Band Crew: Detroit Bust Of Street Gang Relied On Facebook, YouTube Videos

When authorities made the announcement of the arrest of Band Crew, the Detroit bust was credited to bragging by street gang members. Ironically, they shared their criminal exploits on social media like Facebook and YouTube, but now the only Band Crew photos being shared are mugshots.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, retired Deputy Chief Darryl Brown praised the effort of the Federal authorities and local Detroit police. He was also the head of an elite gang unit that led the nation in gang-related arrests.

“We have to be proactive. Proactive policing has been shown to reduce crime. Law enforcement is getting very good at using social media as a tool to investigate, and to pursue and also convict criminals.”

According to the indictment paperwork for Band Crew, the Detroit bust managed to arrest eight members of the street gang. Band Crew, which is also known as 22 Band Crew or BC, claimed areas of northwest Detroit as their territory. Band Crew members were known for marking these streets with graffiti using their name.

Band Crew is believed to have been an association of smaller neighborhood gangs like Young N Crispy, Pushit, Constantly Making Hundreds – formerly known as Cash Money Hoes – and FOE Life, which stands for Family Over Everything Love is Forever. The FBI says Band Crew “did not have a formal hierarchical structure apart from having leaders of each subgroup who were known as CEOs and Co-CEOs,” and Band Crew members continued to identify with the smaller street gangs. Working together as Band Crew, the combined street gangs worked together to confront and retaliate against “rival gangs through the use of intimidation, threats of violence, and acts of violence.”

Most of the men caught in the Band Crew Detroit bust were juveniles at the time of the street gang’s formation in 2011, but their operations quickly escalated. Within a month, Band Crew began robbing gas stations, using and stealing guns with illegal high capacity magazines, selling marijuana, and robbing kids walking home from school. They began to brag about their exploits, which worsened over time, expanding into home invasions, shootings, assaults and attempted murders.

In November of 2012, one of the Band Crew members arrested in the current bust, Corey Deandre Mapp, allegedly confronted a rival gang member named Y.B. with the help of another juvenile Band Crew member. After they asked about the rival gang member’s affiliation, they shot Y.B. in the chest. If any witnesses or victims dared to mention Band Crew’s crimes, they would intimidate them with their “no snitching” code.

Ironically, it was another part of their code which was the undoing of Band Crew. The Detroit bust revealed that the street gang actively used social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Kee, and YouTube to “post photographs, videos, and statements that identified and highlighted the existence of the gang, a member’s affiliation with the gang, and gang-related accomplishments.” They also left electronic records on their smartphones, which they used to “plan their criminal activities, update each other about gang activity, boast about the gang, promote the gang, and disrespect rival gangs.”

Please note that these videos contain foul language and violence.

WXYZ reports that all eight street gang members of Band Crew caught in the Detroit bust will remain behind bars until their next court appearance. If convicted, they face the possibility of lengthy prison sentences.

[Image via CBS]