The Black Mafia Family (BMF) Documentary
The Black Mafia Family (BMF) was a drug trafficking organization originally based in Detroit, MI that was founded in the late 1980s by brothers Demetrius and Terry Flenory. By the year 2000, they had established the cocaine distribution cells throughout the United States. Through their Los Angeles-based drug source, they had direct links to Mexican-based drug cartels
They established two main hubs for their operation: the Atlanta, Georgia hub, for distribution, was operated by older brother Demetrius, while the Los Angeles, California hub was operated by Terry to handle incoming shipments from Mexico. Its network eventually spanned as far as Los Angeles, California to Atlanta, Georgia.[3]
Around 2000, the organization tried to legitimize itself by entering the hip-hop music business, starting a company called BMF Entertainment. Through BMF Entertainment, it helped promote a number of artists, including Young Jeezy, as well as BMF Entertainment's sole artist, Bleu DaVinci. Before their entrance into the music business, the Flenory Brothers were known to associate with a number of high-profile hip-hop artists, including Jay-Z and Fabolous.
In 2005, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) indicted members of the Black Mafia Family, ultimately securing convictions by targeting the Flenory brothers under the Continuing Criminal Enterprise Statute. Both were sentenced to 30 years in prison. Subsequent indictments eventually targeted over 150 members of the organization. Prosecutors alleged the organization made over $270 million over the course of the conspiracy
Demetrius "Big Meech" (Demetrius Edward Flenory, b. June 21, 1968 in Detroit, Michigan) and his brother Terry "Southwest T" (Terry Lee Flenory, b. January 10, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan) began selling $50 bags of cocaine on the streets of Detroit, during their high school years.[4][5] By 2000, they had established multi-kilogram cocaine distribution cells in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee.[6]
A two-year federal investigation of the organization estimated its nationwide membership as over 500. Around 2001, there was a split between the brothers, with Terry moving to Los Angeles with his girlfriend to head his own organization and Demetrius staying in Atlanta. By 2003, the two had been involved in a major falling out and rarely spoke to one another.[6]
In a conversation with his sister Bernatta, caught by the DEA on wiretap, Terry discussed his worries that his brother's excessive partying would bring the wrong type of attention to their business. By the time charges were filed, the government had 900 pages of typed transcripts of wiretapped conversations from Terry's phone in a 5-month period.[6]
In November 2007, the brothers pleaded guilty to running a continuing criminal enterprise.[7] In September 2008, both brothers were sentenced to 30 years in prison for running a nationwide cocaine-trafficking ring, which lasted from 2000 to 2005.[8]
Demetrius Flenory is serving out his sentence at USP Lompoc in Lompoc, CA and is scheduled for release on May 5, 2032, around his 61st birthday.[9] While incarcerated at United States Penitentiary, Lompoc, a medium-security federal prison in California, he adopted the name Big Herm.
His brother is serving his sentence at FCI Coleman Low in Sumterville, Florida and is scheduled to be released on December 14, 2031
On July 26, 2007 the government unsealed indictments charging 16 BMF members in Atlanta with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. All 16 defendants were charged with participating in the overall cocaine distribution conspiracy. The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison as well as a $4,000,000 fine.
Eventually, all defendants plead guilty before trial except Fleming Daniels, who chose to take his case to a jury, and William "Dewey" White who at the time of the indictment was on Parole in Michigan.The indictment was later dropped on Mr White because of the governments lack of evidence linking him to any of the alleged illegal activity. Mr. White refused to cooperate with the governments investigation and was placed in the Michigan department of corrections for violation of parole.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgZXl23VbGRt37wi_EQCqXg
