Yorkshire Photography
News: Latest - distributed around Yorkshire July 01, 2016 09:52:07 AM
Joe MitchellA 29-year-old man who continued to deal drugs from his prison cell using a network of friends and family has been jailed for 15 years, alongside ten others who between them were also jailed for 57 years at court this week.
Joe Brent Mitchell (pictured right), of Barrie Road, Southey Green, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday 27 June to be sentenced. At an earlier court hearing, he pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and one count each of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, possession of ammunition without a certificate and acquisition/use/possession of criminal property.
The police investigation, codenamed Operation Kooz, began in late 2014 when Joe Mitchell was spotted acting suspiciously near to his home address in Southey Green, Sheffield.
When chased by officers, he threw significant quantities of Class A drugs into a garden before he was arrested and brought into custody. The drugs were seized and Mitchell’s mobile phone taken off him. He was remanded and his phone forensically examined.
Posing with gun
Photographs of individuals posing with guns (pictured) were retrieved and a team of officers was brought together to identify and apprehend those individuals.
While he was on remand in prison, Mitchell made hundreds of phone calls to friends and family to continue dealing drugs. As those phone calls are monitored, the recordings were made available to police officers who identified other members of Mitchell’s criminal enterprise, who were subsequently arrested and charged.
Throughout the investigation, officers have seized drugs, firearms and ammunition, as well as seizing criminal property bought with the proceeds of drugs dealing, including jewellery and expensive electronic items.
Acting Detective Inspector James Axe, who oversaw the Operation Kooz team, said: “This has been a complicated and lengthy investigation into multiple members of organised criminal groups in the Parson Cross area of Sheffield.
Recovered gun and ammunition“We are all too aware that the communities in and around that area are massively impacted by the actions of groups like this and we work very hard to identify those involved in criminality so we can get them off the streets and behind bars.
“This group, while they have admitted their roles in drugs and firearms offences, actively sought to profit from their criminality – purchasing expensive items in an attempt to disguise their profits so this money couldn’t be seized or recovered by officers.
“As an investigative team, we are absolutely thrilled with the results this week and we hope the local community is as well.”
Murphy twins jailedSentenced on Wednesday 29 June as part of the same criminal network were twins Bradley and Connor Murphy, 24, formerly of Shirecliffe Road, Sheffield.
Connor was jailed for seven-and-a-half years after admitting supplying Class A drugs and possession of a firearm. Bradley was jailed for six-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to supplying Class A drugs.
ADI Axe continued: “We hope the significant sentences handed down to the key players in this gang sends a strong message to others out there engaging in this type of crime.
“We will do everything in our power to find you, disrupt your criminal activity and seize your ill-gotten gains. We are committed to making our city safer and will bring you before the courts, where you can expect hefty jail terms for your crimes.”
Also jailed on Monday 27 June were:
• Levi Sendel, 21, of Southey Green Road, Sheffield – ten-and-a-half years for two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, possession of ammunition without a certificate and acquisition/use/possession of criminal property. Sendel was also jailed for six-and-a-half years for an unrelated firearms offence, to run concurrently
• Frankie Fitton, 22, formerly of Lindsay Avenue, Parson Cross – ten years for two counts each of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and production of ketamine
• Nathan Lang, 23, of Penrith Road, Sheffield – eight years for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence
• Jayne Mitchell, 49, of Southey Green Road, Sheffield – six-and-a-half years for two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to produce Class B drugs
• Rhyan Howden, 28, of Lytton Drive, Sheffield – five years for possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence
• Kayley Mitchell, 24, of Southey Green Road – 18 months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to convey an article into prison, receiving stolen goods and being concerned in the acquisition/retention/use/control of criminal property (no photograph available)
• Carol Mitchell, 59, of Launce Road, Sheffield – nine months for acquisition/use/possession of criminal property
• Vanessa Fitton, 29, of Barrie Road, Southey Green – nine months for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs.
Chief Superintendent David Hartley, Commander for Sheffield, said: “This drugs ring spanned three generations of the Mitchell family who brought misery and fear through their criminal business. Our team have delivered significant sentences on all those involved including sisters, mothers and grandparents.
“The results this week are absolutely fantastic and it is testament to the hard work of those officers who have tirelessly and relentlessly pursued these individuals to bring them before the courts.
“I am immensely proud of the dedicated and determined investigation carried out by all the officers involved. Make no mistake, this is a very significant blow to organised criminality in Sheffield.”
Supt Shaun Morley, leading the investigation teams said: “This is by no means the first or last investigation into organised criminality across the city and we will not rest until individuals like this, who seek to intimidate and harm others while profiting from illegal activity, are brought to justice.”
Local area commander, T/Supt Bob Chapman, was also delighted with the results and the benefits this will bring to local communities: “This network of organised criminals has shown no regard for the safety of themselves or others, so intent they were on financial gain and reputation. They were a menace to their local community and the sentences handed down this week reflect the gravity of their crimes.
“This has been a fantastic team effort and a sure sign to the public that we will not tolerate such criminality, and a clear message to other involved in such criminality that we are coming for them next.”
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