Tresa Baldas

Detroit Free Press

For months, the federal government has vowed to dismantle the Seven Mile Bloods — a violent street gang that refers to its territory as "4-8-2-0-Die" and has been at the center of a lengthy shooting war on Detroit's east side.

Thursday, after months of scouring streets in the notoriously dangerous 48205 zip code and combing Facebook posts for tips, the FBI saw some progress in its war on the Seven Mile Bloods, indicting three suspected gang members on multiple charges, including attempted murder.

"Today's indictment is just the first step in dismantling the group that calls themselves the Seven Mile Bloods and its rivals,” U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said, noting local and federal law enforcement beefed up enforcement on the east side last year "when we became aware of the retaliation that was occurring between these gangs."

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According to court documents, a shooting war stemming from a 2014 murder erupted more than a year ago in an area bounded by Seven and Eight Mile roads and Gratiot Avenue and Kelly Road. The Seven Mile Bloods gang has claimed this area as its territory, records show, and refers to it as the “Red Zone” or “4-8-2-0-Die” in some of its rap lyrics.

Federal prosecutors allege that Seven Mile Bloods is in an active gang war with an alliance of other gangs, including Hustle Boys, East Warren, Six Mile Chedda Ave., Gutta Boys, Maxout 220, BossHogs and Hustle.

During the past 18 months, a multi-jurisdictional crime task force known as the Detroit One Partnership zeroed in on the territory — which saw significantly more shootings and homicides than other areas — and discovered "hit lists" that rival gangs posted on social media. Over time, arrests were made and crimes went down, authorities said, noting homicides have dropped every year since the formation of Detroit One in 2013.

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"As the city of Detroit continues its march towards promising downtown and surrounding area re-development, the sense of optimism for the future of Detroit is enhanced with every successful investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the violence that all too often plagues Detroit neighborhoods," Detroit FBI chief David P. Gelios said Thursday. "Today's indictment reinforces the commitment of the FBI ... to target gang members and others responsible for the violence, particularly gun and drug-related violence, that diminishes the quality of life in this community."

''Among those charged are Billy Arnold, 29, of Detroit, an alleged member of the SMB who is accused of attempted murder in aid of racketeering; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; use of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Two other Detroit men, Steven Arthur Jr., 26, and Eugene Fisher, 35, were also charged with being felons in possession of a firearm.

This indictment is the latest in a string of federal and state charges targeting several Detroit gangs in the last two years.

Among those facing federal racketeering charges are: