No chill from the old bill as rapping OCG jailed for over 40 years

A firearm which has been linked to multiple disputes across Greater Manchester has been seized during a proactive investigation by specialist detectives in our Serious Organised Crime Group into a Manchester based Organsied Crime Group (OCG) responsible for supply heroin and crack cocaine via the ‘Lex’ line.

From extensive phone analysis, detectives identified that Clint Curtis was attributed to being the primary controller of the drugs line, as well as being heavily involved with the street dealing of the commodities. Jerome Williams and David Curtis were also shown to be in possession of this line at times when it was not with Curtis – this was shown not only through telecommunications, but also surveillance.

The group had access to several different safe houses across Manchester and Stockport, where they stored their drugs, and as police would soon discover, a firearm.

Officers from the force’s County Lines Team evidenced that between the conspiracy period, 9 October 2023 until 1 April 2024, the group sent almost 50,000 flare messages via the Lex Line. These messages advertised their commodities and opening hours and including ‘fat rocks of both on Lex’ and ‘on all night.’ Detectives estimated that in the conspiracy period, the group sold over three kilos of drugs with a street sale value of £300,000.

A surveillance operation was authorised, and Clint Curtis was seen to be driving several different cars, and in the possession of multiple mobile phones; both of which breached his license conditions after he was convicted in 2022.

After several weeks observing the group go about their daily business, police executed several warrants on Thursday 24 April 2024, at addresses in Moss Side, believed to be their safe houses. At the addresses, police recovered heroin, crack cocaine, several mobile phones, and items belonging to Jerome Williams, highlighting he had been there.

Whilst officers searched the safe houses, Curtis and Williams are seen driving round the local area. They later drive back to Stockport and enter another safe house on Peak Bank. Following the warrants in Moss Side, the men’s behaviour is described as panicked as they check the other safe houses to see if they had also been compromised.

On Tuesday 7 May, police executed a warrant at an address on Caythorpe Street in Moss Side. Inside, they found Giovanni Edmonson and a further female.

Whilst searching the house, police located a firearm, two magazines containing ammunition, and a tray of ammunition in a box, in a bag in a bedroom.

The firearm was seized and sent for forensic testing, which confirmed that this weapon had been used in four firearms discharges in Greater Manchester, including a fatal shooting of a man in East Manchester in 2012.

On Wednesday 22 May 2024, a strike day was conducted across Greater Manchester. Clint Curtis was arrested at an address on Beamish Close in Ardwick. David Curtis was arrested at an address in Radcliffe after he attempted to hide and lock himself in the loft. After some negotiation, he came down before trying to hide his mobile phone. At a warrant on Peak Blank, Romily, police located a large bag of mixing agent, scales, and a debtors list which made reference to a conversation with ‘Lex’ about money.

On Monday 3 June, after being wanted by police for two weeks, Jerome Williams handed himself into police and was swiftly arrested.

In a rap video posted online, Clint Curtis used language which is explicit in its association to firearms and drugs, boasting about his exploits. Most notably is a scene which features GMP officers searching his G-Wagon.

‘Had feds searching the G Wag, you know the G’s hot.’

Unfortunately for Clint Curtis and his associates, following a covert operation and several searches of their cars and houses, a firearm was seized along with large quantities of drugs, all of which have landed them in jail for a long time.

Clint Curtis (09/08/1995) pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, but was found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. He was sentenced to 19 years and four months.

Jerome Williams (09/09/1994) was found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. He was sentenced to 12 years.

Giovanni Edmondson 10/07/1989) was found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to enable another to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to to enable another to endanger life. She was sentenced to five years.

David Curtis (04/06/1996) was found guilty of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. He was sentenced to six years.

Detective Inspector Rick Castley from our Serious Organised Crime Group said: “Clint Curtis boasted of his criminal exploits in several rap videos that were published to YouTube for all to see. These videos glorified the criminality that he was engaged in and how much money he was making from these exploits, with no regard for the people who were impacted by his crimes.

“These men made significant profits at the expense of vulnerable drug users and were in possession of a deadly weapon.

“Tackling the criminal use of firearms is a priority for Greater Manchester Police and we will continue to do everything in our power to achieve that.”