Federal Raids On Accused Milwaukee Gang Members, Dozens Arrested

MILWAUKEE, WI — Police across Milwaukee on Wednesday arrested dozens of people linked to gangs as part of a 43-count indictment that includes charges like murder for hire, mail fraud and drug trafficking, according to federal prosecutors.

All are accused of being part of street gang the "Wild 100s," the "Shark Gang" or "SNG," according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Gregory Haanstad. Several charges in the indictment were related to firearms. The charges are unsealed for 27 of the defendants, but charges remain under seal for three others pending their arrest.

Among the charges is mail fraud conspiracy. The indictment accused the defendants of wrongfully obtaining millions of dollars by conspiring to defraud the Department of Labor with fraudulent benefits applications like unemployment insurance, according to the news release.

The defendants purchased things like guns, drugs, jewelry and vacations with the money from fraudulent activities, according to prosecutors, and at one point they tried to solicit a murder for hire.

The murder-for-hire charge accused Ronnell Bowman and Ronnie Jackson of arranging for someone's death between March and April of 2021, prosecutors said. Within a month, prosecutors said the same defendants shot someone to death furthering the murder plot.

The indictment also accused 15 defendants of conspiring to sell firearms between 2020 and 2023, prosecutors said.

The arrests come after a joint investigation from the FBI, ATF and Milwaukee police. Several search warrants were executed with the help of police from Oak Creek, Cudahy, Glendale, Houston Texas and more.