TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) – An 18-month-long investigation into the LCB/I-30 cartel gang has led to numerous arrests in recent weeks, according to Texarkana police.
While investigating the murder of Jermaine Aldridge, who was killed in the Chili’s parking lot in 2020, TTPD says detectives learned that it was a murder-for-hire plot and part of a larger series of criminal acts by LCB/I-30 cartel gang members.
Police say the group was also involved in the shooting of a 35-year-old male victim who was shot while he sat in a car outside of a business in the 1700 block of W. 3 Street on July 15, 2021. The shooting took place minutes after another man was tied up inside his W. 16 Street home and robbed at gunpoint by several men.
After police connected the dots on these crimes, several members of the gang were arrested for crimes ranging from aggravated assault to capital murder.
Charged with engaging in organized criminal activity for murder:
- Courtney Hope, 33, Texarkana, TX – Bowie County Jail on $1.21 million bond
- Van Grissom, 34, Texarkana, TX – Bowie County Jail on $1.2 million bond
- Cedric Alexander, 21, Wall, MS – Bowie County Jail $1 million bond
- Calvin Gardner, 31, Desoto, TX – Bowie County Jail $1.2 million bond
Cornell Brown, 30, Memphis, TN – being held in MCSO for Capital Murder in the Sept. 20, 2021, shooting death of Keith McFadden in Texarkana AR. A hold has been placed on him for the felony warrants issued for Texas incidents.
Charged with engaging in organized criminal activity for aggravated assault and aggravated robbery:
- Courtney Hope
- Van Grissom
- Cedric Alexander
- Calvin Gardner
- Cornell Brown
- Vonquildric Abraham, 29, Texarkana, TX – being held in Bowie County Jail ($200,331 bond)
- Derial Greenwood, 34, Texarkana, TX – being held in Bowie County Jail ($80,000 bond)
- Courtney Williams, 32, Memphis, TN – in custody in Mississippi and awaiting extradition to Texas
TTPD says detectives also got felony arrest warrants for engaging in organized criminal activity for aggravated assault and aggravated robbery late last week for Markeis Richardson, 35, of Texarkana, TX.
“I’m very proud of the extraordinary work of our detectives. These were not easy cases by any standard. They had to pull out just about every tool in their investigative toolbox to finally be able to get to the bottom of what happened and discover the truth. They’ve simply refused to give up – and they’re still going. We expect more arrests to be made soon. We’re asking that anyone who might have any information about these crimes – or any other crimes that LCB/I-30 Cartel has committed or is directly involved in – to reach out to either Detective Cliff Harris or Detective Tabitha Smith,” Chief Kevin Schutte said.
If you know where Richardson is, please give call TTPD at 903-798-3116 or Texarkana Area Crime Stoppers at 903-793-STOP.
TTPD says the extensive, ongoing investigation involved a number of areas law enforcement agencies as well as the Texas Department of Public Safety and Federal Bureau of Investigation.