Instagram can be the most successful police informant, and one Detroit rapper learned this the hard way.
According to the Detroit News, federal agents arrested rapper Delmarco Craig, who goes by “the Big Homie” after an Instagram Live video linked him to seven shootings. Despite being a convicted felon, Craig decided to flash several firearms while streaming. This included a Glock pistol equipped with a device that converts the semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic machine gun. This Glock caught the attention of federal agents because the attachments rendered it illegal.
Two days after the video, Craig’s home was raided by ATF agents. They found six firearms—two of which were reportedly stolen—and the modified Glock seen on Instagram. Ballistics linked the firearms to seven shootings since October, including a homicide and a double non-fatal shooting that took place hours after his Instagram Live.
Tests also linked a rifle back to an April shooting at a CVS. During the shooting, surveillance video showed a white 2021 Cadillac Escalade at the scene. Police found the stolen car in the backyard of Craig’s home during the federal raid. Inside, they discovered a purple Los Angeles Dodgers hat similar to one Craig is seen wearing in Instagram videos.
Craig is currently being held without bond on charges that could get him 10 years in federal prison. His arrest comes as part of the city’s initiative to crack down on violence sparked by Instagram and social media in Detroit. This was spearheaded by the prosecution of Seven Mile Bloods who promoted violence against enemies on Instagram.
“Every trigger-puller in Detroit should be put on notice,” ATF agent James Deir said in a statement. “Gun violence in our community will not be tolerated and those who choose to use a firearm to commit any type of violent act will be held to account for their misdeeds.”
