A sweeping federal operation in South Florida has brought down members from notorious street gangs, including the Zoe Mafia Family (ZMF), culminating in convictions and significant prison sentences for 18 individuals. The efforts were a collaboration between multiple law enforcement agencies, spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and the ATF's Miami Field Office. The charges, a string of firearm and narcotics offenses led to the seizure of an arsenal and substantial amounts of illicit drugs – notably fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
The convicted felons, hailing from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, were handed sentences ranging from 8 months to over 20 years in federal prison. Notables such as Makinson Moise and Johnnie Gibson received some of the harshest penalties for their crimes, which included possession with intent to distribute narcotics and carrying firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Other defendants faced incarceration for similar drug distribution charges or possessing firearms as convicted felons. The full list of sentences and charges was released by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to the press statement from U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne, the investigation was a concerted effort between local and federal agencies, including the DEA, FBI, HSI, and Broward Sheriff's Office. This operation was part of the larger Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, utilizing a multi-agency approach to topple high-level criminal organizations threatening the security of the nation.
Several of the defendants were identified as members of the ZMF, a South Florida Haitian gang that operates in the region. This action comes on the heels of a recent move by the U.S. State Department, which designated two Haitian gangs, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Both the press release and the accompanying court documents are available on official government websites, offering transparency and details to the public eye.
Prosecutors from the Southern District of Florida, including Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Brown and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCormack, led the charge in these cases, bringing closure to a complex operation against entrenched criminal elements.
