CINCINNATI - Several rap artists arrested in a major drug bust are tied to much of the violence in Cincinnati last year, according to Cincinnati police.
Five members of the local rap music company FDD have been arrested and one more is being sought, police said Monday. The six face charges ranging from possession and trafficking to aggravated robbery and murder.
Police said they found guns, 150,000 pounds of pot and more than $140,000 cash in a car driven by the CEO of FDD, Jerry Black.
Besides Black, four others arrested are Elijah Hamler, Damontae Gibson, Juandez Black and Jeffrey Harrison. Police are still looking for Desmond Watson.
Assistant Chief Michael John said police don't yet know whether FDD is the source of the problem, but there's no mistaking they are dangerous men.
"We could not connect those types of dots on this," John said. "We know right now, just what we said: These are all rap artists. They all have an association with FDD. That's basically what drew our attention to them was that commonality."
Police say a video from the company shows drugs and guns as a common theme.
