Ex-Bulwell man jailed for his part in gun-toting drugs gang

Zak Charles, now aged 21, was a child when he was involved with a violent, gun-toting gang of drug dealers who flaunted their wealth in an increasingly lavish series of music videos.

The gang, which sold vast quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin on the streets of Nottingham, Mansfield, Kirkby and Sutton came to the attention of police after a series of shooting incidents in late 2018 and early 2019.

Charles was one of four gang members convicted after a re-trial at Nottingham Crown Court, which began on October 2 and were sentenced on November 28.

Charles, formerly of Hoefield Crescent, Bulwell, had previously been convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate, and conspiracy to supply class B drugs, for which he was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years.

For conspiring to supply class A drugs he was given 18 months to be served consecutively – increasing his total sentence to 10 years.

The quartet have been locked up for a combined total of more than 50 years.

Eight other members of the gang were previously convicted and sentenced in 2021.

They included gang leader Akeem Chand, who was jailed for life, and Kiefer Smith, formerly of Dallman Close, Hucknall, who was jailed for 17 years

The gang, whose members spent large sums of money on designer clothing and jewellery, came to police attention after a series of linked shootings in early 2019.

In one incident, in May 2019, a member of a rival criminal gang was shot in the neck as Chand fired multiple shots into his car as it travelled along a residential street one evening.

After falling under police suspicion the gang became the subject of an extensive covert police operation, which caught the gang openly discussing the sale of drugs and the shooting of rivals.

Seven men, including Chand and Smith, and one woman, were jailed for a combined total of more than 120 years when they were sentenced in October 2021.

Three other gang members were sentenced along with Charles.

Jayden Gorewoda, aged 28, formerly of Tenbury Crescent, Aspley, was jailed for 22 years after he was convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of ammunition, and conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs.

Jason Mility, aged 33, formerly of Longdale Road, Sherwood, was convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of ammunition, and conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs.

Due to a previous conviction for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, he received a life sentence with a minimum term of 14 years.

Damion Martin, aged 41, formerly of Wyton Close, Sherwood was also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of ammunition, and conspiracy to supply cass A and B drugs and jailed for 14 years.

DS Rich Bull, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “These sentences bring a conclusion to what was a very complex police investigation.

"I would like to pay tribute to everybody who worked tirelessly on this case and helped to bring these extremely dangerous men to justice.”