Tampa Gang Leader Reeves Gets 23+ Years

TAMPA, FL – Craigory Reeves, 29, of Tampa, is facing a lengthy stretch behind bars after receiving a 23-year and 4-month federal prison sentence. United States District Judge Virginia M. Covington handed down the punishment for Reeves’s involvement in drug trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm, solidifying a blow against the violent Money Power Respect (MPR) gang.

Reeves, identified as a career offender and one of the original seven leaders of the MPR gang, pleaded guilty on June 16, 2020. The gang, formed within the Indian River (FL) Correctional Facility around 2007, has since established itself as a dominant and notoriously violent force in the Tampa area. Reeves’s conviction sends a message that leadership in such organizations will not be tolerated.

The bust went down on September 5, 2019, after Reeves attended a meeting with fellow MPR members. A traffic stop quickly escalated when officers detected the scent of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. A consented search of Reeves’s person revealed approximately 13 grams of eutylone – a dangerous substance similar to MDMA or “Ecstasy” – and three 9-millimeter bullets tucked in his pockets.

The search didn’t stop there. Officers also discovered Reeves’s bag inside the car, containing a loaded 9-millimeter pistol and a stash of additional 9-millimeter bullets. Crucially, the ammunition matched the caliber and brand of those found on Reeves himself, painting a clear picture of premeditation. Reeves confessed to intending to distribute the eutylone and to possessing the weapon and ammunition for protection during his criminal activities, including narcotics trafficking.

The investigation was a collaborative effort spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, alongside the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. This case isn’t an isolated incident; it’s part of a broader, ongoing effort to dismantle the MPR gang, with charges already filed against four other individuals. Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon is leading the prosecution.

This prosecution was conducted under the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN) program. PSN is a nationwide initiative designed to reduce violent crime by combining robust law enforcement with prevention and reentry programs. U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez is coordinating PSN efforts in the Middle District of Florida, working with a network of federal, state, and local partners to reclaim streets from criminal elements like the MPR gang. This sentencing is just one step in that ongoing battle.