Thug Life Army

A man NY prosecutors were set to arrest Wednesday morning on organized crime charges — they allege, among other things, he produced a rap album with stolen money — was found with Pearly restaurant's freshly stolen safe in-hand, said District Attorney Ken Hodges.

Prosecutors had arranged for Courtney D. Jackson, owner of One-Way Enterprises and also known as musical rap artist "Two Brain," to be arrested Wednesday morning to coincide with his indictment on charges including murder, burglary and violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization's act.

When investigators entered his Highland Avenue recording studio, which they allege he purchased with money stolen from an Albany businesswoman last New Year's, they found the safe, which was stolen early Wednesday, unopened.

"I don''t know about formal gang affiliation," Hodges said when asked if the men's crimes were gang related, "but they''re a gang of their own."

Jackson, accused of the 1999 murder of Raymond M. Smith, was indicted Wednesday morning by a Dougherty County grand jury on the RICO charge along with Eric Beasley and Donald Wilson.

It wasn''t immediately apparent if Jackson had been charged in connection with the burglary of Pearly's restaurant on North Slappey Boulevard. Hodges said charges were likely pending.

Investigators had hoped to arrest Beasley Wednesday morning as well, but as of Wednesday afternoon, officers were still searching for him.

Wilson was already in jail and faces a federal drug indictment, Hodges said.

While Jackson is accused separately of murder, the three men are charged together with the New Year's 2004 burglary of a safe from Albany businesswoman Mary Polite's home. In the indictment, prosecutors detail how the men individually spent parts of the estimated $140,000 contained in the safe on Cadillacs, an old Chevy Impala and making a Jackson's rap album, "Speedballers."

Hodges said the indictment was presented after sources came forward to investigators with tips about the murder and assorted burglaries.

Smith was found dead in April 1999 in his Davis Street home. An employee of Huddle House on East Oakridge Drive at the time of his death, Smith was shot twice in the head during an apparent robbery, according to the indictment.

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