AKRON, Ohio — In the Greater Akron community, federal and local officials are sending a clear message that violent crime will not be tolerated.
“I think this collaboration truly does demonstrate the continued commitment to reducing violent crime,” said Akron Police Chief Brian Harding.
This comes after a major operation, which was launched in July, led to the arrest of 35 people Thursday morning thanks to the help of about 250 federal, state and local law enforcement through Operation Double Eagle.
Now, authorities told News 5 those people are facing serious charges for violating numerous federal laws in this area.
“It is difficult to dismantle organizations like this in the multiple layers of criminal conduct, but it is not impossible as we can see here today,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, David Toepfer.
On Thursday, a spread of 50 firearms used in crimes and a whiteboard of 39 violent offenders – with 36 marked as arrested – was what officials revealed during a press conference in Downtown Akron.
“Each indictment represents a separate case and is not related. However, they do share a common thread. That is individuals who commit these crimes, break laws and bring harm to our communities,” said Toepfer.
But Toepfer said those violent offenders are off the streets and facing serious charges for crimes including drug and firearm offenses, conspiracies, distribution of cocaine, meth, and marijuana and possession of firearms, among other accusations.
Meantime, authorities said other defendants are also being charged with buying firearms illegally, in addition to other suspects being charged for violent crime arrests throughout the Greater Akron area.
“We identified robbers, gang members, armed drug traffickers, violent felons in possession of firearms,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge John Smerglia.
While authorities said this is a major law enforcement victory, they’re asking for the community’s help to locate two additional suspects. Their names are Teon Brown and Troy Miller, and a $2,500 reward is being offered for each.
Aside from these arrests, law enforcement officials also announced the opening of the Akron Crime Gun Intelligence Center.
The goal is to use advanced forensic technology to analyze firearms used in crimes to help solve investigations more quickly, which Harding said will take investigators two to three days to gather information rather than 1-2 weeks.
Bishop Mark Neal of Dominion Family Church told News 5 this is a step in the right direction.
“We do need to have some crimes that have not been solved within the last year, the last five, the last 10 years to bring closure to the family members,” said Neal, who is also a partner with Greater Akron Fellowship of Clergy.
Cordell Walker of H.Y.P.E., or Helping Young People Elevate, said the funding for the intelligence center could’ve supported organizations giving back to at-risk youth.
“We have a hard time to get funding but now they have funding to do the crime intelligence (center), but they don’t have funding to give us,” said Walker.
Even Marcel McDaniel, executive director and founder of Nonstop Growth, a community violence intervention organization, agreed.
“We showed with the ceasefire over the Labor Day weekend that community violence intervention works,” said McDaniel.
The mayor reassured that work is being done.
“We have a lot of work that we’re doing around community violence intervention, around violence prevention but the accountability piece, the piece represented today is an essential part,” said Akron Mayor Shammas Malik.
