Memphis Safe Task Force and U.S. Marshals Apprehend Four Men in Violent Crime Sweep

In a coordinated effort to clamp down on violent crime, the Memphis Safe Task Force, along with U.S. Marshals, arrested four men in a sweep targeting violent offenders. The operation took place on Monday afternoon at a Southwest Memphis residence. As Action News 5 reports, these individuals face an array of charges including possession of machine guns, theft, and drug-related offenses.

The arrests were made at a home near Washburn Drive, where Martavious Matthews, 26, Ladarius Brown, 34, Brandon Green, 33, and Demario Noel, 32, a self-admitted member of the Bloods street gang, were taken into custody. The suspects are charged with various crimes, among them theft, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of firearms during the commission of a dangerous felony. “This operation reflects the task force’s continued commitment to identifying and apprehending violent offenders, removing illegal firearms and disrupting the flow of narcotics within the community,” said Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Ryan Guay, in a statement obtained by WREG.

Further investigation was prompted by a narcotics detection K-9 alerting on a suspect package at a local parcel sorting facility. As reported by Local Memphis, surveillance on the connected residence on Wabash Avenue led to the arrests. In addition to the suspected marijuana found in the package, detectives discovered weapons and promethazine inside the residence during the search.

Since the task force began its concentrated operations on September 29, significant decreases in violent crime statistics have been reported. Homicides are down by 50%, with car theft and sexual assault also seeing reductions of around 60%, as detailed by WREG. All four individuals, now facing several felony charges, are being held at the Shelby County Jail, their initial court appearance set for this morning.