HAMMOND, Ind. — A nine-person drug ring stands accused of flooding Northwest Indiana with crack cocaine and heroin, leaving violence and bodies in its wake. At the center of the storm: 42-year-old Teddia Caldwell, a Gary native known as ‘Teddy,’ now charged not only with leading a major cocaine conspiracy but also with two cold-blooded murders tied directly to the operation.
The 19-count federal indictment unsealed Thursday names Caldwell on 11 counts, including conspiracy to distribute cocaine, multiple counts of distributing crack and heroin, firearm possession as a felon, and the murders of Akeem Oliver and Kevin Hood—both allegedly killed during the course of the narcotics conspiracy. Also charged in the homicides are Devonte Hodge, 26, and Devontae Martin, 24, with Martin and Taquan Clarke, 24, linked to Hood’s death. The killings, prosecutors say, were not random—but calculated acts to protect the enterprise.
Alongside Caldwell, Victor Young, 44, of Calumet City, Illinois, faces charges in the conspiracy and for peddling both crack and heroin. Cornell Allen, 39, Devonte Hodge, Terry Brown, 32, Paronica Bonds, 34, Demetrius Brinkley, 31, and Taquan Clarke, 24, all of Gary, are named in the conspiracy count. Brown additionally faces three counts of cocaine distribution and a firearm charge. Brinkley remains at large—the only defendant not yet in custody.
U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II made it clear: this takedown is part of a broader crackdown on drug-fueled violence in the Northern District. ‘My office and the federal law enforcement agencies are committed to addressing the senseless violence that results from illegal drug trafficking,’ Kirsch said. ‘If you are distributing drugs or committing acts of violence in the Northern District of Indiana, expect federal agencies to be focused on you.’
Eight of the nine suspects have been arrested and are awaiting court proceedings. Authorities are actively hunting Demetrius Brinkley, urging the public to contact the ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS with any information. Federal prosecutors caution that an indictment is not a conviction—each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Still, the charges carry weight: if convicted, sentencing will follow strict federal guidelines, with judges weighing statutory mandates and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The investigation was a multi-agency effort led by the ATF/HIDTA Task Force and FBI/GRIT Task Force, with support from the Indiana State Police, the Lake County Sheriff’s Auto Detail, and the Gary Police K-9 Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas R. Mahoney and David J. Nozick are prosecuting the case. As the legal process begins, the streets of Gary may have one less violent drug network—but the scars of its reign remain.
Related Federal Cases
- Alonzo Horta, Geovanni Lopez Charged in Calderon Murder · Illinois
- 4 Latin Dragon Nation Members Indicted in RICO Conspiracy · Illinois
- Thompson Sentenced to 92 Months for Cocaine Conspiracy · Illinois
- Hammond Man Gets 70 Months for Latin Kings Racketeering · Illinois
- Latin King Leader Mark Toney Gets 87 Months · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
