176-1998 LTC
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
http:\\ci.miami-beach.fl.us
L.T.C. No. 176-1998
LETTER TO COMMISSION
December 18, 1998
TO:
Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin and
Members of the City Commission
FROM:
Sergio Rodriguez
City Manager
.
SUBJECT: THE SOUTH BEACH POSSE CRIMINAL STREET GANG
This Letter to the Commission is to advise the Mayor and City Commission on the Police
Departments success in eradicating a youth gang from our City known as the South Beach Posse.
In early 1996, the Police Department, in response to growing concerns regarding gang activity,
created a Gang Unit in the Criminal Investigations Division, One ofthe first assignments of this new
Unit was to determine the nature and extent of gang activity in the City. The Gang Unit determined
that a gang known as the South Beach Posse (SBP) was the major gang in the City and was
responsible for many, if not most of the gang related crime, The Gang Unit then focused on
researching all persons known to be or associated with the SBP. This research revealed
approximately 80 persons who were closely associated with the SBP.
In October 1997, in conjunction with the Miami-Dade County State's Attorney's Office, the State's
Attorney Gang Strike Force was formed. The Gang Strike Force comprised officers from the Miami
Beach, Miami-Dade, Miami, Hialeah, and Coral Gables Police Departments, the Miami-Dade States
Attorney's Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Drug Enforcement
Administration and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. It was decided the Gang Strike
Force would target the South Beach Posse as a continuing criminal enterprise under the RICO
statutes.
Over the course of the next year, the Gang Strike Force began an intensive investigation into all
aspects of the South Beach Posse, Miami Beach Police Gang Unit officers worked diligently and
secretly to collect and collate volumes of historical data and at the same time, conducted proactive
surveillances, drug purchases and targeted arrests to uncover gang activity, The ensuing investigation
was presented to the Grand Jury. The Grand Jury issued an 82 count indictment charging 50 adults
and juvenile offenders. Probable cause exists for the arrest of the remaining juvenile offenders,
Eleven of those arrested were students at Miami Beach High SchooL All of whom were involved in
the sale of narcotics on school grounds.
Beginning in November 1998, the Gang Strike Force began arresting those gang members identified
as committing crimes. As of this date, 46 members (out of 80 known members) of the South Beach
Posse have been arrested and are in custody. Thirty-five of the forty-six arrested have already
confessed to all of their crimes, implicated others and provided information on other crimes, Three
of those arrested and charged have plead guilty and have began serving prison sentences of3 years,
7 years and 30 years. In addition, $44,000 in cash and one 1997 Ford truck were seized,
The remaining thirty-four gang members have had criminal charges filed against them. Arrest
warrants have been entered into the National Crime Information System (NCIC) and Florida Crime
Information System (FCIC). They are actively being sought at this time.
The criminal charges included two bank robberies ( not in the City), six home invasion robberies
(four in the City), numerous armed and strong-armed robberies, aggravated batteries, drive-by
shootings and burglaries, In addition, several gang members confessed to committing hate crimes
such as "gay bashing."
The effort of our Police Department along with those of the State's Attorney's Office Gang Strike
Force has eradicated this gang from our City. This investigation represents a departure from the
traditional method of gang intervention. Every member of the South Beach Posse from the top to the
bottom will be charged as a result of this investigation. They should be commended for this fine
effort,
itJ'S/PS/MMS
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