Bobby Johnson
A federal magistrate judge on Monday ordered that gang leader Bobby Johnson be detained while awaiting handling of federal gun charges against him.
A gang expert recently testified that Johnson was a central figure in a beef between two Bloods gangs that has led to a string of killings.
Johnson, 34, was identified as a leader of the Bounty Hunters, a gang that has been feuding with the Athens Park Bloods.
An indictment says he was found with a gun on March 7 and has been charged with being a felon in possession of a weapon. He could face up to 10 years in federal prison.
Magistrate Judge Chris Steger noted that Johnson had violated past probations in two states. He also said he could have walked away from a situation where a female cut him with a box cutter, but instead he went to get a gun and shot her in both legs.
Erin Rust of the Federal Defenders Office said Johnson had not gotten into further trouble since the incident in which he is charged with attempted murder.
She said the woman cut him eight times in the face, neck and arm.
Prosecutor Chris Poole said Johnson has had 10 drug arrests, including two felony drug convictions.
The gang expert, testifying in state court at a hearing for Cortez Sims, said the incident that sparked a wave of violence started when several hundred people, including many gang members, crowded into Terry's Lounge on 6th Avenue. He said Martrel "Tricky Trel" Arnold had just gotten out of jail and was upset with Johnson. The witness said Arnold felt that Johnson "had been messing around with one of his girlfriends."
He said that night a fight broke out between the two Bloods sects and it "sparked a violent beef."
The witness said soon afterward shots were fired into a house on Central Avenue occupied by the aunt and uncle of an Athens Park Bloods member. The victims said they were told that the Bounty Hunters were responsible.
Then on Jan. 20, 2014, multiple shots were fired into a home on E. 50th Street with one of the shots killing 13-year-old Deontrey Southers, the step-son of Johnson. Athens Park Bloods were blamed.
The witness said since that time some want the feud to end, but he said, "Bobby Johnson has a vendetta against the Athens Park Bloods. He doesn't want it to end. He feels like it is still not even."