Boxes containing a mattress and toys are piled in the arms of a volunteer unloading a truck during an Oct. 15 giveaway in Robbins. An official website of the United States government. of Community Supervision, GA Dept. The judge hasnt ruled. "He's checking the money to make sure it's real," Sanders detailed. The RICO conspiracies charged here include attempted murder, narcotics trafficking, extortion, firearms crimes, obstruction of justice and other crimes in furtherance of the Gangster Disciples enterprise and to raise funds for the gang. On April 28, 2018, Clemon, Maxwell, and Harris, on orders from Smith, allegedly killed Leroy Allen as part of a leadership dispute at a Gangster Disciples meeting in Bridgeton, Missouri. Lock Among the crimes alleged in the indictment are two gang-related murders. Though Hoover was not accused of wrongdoing, the indictment alleged that in September 2014, Gangster Disciples members Anthony Dobbins and Warren Griffin discussed how Hoover had recently appointed them as "board members," a powerful position directly beneath Hoover that gave them authority over the gang's national operation. Life on a third straight one-year contract with the mega-talented Astros isnt bad at all. Criminal Investigation is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners in this case to bring these criminals to justice.. There are a lot of people out there willing to join gangs, and eager to get easy money from criminal activity. Certain defendants were also charged with murder, attempted murder, and various firearms crimes. This illustrates, when we work together, how effective our law enforcement alliances are in pursuing and eradicating violent street gangs to make our communities safer., TheBOP takes seriously ourmission toprotect the safety and security of our correctional institutions and the public, said Miranda Faust, Administrator of the Federal Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Branch. The federal indictment was unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. The BOPs intelligence component appreciates the opportunity to assist our federal partners in detecting and disrupting criminal activity related to inmates in the BOP's custody., Investigating organized crime and related financial schemes are a top priority for CI, said Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Chicago Field Office. If convicted of the racketeering conspiracy charged in Count 1, each defendant could receive as much as life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Racketeering, such as the alleged charges today, brazenly facilitates all kinds of illegal dealings that negatively affect the community. Derrick Kennedy Crumpton, aka "38," 32, of Memphis, served as Gangster Disciples leader in Tennessee; Demarcus Deon Crawford, aka "Trip," 32, of Jackson, served as leader of security in Tennessee; Henry Curtis Cooper, aka "Big Hen," 36, of Memphis, served as leader of security in Tennessee; Board Members: highest-ranking members after the Chairman. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS He pointed out that they came from Trumps U.S. Department of Agriculture. These are the people who keep gangs like the Gangster Disciples alive, year in and year out, generation after generation. The gang is well known for the distribution of narcotics and white collar crimes. Why does it take Donald Trump to do something like this? According to the Chicago police, the Gangster Disciples and other big Chicago gangs have, over the past two decades, fragmented into factions that arent controlled at the top the way they used to be. It seems almost impossible that he would be able to communicate that to anyone if he were trying to, he said. The other shows a gang-related shooting captured by police cameras in the middle of the day. They then recruited heavily in Chicago, within jails and prisons, and across the United States. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker and Conor Mulroe of the Criminal Divisions Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali M. Summers of the Southern District of Illinois, with substantial investigative support from th U.S.Attorneys Offices for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Northern District of Illinois. Its like 1960 or 1950, Yates says. The lawlessness these gangs bring to our cities is terribly destructive and oftentimes difficult to prosecute. The gang protected its power and operation through threats, intimidation and violence, including murder, attempted murder, assault and obstruction of justice. Utilizing firearms to injure or intimidate others cannot be tolerated and there is no question that the public is safer today because of the hard work, dedication, and collaboration of all of the agencies that played a part in this investigation., Todays indictment is a result of investigative efforts in our Fairview Heights Resident Agency and strong partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement partners, said Sean Cox, FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge. They use front organizations to integrate themselves in the communities they live in. An official website of the United States government. Several Black Disciple Gangster Nation members were sentenced to prison in 2014, for shooting up an apartment complex in Memphis in retaliation for intimidating a member. released a report in 2011 that revealed that at least 53 gangs are represented in the military, particularly the branches of the Army. Criminal - Organized Crime and Gang Section. To enforce discipline among Gangster Disciples and adherence to the strict rules and structure, members and associates were