Atlanta, GA: Sheriff Larry Dean acknowledges the presence of gangs in every city and county in Georgia, including his own. He expresses satisfaction as 11 gang members are apprehended following a collaborative investigation.
The individuals in question were associated with the Money, Power, Loyalty gang, which is commonly referred to as MPL. All individuals involved were male residents of Dublin, and they have been charged with a substantial 114-count indictment.
They face a range of serious charges, including aggravated assault, attempted murder, drug distribution, and illegal possession of a machine gun. They are also facing charges of racketeering.
“It’s interesting how people often associate gangs with major urban areas.” According to Dean, gangs can be found in every city.
Daniel Lampp, a lieutenant of crime suppression at the Laurens County Sheriff’s Department, expressed concern over the increasing magnitude of the issue.
“There will be ongoing gang activity every night.” Lampp expressed concern about the frequent notifications of drive-by’s or shootings in the area.
The 11 individuals facing charges in the indictment range in age from 20 to 26, with some of the charges dating back to 2016 for each of them.
According to Dean, gangs frequently target young children, even those in middle school.
“Those who have been involved in the gang for a while understand that juveniles are less likely to face severe consequences compared to 17-year-olds who can be tried as adults,” he explained.
In an effort to address the issue of gang activity, the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office has established a dedicated gang unit. This unit will work alongside the Dublin Police to conduct nighttime patrols on a regular basis.
Lampp mentioned that the unit is made up of approximately 12 off-duty deputies who are assigned to different units apart from the gang unit.
