Federal authorities in Savannah, Georgia have rounded up 29 people and charged them with drug trafficking, court records show. One of the defendants include Respekk, whose real name is Rashamel Brown, an up-and-coming Georgia rapper.
The U.S. Attorney's office has filed 27 felony charges against the group, including conspiracy, distribution of cocaine, crack, and marijuana, gun possession, maintaining drug premises, and possessing drugs.
In addition to the charges, authorities have moved to seize nearly $450,000 in cash, Rolex watches, Cuban link necklaces, diamonds, and other jewelry, including a "10k yellow gold pendant forming the numerals 914 with round brilliant cut diamonds.
Prosecutors are also filing asset forfeiture petitions to seize two houses allegedly used for drug distribution. The homes are on the 2300 block of Alabama Avenue in Savannah, court records show. Five guns and hundreds of rounds of ammo were also seized during the federal investigation, which started in December 2019. The indictment, unsealed this week, alleges the group "used coded language to facilitate the drug trafficking operation" and used "trap houses" to "store and distribute controlled substances.