Phillip Jackson

Memphis Commercial Appeal

A high-ranking Memphis gang member was sentenced to 29 years in prison on March 1 for being the leader of what authorities describe as a crew of armed robbers targeting drug dealers across the city.

Federal authorities linked the crew to multiple robberies and at least two shootings during a two-month period. At one point during the investigation, officials say a member of the robbery crew pistol-whipped and shot the mother of a drug dealer.

Marcus Danner, 39, also known as "Poncho", admitted to authorities he ranked as lieutenant of the Vice Lords gang in Memphis, according to federal court documents. It is not clear from the documents if the robbery crew was affiliated with the gang.

Danner and Shuntario Johnson, Quintez Agnew and John Lott were indicted on 11 counts in March 2018.

Federal documents show agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Memphis Police Department began an undercover operation targeting the crew in early December 2017.

The documents say an undercover agent contacted Danner on Dec. 7, 2017, telling him he knew a man interested in setting up drug dealers working for him because they failed to pay him. Danner told the undercover agent he would rob the dealer and split the cocaine with him.

'I'm good for it, man'

Danner, an MPD informant and an ATF undercover agent met around Dec. 13, 2017, in Shelby County. Authorities videotaped the interaction in which the undercover agent posed as a "disgruntled cocaine courier" and told Danner he often transported cocaine from Memphis to St. Louis for a Mexican drug cartel, court records say.

Danner and the undercover agent constructed a plan to carry out the robbery. Danner told the undercover agent he would immediately enter the house after the agent went inside first. When the agent told Danner the cartel members in the home were armed with guns, Danner was not worried.

"That don't matter, nope," Danner replied. He went on to describe himself as a professional at conducting robberies.

The agent said he needed someone good to get the job done.

"We do it. We good. This is what I do, man. We'll split (the cocaine) down the middle," Danner said, according to court documents.

When the undercover agent told Danner to think about it, saying "if you don't want to do it," Danner interrupted him.

"Ain't no want. I'm gonna do it. We gonna do it," Danner said.

"You're good for it ?" the agent asked.

"I'm good for it, man," Danner said.

On Dec. 27, 2017, Danner introduced the agent to Agnew who, according to court documents, would be a part of the robbery.

Agnew said they all would be guaranteed "like three bricks (of cocaine) apiece," according to court documents.

Two shootings before the sting

About four weeks passed between the time they designed the plan and met to execute it. During that time, Danner and members of his crew were involved in the shooting of a 23-year-old man who was on his way to purchase marijuana on Jan. 9, 2018, according to court records.

Just a few weeks later, on Jan. 22, a member of the crew shot and beat up a 52-year-old woman who was the mother of drug dealer, Bobby Buffer. When the mother of Buffer honked her horn to notify him of the attempted robbery, Johnson grabbed her from the car and pistol-whipped her on the head and shot her in the chest, according to court documents.

The woman died 22 days later of causes unrelated to the shooting, according to court records.

On Jan. 25, 2018, the day federal authorities planned to spring their trap on Danner and members of his crew, the group met at Popeye's along Shelby Drive. The agent asked Danner several questions to figure out how the robbers were entering the home behind him.

Just before the robbery was set to occur, local and federal agents appeared to arrest the crew, according to court documents. Danner and Agnew were taken into custody. Johnson dropped a semi-automatic handgun while fleeing but was caught.

Authorities said they seized multiple firearms, close to $2,000 and 28 grams of cocaine.

Danner pleaded guilty on Oct. 16 after a plea agreement was reached.

"ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement and community partners every day in our ongoing priority to reduce violent crime," said Marcus Watson, ATF Special Agent in charge, in a release.

"ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence leverages technology that ultimately disrupts the shooting cycle that negatively impacts our neighborhoods."

An ATF spokesperson declined to comment further on the investigation because four of Danner's co-defendants are still pending trial.

Danner had a long criminal history, court records show. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2006 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 7 years in prison on April 12, 2007.

In 2006, Ronald Terry, another high ranking gang leader of the Vice Lords, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Danner in 2005 after Terry thought Danner would testify against him in a separate court case.

Terry was found shot to death in a car on Jan. 10.

After completion of his sentence, Danner will receive 5 years of supervised release.