INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Richard Grundy III, a man investigators and prosecutors accused of leading a murderous Indianapolis drug gang, appeared in federal court Monday morning along with nine co-defendants.
He pleaded not guilty to ten counts, including drug dealing and money laundering.
His arrest comes after the FBI conducted a series of coordinated raids around Indianapolis on Friday morning.
The charges stem from a federal wiretap and surveillance operation which resulted in several FBI raids across the city last Friday. Federal prosecutors allege Grundy and his associates purchased methamphetamine and marijuana in Phoenix for resale in Indy.
Investigators also have Facebook postings in which Grundy recently threatened to kill informants. All suspects are being held without bond. His jury trial is currently set for January 8.
According to the Department of Justice, Grundy and 25 other people face federal charges in the case. In addition to the raids carried out last week in Indianapolis, federal and local authorities also conducted raids in the Phoenix area. The raids resulted in the seizure of 30 firearms and $100,000 in cash along with meth, marijuana and prescription drugs.
Grundy and other individuals pooled their money to buy drugs from Phoenix that were then stored in “stash houses” around Indianapolis for later distribution, federal prosecutors allege.
The following individuals are facing charges:
- Richard B. Grundy, III, 28, a/k/a White Boy, Indianapolis
- Ezell Neville, 39, a/k/a Bo, Indianapolis
- Gilberto Vizcarra-Millan, 31, Phoenix, AZ *
- Mario Eduado Villasenor, 34, Phoenix, AZ
- Emilio Mitchell, II, 40, a/k/a Loaf, Indianapolis *
- Emilio Mitchell, Jr., 23, Indianapolis *
- Lance L. Hatcher, Jr., 33, a/k/a Mont Mont, Indianapolis
- Thomas Bullock, 19, Indianapolis
- Dion G. Madison, 31, a/k/a D, Indianapolis
- Frank S. Early, 22, Indianapolis
- Frankie B. Ray, 29, a/k/a Fresh, Indianapolis
- Christopher D. Bradford, 24, Indianapolis
- Daona Le’Ann Gholston, 19, Indianapolis
- David C. Carroll, 35, Indianapolis
- Michael Hyatte, 47, Indianapolis
- Nathaniel Dixson, 33, a/k/a Dog, Indianapolis
- Derek Atwater, 31, a/k/a Shorty, Indianapolis
- Robert Lisenby, Jr., 32, a/k/a Russ, Indianapolis
- Torin A. Harris, 31, Indianapolis
- John E. Bell, 51, Indianapolis
- Shemilah D. Crowe, 37, Indianapolis
- James O. Beasley, 37, a/k/a Jake, Indianapolis
- Dejuan Love, 41, Indianapolis *
- Larry Ayres, 37, Indianapolis
- Clinton Carter, 39, Indianapolis
- Brandon Hudson, 27, Indianapolis
*denotes wanted fugitive
After sitting in the Marion County Jail for approximately 18 months awaiting trial on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, Grundy was released from custody in the summer of 2016 when the most serious counts against him were dismissed.
Almost immediately, Grundy associates began to die.
In September of last year, Mack Taylor, who was photographed with Grundy upon his release expressing friendship with the reputed gang leader, was killed along with another man while allegedly attempting to rob a north side drug house.
The proprietor of that stash house, Terrell Scott, was himself murdered in Zionsville last May.
A Grundy cousin, Jasmine Moore, was gunned down outside a west side strip club in July. Grundy was wounded and two other women were shot while attending graveside services for Moore.
It was shortly later that Grundy signed a plea agreement with Marion County prosecutors on a marijuana count that resulted in no additional jail time and non-reporting probation.
“To the extent that we did not obtain convictions that we would have liked I am absolutely convinced that we disrupted the organization,” said Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry. “Any cases including those against Grundy that were dismissed before going to trial…could always be refiled. In the murder case in particular there is no statute of limitations.”
As Grundy was walking away from court a free man with a felony record, investigators said they captured him on wiretaps arranging from drug deals between Indianapolis and Phoenix.
“Obviously we were aware that the investigation had been initiated but at that early point it was not clear that it would be a successful investigation,” said Curry.
Now that Grundy is back in handcuffs, Curry said his office would move to have probation rescinded for the alleged drug boss known on the streets as “White Boy.”
The prosecutor is hopeful that this recent investigation and arrest may convince other co-defendants or witnesses to provide information against Grundy that would result in the refiling of those dismissed state charges.
As for disruption of what federal prosecutors called the, “Grundy-Led Drug Trafficking Organization,” Curry said it may take investigators more than a year to evaluate the impact on street level narcotics dealing and drug-related violence in Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett issued this statement:
“For years, Indianapolis neighborhoods have faced brazen violence and lawlessness orchestrated by the Grundy Crew. Their wrongdoing is exactly why we have redoubled our efforts to promote collaboration between local, state and federal law enforcement partners.
Thanks to their work, these bad actors are once again behind bars and dozens of illegally possessed weapons are off the streets.
On behalf of our city, I’d like to thank United States Attorney Josh Minkler and the FBI for their swift work over the weekend in apprehending the accused. Because of their efforts, our community is safer this week than it was last.
Violent gangs that plague too many parts of our state don’t see jurisdictional lines, and neither should we. By standing together, we send a powerful message: We will not give up the fight against those who are putting our neighborhoods in danger and the safety of our city at risk.”
