Otis "Cowboy" Carden,Terry "Ox" Gilmore Thirty people have been arrested, identified as part of the Carden organization.
A cache of weapons that included the launcher, fully automatic rifles, an "elephant gun," and handguns of various sizes and shapes was put on display today by the sheriff and law enforcement officers from other jurisdictions that participated in the nearly year-old probe.The investigative team focused its attention on Otis "Cowboy" Carden, 26, and Terry "Ox" Gilmore, 34, who are accused of being the ringleaders. Sgt. Ian Floyd said everyone else arrested worked for these two.
"Some stole vehicles," Floyd said. "Others broke into houses and stole guns."The investigation began last summer after a vehicle theft, he said. From there, it led to drugs and guns and stolen property.Judd said there was no evidence the ring was smuggling guns.The ring bought and sold stolen goods and dealt mainly in methamphetamine, he said. Although the public was undisturbed by the ring, Judd said members would be very violent to those who didn't pay debts or tried to rip them off.
Judd said victims were fearful of coming forward.
"One guy had the pudding beat out of him," Judd said. "This is one of the more violent groups we've encountered recently. They were violent toward each other and those who dealt drugs and stole property if they didn't pay up."
Three members of the ring remained at large, he said."But our guys are coming after you," he said.
The ring made money off drugs and the sale of stolen property. The guns mostly were bought and sold among the members, Judd said, and were used for protection and intimidation.The origins of the bomb launcher remained a mystery, he said. The ring member who procured it said he bought it for $100, Judd said, "and sold it to a ring leader buddy for $400. But we don't know where it came from."Charges against those arrested included dealing in stolen property, drug possession and dealing, and theft.
Carden was arrested Jan. 23 in Osceola County by the U.S. Marshals with 11 grams of meth and $9,000 in his possession, authorities said. He was charged by a federal grand jury this week with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machine gun.Gilmore, who authorities said described himself as the "muscle" of the organization, was arrested Feb. 8 on charges including grand theft auto, resisting an officer without violence and drug possession.
Thirty people have been arrested since last summer, identified as part of the Carden organization.
"Some stole vehicles," Floyd said. "Others broke into houses and stole guns."The investigation began last summer after a vehicle theft, he said. From there, it led to drugs and guns and stolen property.Judd said there was no evidence the ring was smuggling guns.The ring bought and sold stolen goods and dealt mainly in methamphetamine, he said. Although the public was undisturbed by the ring, Judd said members would be very violent to those who didn't pay debts or tried to rip them off.
Judd said victims were fearful of coming forward.
"One guy had the pudding beat out of him," Judd said. "This is one of the more violent groups we've encountered recently. They were violent toward each other and those who dealt drugs and stole property if they didn't pay up."
Three members of the ring remained at large, he said."But our guys are coming after you," he said.
The ring made money off drugs and the sale of stolen property. The guns mostly were bought and sold among the members, Judd said, and were used for protection and intimidation.The origins of the bomb launcher remained a mystery, he said. The ring member who procured it said he bought it for $100, Judd said, "and sold it to a ring leader buddy for $400. But we don't know where it came from."Charges against those arrested included dealing in stolen property, drug possession and dealing, and theft.
Carden was arrested Jan. 23 in Osceola County by the U.S. Marshals with 11 grams of meth and $9,000 in his possession, authorities said. He was charged by a federal grand jury this week with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machine gun.Gilmore, who authorities said described himself as the "muscle" of the organization, was arrested Feb. 8 on charges including grand theft auto, resisting an officer without violence and drug possession.
Thirty people have been arrested since last summer, identified as part of the Carden organization.
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