XENIA — Federal and local law enforcement raided homes across the Miami Valley Thursday morning.
As reported on News Center 7 at 5, it was uncovered this is tied to an organized crime investigation.
News Center 7′s John Bedell was the only reporter in the U.S. District Court in Dayton as nine of the 14 total defendants saw a judge for the first time.
The indictments in this case are sealed.
Prosecutors did reveal this is a racketeering investigation — a group accused of working together to make money off organized crime.
Some from the group News Center 7 saw in court were accused of committing violent crimes or assault in aid of racketeering.
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The Department of Justice said the case also involves allegations of murder, arson, assault, and extortion.
News Center 7 has confirmed with several sources this case is related to a multi-state investigation involving the Thug Riders Motorcycle Club.
Home security video News Center 7 got a hold of shows a group of unmarked cars pulling up to a home on Gayhart Street in Xenia early Thursday morning.
Neighbors confirmed they saw ATF agents raiding two homes on this block and another home around the corner on Colorado Drive.
That’s where News Center 7 saw ATF agents at the house until late Thursday morning.
Several sources confirmed to News Center 7′s John Bedell that the searches were part of coordinated raids at addresses in at least Montgomery, Clark, and Greene counties around 6:00 a.m. Thursday.
This answered the questions of neighbors in Xenia who watched the raids.
“There was probably 10 to 12 ATF agents at a house, a bunch of cars all around, ATF cars, police officers going up and down the street,” Brenda Hall said.
All nine defendants who appeared in federal court Tuesday will stay in jail until a hearing on June 18.
The Department of Justice announced it will hold a press conference about this case Friday.
We will continue to follow this story.
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