By Jane Prendergast and Dan Horn
The Cincinnati Enquirer

WEST END - Police took a first step toward breaking up a Cincinnati street gang Thursday when they arrested two men they accuse of leading a wide-reaching drug distribution network.

Antwynne Beavers, 30, known in the city's West End as "T.Z." and "T-Zoney," faces a 30-count federal indictment charging him with drug distribution and conspiracy to distribute drugs. The indictment was sealed by court order, but Cincinnati police confirmed the charges against Beavers, whom they called the leader of the Tot Lot Posse.

Another suspected member of the gang, Eric Lamont Johnson, 27, was arrested later Thursday evening. Authorities describe Johnson, who faces six federal drug charges in the case, as a lieutenant in the gang.

The arrests come a month after Mayor Charlie Luken sent a letter to U.S. Attorney Gregory Lockhart criticizing federal authorities for taking too long to charge gang members. Luken complained that the methodical pace had allowed the men to continue to intimidate residents, sell drugs and commit other violence.

Capt. Vince Demasi, acting assistant police chief, described Beavers' group, under investigation for a year, as "extremely organized with national and international networks" that distributed drugs and weapons. More arrests were expected.

"We think there's a lot more to come,'' he said, "and we're going to aggressively pursue getting them.''

Despite Luken's concern that the long investigation would give the gang members time to leave the city, Beavers was found about 5 p.m. in a car at the intersection of York and Linn streets - a main intersection in the middle of the West End. The gang took its name from a children's playground on Linn Street.

"I think that speaks volumes about just how brazen they are,'' Demasi said. "They're ingrained in these neighborhoods, and they're not afraid.''

Federal authorities confirmed that Beavers was in custody on federal charges. They declined to elaborate.

"Further arrests are expected," said Fred Alverson, spokesman for Lockhart.

Each drug conspiracy charge carries a minimum sentence of 10 years if he is convicted, and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Luken said Thursday night the crime-fighting partnership between city police and federal authorities has improved since the dispute.

"It's pretty clear that we're getting the top guys and we're charging them with offenses that are going to keep them in jail for a long time,'' the mayor said. "And that's all we want.''

Two District 1 officers stopped Beavers after undercover Cincinnati police officers who've been investigating the gang with the FBI spotted him and called for uniformed officers to make the traffic stop. The SWAT team was on standby, Demasi said, but the arrest was made without problems.

"These are thugs who are bringing drugs into the Cincinnati area,'' he said. "We know they're drug carriers. We know they're gun carriers.''

Beavers had been ticketed two weeks ago for littering after a District 4 officer saw him throw his Walgreens receipt on the ground outside the Corryville store. Beavers was scheduled to appear in court on that charge next week.

Johnson was picked up about 6:30 p.m. in the Setty Kuhn housing complex off Gilbert Avenue in Walnut Hills. District 4 officers had talked to him Wednesday night and were later told he was wanted for failure to appear in court on a 2003 cocaine-possession charge.

So they went back to look for him Thursday night, Lt. Steve Kramer said, and found him. Then, he said, they learned he also was wanted on the federal charges.

Demasi said the city's goal was to let federal authorities take the top gang leaders through that court system, where more prison time is likely.

Demasi also emphasized that the investigation continues to be "a work in progress.''

"My hope,'' he said, "is that this is the beginning of the end of a large group of people who've taken over a lot of Over-the-Rhine and the West End.''

E-mail jprendergast@enquirer.com and dhorn@enquirer.com