Violent Central Florida gang members were arrested for drive-by shootings, a fatal stabbing, and other felony offenses in Operation Drive-By Bye.
These gang members were responsible for a series of violent inter-gang attacks between five gangs in Polk County, primarily from Winter Haven, Haines City, and the Waverly area.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives from the Gang, Homicide and Robbery units have arrested Polk County gang members responsible for a series of drive-by shootings, other felony offenses, and a fatal stabbing.
In July 2023, detectives from the Robbery and Homicide units began investigating the connection between multiple drive by shooting incidents that began in May of 2021.
This series of shootings were ignited by the murder of 20-year-old Dyreon Outsey, a known gang member. Three days later, another gang executed a drive-by shooting at a known rival gang hang out. This was the beginning of a series of retaliatory attacks between these rival gangs, detailed as follows by local law enforcement:
- May 23, 2021 – Dyreon Outsey was shot and killed. 22-year-old Tyquaveon Robinson and 31-year-old Branden Johnson, were arrested for the murder of Outsey.
- May 26, 2021 – 20-year-old Zedarian Outsey, 21-year-old Deshawn Williams, and 23-year-old Tyrone Berry committed a drive by shooting with an assault rifle in East Winter Haven, at a known rival gang hangout. 25-year-old Kevin Marcel returned fire, as he was outside the residence at the time the shooting began. Berry and Williams received non-life threatening injuries during the incident. Berry, Outsey, and Williams were charged with attempted murder.
- January 30, 2022 – Beginning at Cypress Lanes Bowling Alley in Winter Haven, members of two rival gangs were involved in a running gun battle in their vehicles that ended on Martin Luther King Blvd and NE 11th Street in West Winter Haven. The shooting resulted in the death of 22-year-old Ira Footman, a gunshot wound to the leg of 19-year-old Carlos Martinez, and non-life threatening gunshot injuries to 29-year-old Demetrius Brown and Jonathan Scarvers Jr. All those injured were members of one gang, and Martinez’s leg was amputated as a result of his injuries. 18-year-old Jermaine Hawthorne, 23-year-old Antonio Lewis, and 19-year-old Mechael Jean-Charles all members of the rival gang, were arrested for the murder of Ira Footman.
- December 4, 2022 – Members of another gang executed a drive-by shooting in Northwest Winter Haven at the home of 20-year-old Jermaine Feacher, who is a member of a rival gang. This shooting was perpetrated in retaliation for the murder of Ira Footman in January. No one was injured during this incident. Arlearria “Leary” Buchanan was later charged with attempted murder for this incident.
- December 30, 2022 – Three vehicles drove by a known gang member hangout in Northern Haines City, and a drive-by shooting occurred. No one was injured in this shooting, although several of the rounds of ammunition fired struck vehicles and entered dwellings in the area surrounding the gang hangout.
- January 2, 2023 – Members of one gang attempted to kill 20-year-old Trevin Barnhill, a member of a rival gang at in East Lake Wales in retaliation for the murder of Ira Footman. 21-year-old Jacoya Allen, the girlfriend of Barnes, was shot during the incident and received non-life threatening injuries. Barnhill later accused Scarvers Jr. of perpetrating the shooting in a sworn statement.
- January 2, 2023 – Another shooting occurred in North Lake Wales, about 15 minutes after the first shooting. Two young girls, ages 12 and 14, were shot while lying in bed. They received non-life threatening injuries. Teville Burgess resides in the house next door and was believed to be the intended target.
- January 3, 2023 – A group of gang members and others were arrested for breaking into a vacant rental property in the Lake Alfred area. The residence was being used as a gang hangout, and evidence of weapons and drugs were uncovered at the location during our investigation. 28-year-old Javonte Tubbs, 23-year-old Tracey Moise, 23-year-old Barrington Clarke, 24-year-old De’Andre Gilford, 22-year-old Lansly Genest, and 20-year-old Shaleste Brooks, associates of the gang were arrested for burglary. Jonathan Scarvers, Jr. and Alex Greene, both documented gang members, were charged with armed burglary.
- April 2, 2023 – A carjacking occurred in Osceola County at 4:40am. About one hour later, the stolen vehicle was seen at the scene of a drive-by shooting which occurred in Winter Haven. The stolen vehicle was later discovered after having been set on fire a few blocks away from the home of Alejandro Mercedes, a known gang member.
- May 18, 2023 – The vehicle of 22-year-old Keyshawn Cox was burglarized in Winter Haven. His Micro Draco firearm, which looks like a shortened AK-47 assault rifle, was stolen.
- May 19, 2023 – Courtney Brown’s residence was shot up in a drive-by shooting in retaliation for the theft of the Draco firearm the day before. No one was injured in this shooting. 21-year-old Wayne Hewitt and Cox, both members of the same gang, were arrested in connection with the shooting.
- July 2, 2023 – A Kia Soul was stolen which was later used in a drive-by shootings on July 9, 2023 in Osceola County and on July 26, 2023 in Lakeland. This vehicle was seen on surveillance video outside Courtney Brown’s residence on July 5, 2023.
