Cetoute, Devoun (17 May 2023). "'Marked for death.' Man testified against XXXTentacion's murderers. Now he's off to prison". Miami Herald . Retrieved 4 December 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.