16 gang members arrested in Ohio following two year investigation

OHIO — A two-year investigation by the Columbus Division of Police’s Gang Enforcement Unit has led to the arrests of 16 alleged members of the Livingston and Lonsdale Bloods gang.

Authorities say the group is linked to drug trafficking and violent assaults across central Ohio.

The operation, dubbed Operation Pocket Aces, focused on suspects who police say have terrorized the Far East Side neighborhood and other parts of the city for nearly 20 years.

In a major step against the gang, police handed down a 191-count indictment earlier this month. Charges against the suspects range from drug trafficking to attempted murder.

During the operation, officers seized 56 firearms, including two illegal Glock switches, as well as large quantities of drugs such as cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone pills, and marijuana. They also confiscated over $150,000 in cash.

Police revealed that all 16 individuals arrested were prohibited from owning firearms due to previous felony convictions.

The investigation, which involved surveillance, search warrants, and collaboration with the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office and federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), aimed to dismantle the gang’s operations.

Body camera footage from the recent arrests shows officers rounding up suspects, a culmination of two years of intensive work.