Violent Property Crime Gang Members Arrested, San Francisco Police Say
Written by Daniel EgittoPublished May 02, 2023 • 6:07pm
Criminal Justice
Police tape | Adobe Stock
Five alleged members of a San Francisco-based street gang accused of carrying out violent offenses and property crimes, including auto burglaries, have been arrested, police announced Tuesday.
The first suspect, 29-year-old Maurkece Johns of San Francisco, led law enforcement on a brief foot chase after officers located him April 19 near Harbor Road and Bertha Avenue, the San Francisco Police Department said in a press release.
The other suspects—29-year-old Eric Jones of Concord, 34-year-old Dajaun Menifee of Hercules, 23-year-old Johnnie Leonard of Alameda and 34-year-old Kameron Kaywood of San Ramon—were all arrested Thursday in a simultaneous operation.
Johns was booked in the San Francisco County Jail on “multiple gun-related charges” and for allegedly resisting arrest, authorities said. Jones was also booked on an outstanding San Francisco warrant for five alleged counts of auto burglary, as well as one charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The men were arrested as part of a joint task force between the San Francisco Police Department, the FBI and and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Other Bay Area police departments and district attorney’s offices were also involved.
Law enforcement said they booked Menifee in a Contra Costa County jail for “numerous firearm-related charges” out of Oakland. Menifee also faces additional charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a large-capacity magazine, possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Leonard was booked in an Alameda County jail on a charge of possession of a large-capacity magazine and an outstanding Oakland warrant for firearms-related charges with an enhancement for alleged gang affiliation.
Kaywood was also booked in an Alameda County jail for six alleged offenses including the possession of an assault rifle, possession of a large-capacity magazine and other firearm-related crimes.
Law enforcement also served Kaywood a warrant out of Contra Costa County for other firearm-related offenses, police said.
The operations were carried out by San Francisco’s Community Violence Reduction Team, formerly known as the Gang Task Force, and the city’s Crime Gun Investigations Center.
San Francisco police did not respond to requests for comment by publication time.
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