routinely fined, beaten and even murdered for failing to follow the gangs rules. We also wanted to know or did we? Im not saying that, you know, Im going to vote for the guy, Harrell says of Trump. Identification: Symbolism plays a large part in the Gangster Disciples' culture. Sanders launched a task force in the early 2000s with the DEA in Chicago focusing on taking out the Top 21 major players in organized crime, Gangster Disciples included. Murder in aid of racketeering is a death- eligible offense. The "Literature Coordinator" maintains contact lists, meeting minutes, membership applications, and other documents. Their children got toys. The counts' Chief Enforcers additionally head up "enforcement teams" and "clean-up crews," comprised of members who enforce the rules and administer discipline against those who do not. You have to harm or kill somebody as part of your initiation, there's a lot of torture that might be involved, Sanders said. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Polling Place: Is Patrick Kane the greatest Blackhawk ever? Hoover is seeking a reduction in his life prison term. Mobely, Glass, Craig, ONeal, Covington and Travis Riley, 35, of Wichita, Kansas are also charged with various drug distribution crimes and Mobely and Glass are further charged with related firearms crimes. Violators may be subject to civil and criminal litigation and penalties. In Georgia, for example, the Gangster Disciples brought money into the gang through, among other things, drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking, extortion, wire fraud, credit card fraud, insurance fraud and bank fraud. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms says the Black Disciple Gangster Nation remains strong, with 30,000 members around Chicago and in 30 other states. Gang members are known to wear Georgetown Hoyas or Duke Blue Devils clothing. Formed in 1974 as a 60-man operation, the GD has matured into a centralized criminal organization with nearly 30,000 members in Chicago and spreading into at least 35 other States with several thousand more members. Other high-ranking members of the gang have been released from prison under the same law. I am especially grateful for the support of the ATF and the many dedicated law enforcement officers at all levels of government who contributed to this investigation., ATF has no higher priority than investigating violent crime and ensuring that those who use firearms in furtherance of their criminal activities are held accountable, said Fred Winston, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kansas City Field Division. NASHVILLE, Tenn., - June 30, 2017 - A federal grand jury in Nashville, Tenn., returned a 40-count indictment yesterday, charging 11 members of the Gangster Disciples with conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise that included multiple murders, including the murder of a witness; a drug distribution conspiracy; and multiple other crimes of violence in aid of Sean Clemon, 50, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the alleged Governor of the state of Missouri, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, were vocal advocates for the law, and Kanye West lobbied for it during a White House visit. Date: January 22, 2021 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov Atlanta Shauntay Craig, aka Shake, and Donald Glass, aka Smurf, both leaders of the national gang, the Gangster Disciples, have been sentenced for racketeering conspiracy involving murder. Chief Enforcer: The gang member in each state who is responsible for enforcing codes, rules and regulations of the gang. The DEA labeled Hoovers conviction as the beginning of the end for the Black Disciples Gangster Nation. ", Clean-up crews: These are enforcement teams who work for the Chief Enforcer, administering discipline (including assault and murder) to members who violate the rules. According to the indictment, the Gangster Disciples is a violent street and prison gang founded in the 1960s that has engaged in large-scale drug trafficking and violence throughout the United States. Through his work at the agency they arrested 13 of the 21. Sometimes they wear Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox and other teams clothing from their original city, though they do not always match colors. Perry Harris, 29, of Cape Girardeau, an alleged Treasurer and Chief of Security for the state of Missouri, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes. Twenty-two members of the Black Disciple Gangster Nation received indictments for murder in 2016 including one county police officer who warned gang members about police raids and acted as a hitman. "For a long time, Louisville denied we had gangs, and I said it then, and I say it now, we have to recognize and be transparent that we have gangs, and they're committing a lot of this violence," Sanders said. Sanders said hes happy to be back policing in his hometown of Louisville, but shakes his head at the uptick of killings as of late. BOS, SOS: Brothers (or sisters) of the struggle. Polling Place: Is Patrick Kane the greatest Blackhawk ever? The scope of the Gangster Disciples crimes is wide-ranging and consistent throughout the national operation. "They were one of the biggest gangs in Chicago dealing drugs.". The Black Disciples Gangster Nation is one of the primary drug-dealing organizations in the Midwest, selling up to $100 million in drugs per year. None of those guys is reverting to the streets and getting involved in crime.. almost corporate organization spread out over several states. Attorneys Jerry Kitchen, Samuel Stringfellow, Beth Boswell, and Michelle Parks of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Tennessee. Male members of GD are referred to as "Brothers of the Struggle," and female members are referred to as "Sisters of the Struggle.". I had this strong desire to come back here and try to correct or fix some of the stuff that we played a part in messing up, Yates says as he directed a crew unloading boxes of food from trucks earlier this month as part of the Revitalization of Robbins Initiative he has started. Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Before that, he spent several years working for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in Chicago, as the Special Agent in Charge during the early 2000s, describing the gang as having ranks, like a military. Police search for suspects in string of armed robberies in Radcliff, Louisville man killed days before signing record deal, mother seeking justice, 'We got multiple calls': Suspect in car break-in turns himself in after WHAS11's Crime Stoppers report. Warren Griffin, 51, of Lancaster, Kentucky, an alleged national Board Member, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes. Many were recruited while in prison. This case results from investigations by ATF, FBI, BOP, IRS CI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Missouri Department of Corrections, Illinois State Police, the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, Bridgeton Police Department, Cape Girardeau Police Department, Mississippi County Sheriffs Office, and Chicago Police Department. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. At the top of the national group is the "Chairman," a man known as L.H. They organize community clean-up events, "Stop the Violence" rallies, and events to feed the homeless as a way to mask their criminal activities. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Robinson was revered for breaking the color barrier, but dont forget about those who followed. Volunteers from the Jacksons organization were at Yates event, helping unload trucks and handing off boxes of food. The letters were in every box. Larry Hoover grew up in Chicago and became the leader of the Supreme Gangsters, which merged with a rival gang to become the Black Gangster Disciple Nation. Glass was also sentenced for firearms crimes. Criminal Investigation is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners in this case to bring these criminals to justice.. At the time, the leaders of two different groups, the Black Disciples and the Supreme Gangsters, aligned their groups and created the Gangster Disciples (GD). For more information on the indictment on the Gangster Disciples members, click here. On May 18, 2018, Dobbins and Griffin shot and killed Earnest Don Smokey Wilson, 65, a rival Gangster Disciples board member, in the 7100 block of South Euclid Avenue in Chicago, according to the East St. Louis indictment. Griffin is in a federal prison in Kentucky. A 12-count indictment was returned by a grand jury on April 27, and unsealed today in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Georgia. And I said, Absolutely. . The newspaper, however, acknowledged the power of Hoovers political activism to combat systemic racism, which then included a political action committee dubbed V.O.T.E. Murder in aid of racketeering is a death-eligible offense. The letter explained that the food was coming from USDAs Farmers to Families Food Box program. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The BOP'sintelligence componentappreciates the opportunity to assist our federal partners in detecting and disrupting criminal activity related to inmates in the BOP's custody., Investigating organized crime and related financial schemes are a top priority for CI, said Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Chicago Field Office. East St. Louis, Ill. The United States Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Steven D. Weinhoeft, announced today that seven alleged members of the violent Gangster Disciples gang, including top national and state leaders, have been charged in a federal indictment accusing them of a years-long interstate RICO conspiracy involving multiple murders, drug trafficking, and other crimes. Watch what we do. According to court documents, the Gangster Disciples are a violent gang with a decades-long history of lawlessness and a presence throughout the United States, including in state and federal prisons. To introduce the criminal nature of the Gangster Disciples to a new member, older members and leaders in the various local groups ordered newer members to commit crimes, including murder, robbery and drug trafficking. The U.S. attorney in Atlanta announced on Wednesday a sweeping racketeering indictment against the Gangster Disciples, a multistate criminal organization accused or murder, extortion, drug. The federal racketeering indictment unsealed Wednesday depicts an almost corporate organization spread out over several states. according to a release from the United States Department of Justice. This prosecution underscores that coordinated criminal activity will be met with a coordinated and focused law enforcement response by the Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local level. The Black Disciple Gangster Nation changed from a community organization back into a gang with an influx of drugs into the area. (WMC) - The Gangster Disciples is a dangerous gang founded in the 1970's in Chicago, Illinois. He was accompanied to the Oval Office by Hoovers attorney, who explained that Hoover is being held in the Colorado Supermax prison alongside killers for economic crimes and that he was unfairly targeted because he was