Members of what prosecutors say was a Short North Posse killing squad were charged yesterday in federal court as part of a massive racketeering indictment that could put some defendants on Death Row. Law-enforcement officers from throughout central Ohio collaborated on the two-year investigation that hit a high point with the unsealing of the 25-count indictment that includes 11 murder charges that could carry the death penalty.

Members of what prosecutors say was a Short North Posse killing squad were charged yesterday in federal court as part of a massive racketeering indictment that could put some defendants on Death Row.

Law-enforcement officers from throughout central Ohio collaborated on the two-year investigation that hit a high point with the unsealing of the 25-count indictment that includes 11 murder charges that could carry the death penalty.

Prosecutors said it�s the largest federal murder indictment in Ohio history.

In all, 17 people were indicted. Prosecutors said that all were members of a posse group that called itself the Cut Throat Committee and later the Homicide Squad, and specialized in murder and robbery against rival gangs and in intimidating witnesses between 2005 and 2012.

Those indicted are: Robert B. Ledbetter, Lance A. Green, Allen L. Wright, Tysin L. Gordon, Christopher A. Harris, Robert L. Wilson III, Rashad A. Liston, Deounte Ussury, Thomas E. Coates, Ishmael Bowers, Joseph Hill, Freddie K. Johnson, Deshawn Smith, Lance Reynolds, Rastamon A. Wilson, Clifford L. Robinson and Troy A. Patterson.

Eleven already were in custody for other offenses, including four in federal prisons.

Yesterday, five suspects were arrested, including Bowers at a bus terminal in Knoxville, Tenn. Officers continued to hunt for Gordon.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said Ledbetter, also known as �Killer B,� and Green, known as �Jigga,� were the Homicide Squad leaders. Both are serving long federal sentences for drug trafficking.

Authorities have been trying to break the gang for years.

The posse has traditionally operated in an area of Weinland Park bounded by 11th, Grant and 5th avenues and N. High Street. Their crimes, however, have taken place all over central Ohio.

�This gang has been hit significantly,� said Carter Stewart, U.S. attorney for the southern district of Ohio. Those charged in the indictment were �the enforcers, the muscle� of the gang.

Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs said she�ll �sleep better tonight because of this.�

A task force of the FBI, Columbus police, the Franklin County sheriff�s and prosecutor�s offices and other central Ohio law enforcement worked on the investigation. In December, 22 people connected to the posse were indicted on federal drug-trafficking charges. Most have pleaded guilty.

Only one of those, Johnson, is included in yesterday�s charges.

In February, the task force asked the public for help in solving 15 murder cases that stretched back to 1998 and were suspected of being linked to the gang. Nine of those cases were included in yesterday�s indictment.

Stewart said people calling the task-force tip line were �integral to our ability to bring this case today.� He said tips continue to come in from the public.

Thirteen murder victims are listed in the indictment.

Two people already have been convicted for one death, the murder of Antonio Hackney on Sept. 9, 2008. Liston and Robert Wilson are in state prison for that homicide.

Another victim, Tyrun Hill, who died on May 1, 2005, was a Short North Posse member. His case is not a death-penalty case.

According to the indictment, at least one of the victims, Crystal Fyffe, was killed by an unknown co-conspirator on orders from Ledbetter, who wanted to prevent her from providing information about the posse to authorities. Fyffe was shot on Oct. 19, 2011 on Belvidere Avenue.

Others were killed during robberies, the indictment says.

More than one individual is charged in the murders of most of the victims.

kgray@dispatch.com

@reporterkathy