- July 5, 2023 – A third shooting at the home of the Joboham brothers, Loren and Joseph, members of the same gang, occurred at 1:30am. No one was injured in this shooting, but a neighboring house was damaged. The residents of the neighboring house had no criminal histories or ties to any gangs. The car seen on surveillance nearby at the time of this incident was linked to Buchanan.
- July 11, 2023 – Winter Haven Police Department responded to a call about a possible location on the Kia Soul stolen on July 2nd. Alejandro Mercedes and Anthony Wilcox, members of same gang, were in possession of the vehicle when WHPD responded and were arrested after a brief vehicle pursuit. They were both charged with Trespassing and Resisting an Officer without Violence.
- November 10, 2023 – At a Publix in Winter Haven, members of the three gangs engaged in a verbal argument which turned violent. Two individuals were stabbed, and 16-year-old Demetrius Alexis, later died of his injuries at the hospital. Teville Burgess was arrested in connection with the stabbing and was charged with manslaughter. Also arrested was gang member Bendarious Leaks. He was charged with battery.
The individuals identified by local detectives as perpetrators of the prescribed events all have lengthy criminal histories, most of which date back to their adolescence, according to law enforcement. The age range of these offenders is between 16 and 29 years of age.
“This is kids killing kids, and we’re not going to accept that. We’re not going to allow that,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
The bad blood between these gangs stems in part, from a desire to “show off” on social media, and an apparent need for notoriety from their peers, according to local law enforcement. They create rap songs, bragging about the crimes that they commit and share them amongst each other. Often, a new song by one of these gang members predicated a drive-by shooting or another instance of violence by their rivals. As the members of these gangs continued to age, their ability to access weapons and cars increased, which we believe accounted for the sharp uptick in drive-by shootings and violence in the areas they live in and frequent.
Many of the arrests made in this case include charges with a “gang enhancement.” Gang enhancements are added to existing charges and increase the severity of the penalty, because these illegal acts are being committed in the furtherance of gang activities.
PCSO detectives have also recovered multiple “switches,” during the course of this investigation. “Switches” are modifications that can be installed on handguns and rifles to allow them to shoot fully automatic. These alterations enhance the violence and lethality of incidents like drive-by shootings.
The Violent Gang Investigative Task Force was created in February of 2023 as a multi-agency effort between the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, local police agencies, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, ATF Tampa, FBI Tampa, and both the United States Attorney and State Attorney of the 10th judicial circuit, Brian Haas. Its mission is to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle gangs operating in Polk County. It was created to send a message to those in Polk County wishing to commit gang-related crimes that local law enforcement and criminal justice system will not tolerate threats to the safety of the hard-working citizens of Polk County.
In 2019, there were six recorded incidents of gang-related shootings in the county; the number increased to 59 in 2022. This increase in violence led to Sheriff Judd forming the Violent Gang Investigative Task Force.
In the 18 months before its creation, Polk County had 87 gang-related and suspected gang-related shootings. Since the creation of the VGITF, there has been a reduction in the number of these shooting to 61 in 18 months – a 30% decrease. Since its inception, the VGITF has identified and arrested 144 gang members and gang associates. 57 firearms have been recovered during multiple investigations and arrests, six of which were confirmed stolen.
Operation Drive-By Bye is yet another in a series of operations carried out by the PCSO in an effort to end gang violence in the Central Florida county. While the investigation into these drive-by shootings was underway, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was also conducting the following operations and making arrests:
- Operation Hot Wire – (September 2019-May 2020) PCSO made 74 arrests as a result of an investigation into a gang trafficking illegal narcotics, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. This gang operated county-wide, nearly every municipality was affected, and they didn’t just traffic drugs, they were also responsible for five home invasions, one of which resulted in a murder. Our detectives were able to get millions of dollars’ worth of drugs and several firearms off the streets of Polk County.
- Operation Sex, Money, Murder – (March 2021-April 2022) PCSO made 41 arrests of gang members in Polk County for illegal drug sales, robberies, introducing contraband into prisons, conspiracy to commit murder, and coordinated attacks on other gang members. These arrests brought this organization to its knees.
- Operation Gangs & Guns – (March 2023-October 2023) PCSO arrested six gang members in the Lakeland area for 38 different instances of car burglaries, and for stealing the theft of seven firearms. We recovered two of the seven stolen firearms, and all the charges brought against these suspects included gang enhancements. These gang enhancements allow us to keep the suspects locked up longer, and keep the citizens affected safe from being further victimized by these offenders.
- Other Drive-By Shooting Arrests – (March 2023 & November 2023) PCSO arrested 19-year old La’Darion Chandler and 23-year old Daquan Carey, for drive-by shootings in the Lakeland and Waverly areas, respectively. Chandler is a self-proclaimed rapper, who fatally shot a man in the back. Chandler was charged with three felonies in this incident, including first degree murder. Carey is a documented gang member and his criminal history dates back to age 13. He was charged with 10 felonies and 4 misdemeanors for the shooting in Waverly.
