Police have arrested a total of six men accused of recruiting for a Chicago-based street gang in Lexington.
One Tuesday, police arrested Arnaz Lee Wheat, 50, and charged him with criminal gang recruitment. A fifth man was booked, Tony M. Berry, was booked into the Fayette County Detention Center Wednesday morning on a criminal gang recruitment charge. Friday, Thomas Wallace was also arrested in connection to the incident.
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According to court documents, Wheat, Berry and Wallace were part of a group of at least a dozen men participating in the “beat-in” of a prospective gang member at Whitney Young Park on St. Martins Avenue last September. Investigators say the beat-in gang initiation required the perspective member to endure a five-minute assault. Officers say at the time there was a sporting event going on at the park, and there were children present.
Police say through surveillance, officers learned gang members were soliciting prospects to join the Black P. Stone Nation prior to the initiation.
Last week, police arrested Gregory Smith, 49, (AKA “Grays”), Gerald O’Neil Smith, 29, (AKA “Nib”) and Trevor Spencer, 25, in connection with the same incident. Smith and O’Neil pleaded guilty, and Spencer pleaded not guilty to criminal gang recruitment charges.
Spencer was released on bond, but officers arrested him again Tuesday and charged him with receiving stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia and trafficking in controlled substance (heroin).
The Black P. Stone Nation is a Chicago based street gang founded in the 1950s. Experts estimate the gang has more than 30,000 members, and has expanded throughout the U.S. It is part of a larger Chicago gang alliance known as People Nation.
