Lawrence "Man-Man" Ballard, a member of a prominent Tulsa, Okla. street gang known as the 107 Hoover Crips, was captured in Wichita, Kansas. Ballard was the latest addition to GangTECC's Most Wanted Fugitives List, earning his spot by allegedly committing several violent crimes -- including robbery and murder.
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A member of one of the most prominent gangs in Tulsa, Okla. -- the 107 Hoover Crips -- has been added to GangTECC's Top 12 Fugitive List.
According to police, a full-fledged Hoover Crip earns their status by committing many criminal acts. And cops say 18-year-old Lawrence "Man-Man" Ballard began that process at the early age of 14, when he was allegedly involved in a gang-related shooting.
Throughout his Hoover Crips criminal career, cops say Ballard has acted out violently against anyone who stands in his way -- whether it be fellow gang associates, or innocent bystanders.
On April 27, 2009, cops say a young man ended up at a woman's apartment with Ballard after a night of partying. According to police, the man woke up to find that $600 was missing from his pocket. Figuring Ballard had stolen it, the man went to Ballard and took the money he believed to be his.
Cops say when Ballard found out the man had taken the money, instead of calmly talking the issue out, he pulled out a gun, pointed it at the man's head, and pulled the trigger.
When the gun jammed, cops say the man took off running -- but Ballard wasted no time firing two shots into the man's back, killing him.
Police were able to identify Ballard as the killer and issued a warrant for his arrest -- but the gangbanger was nowhere to be found. That's how things remained, until he resurfaced several months later to commit yet another crime.
In the early morning hours of August 1, 2009, cops say three University of Tulsa students were walking down the sidewalk when a man came up to them and asked for a cigarette.
But it quickly became clear that wasn't what he was actually after. Cops say the man punched the student in the face, knocking him to the ground. That's when cops say between seven and ten other men appeared from across the street to join in the attack.
Cops say all three students were physically assaulted, and their credit cards and money were stolen.
But police say these criminals weren't too smart. Cops say they eventually used the stolen credit cards to order shoes from Footlocker -- and cops say one of the suspects was dim enough to have them shipped to his own home address.
Cops quickly tied Ballard and other known 107 Hoover Crips members to the crime -- but Ballard once again managed to escape arrest.
Now, he's been added to a list of the worst gang members in the country -- and law enforcement wants to catch him more than ever.
Cops say Ballard is dangerous, and has strong ties to Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. They urge anyone who knows where he is to come forward and help them put him in custody before he can hurt anyone else.
On the afternoon of September 26, 2009, Deputy U.S. Marshals were running surveillance on an address in Wichita, Kansas. They were on the lookout for Lawrence Ballard -- a member of the prominent Tulsa, Okla. street gang known as the 107 Hoover Crips.
According to deputies, they'd received an anonymous tip from someone saying they'd seen that Ballard was an AMW fugitive, and that he had also been on the local news.
The tipster said they knew Ballard was in Wichita -- and when deputies began digging, they became very interested in one particular location.
Deputies staked out the address, and sure enough, they positively identified Ballard leaving. Deputies moved in on Ballard, who was taken into custody without incident.
Ballard was the latest gang member to be added to GangTECC's Top 12 Fugitive List in early September 2009.