gaining political power from the Chicago community. Perry Harris, 29, of Cape Girardeau, an alleged Treasurer and Chief of Security for the state of Missouri, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes. It also says Dobbins, 53, whos from downstate Troy, a suburb of St. Louis, and Griffin, 51, from Lancaster, Kentucky, threatened to kill anyone who resisted their authority, though it doesnt say how authorities got that information. "We can't ignore that.". Chairman: the national leader, who is currently in prison but still communicates with gang leadership, the indictment claims. "By arresting these particular king pins we were actually taking off a lot of drugs, but more importantly we were stopping a lot of the violence," Sanders said. Yates and Harrell see it as ironic that Trump, who has refused to denounce white supremacists, signed the law that allowed Yates, a Black man, to leave prison. These guys have evolved to help the community they harmed.. James Yates was sentenced two decades ago to life in prison after a jury found that he was a governor of the Gangster Disciples in charge of distributing drugs for the street gang in Chicagos south suburbs. The gang employs a structured hierarchy, with leadership positions such as national Board Members and state Governors. Each of the defendants is alleged to be a member or leader of the Gangster Disciples and to have conspired to conduct the gangs affairs through a pattern of racketeering. While in state prison for ordering the killing of a gang member in Chicago in 1973, he was sentenced in 1998 to life in federal prison for running a criminal enterprise the Gangster Disciples . "Right in front of the camera. John Harrell, pastor of Proviso Missionary Baptist Church in Maywood, says his Black Men United group has organized many large food drives in the Chicago area and in other parts of the country this year. The Black Gangster Disciples was a gang from chicago that ended up splitting into two separate gangs in the 90s (black disciples (BGDs) and gangster disciples (GDs)).Some gangs still hold the black gangster disciple name out of chicago and never split up. The Gangster Disciples (often abbreviated as the GD's, formerly GDN) are an African American street and prison gang, which was formed in 1969, by Larry Hoover and David Barksdale. Coach Ezra Hendrickson, Fire looking to prove doubters wrong, Baseball quiz: Remember what happened after Jackie, Kahleah Copper: Precious mettle for the new-look Sky. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof. They'll usually deal cocaine and heroin, according to the Department of Justice. The Black Disciple Gangster Nation (BDGN) is a gang that was formed in the south side of Chicago in 1960 when two rival gangs, the Black Disciple Nation (led by David Barksdale) and the Gangster Nation (led by Larry Hoover) combined to become one group under co-leadership. Walton, Ahmad and Laderris Dickerson, 45, of Chicago, are also charged with carjacking and Walton and Dickerson are charged with a related firearms offense. We aint looking back. Seven alleged members of the violent Gangster Disciples gang, including top national and state leaders, are in custody after multiple arrests this morning for their alleged participation in a years-long interstate racketeering conspiracy involving multiple murders, drug trafficking, and other crimes. To have his name continuously thrown into the affairs of others and to be used as a scapegoat for criminal activity he has no connection to needs to cease.. The FBIs Safe Streets Gang Task Forces recognize no boundaries either, and we are committed to identifying, disrupting and dismantling the most violent gangs that seek to harm our communities. The long list of violent crimes alleged in this indictmentincluding two murders and multiple violent assaultsmake plain the threat to our communities posed by criminal organizations like the Gangster Disciples, said Nicholas L. McQuaid, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Departments Criminal Division. On May 18, 2018, Griffin and Dobbins are accused of killing Ernest Wilson, a rival Board Member, in Chicago, Illinois. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The Black Disciple Gangster Nation was responsible for the death of Army sergeant Juwan Williams during a brutal initiation beating that included kicks to the head. InfoTracer expressly prohibits the use of information you obtain from search results (a) to discriminate against any consumer; (b) for the purpose of considering a consumers eligibility for personal credit or insurance, employment, housing, or a government license or benefit; or (c) otherwise to affect a consumers economic or financial status or standing. The "Treasurer" assists the governor in collecting dues for each state for the national Treasurer. The Black Disciples Gangster Nation initiate new members with beat-downs by fellow gang members, murders, and other violent crimes. Hoover who prosecutors have called the most notorious gang leader in Chicagos modern history isnt charged in the indictment, which targets leaders of the Gangster Disciples in downstate Illinois and eastern Missouri in a racketeering case that includes two murders. The Black Disciple Gangster Nation (BDGN) is a gang that was formed in the south side of Chicago in 1960 when two rival gangs, the Black Disciple Nation (led by David Barksdale) and the Gangster Nation (led by Larry Hoover) combined to become one group under co-leadership. After a somewhat-quiet offseason, the Fire are widely picked to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs again. The lawlessness these gangs bring to our cities is terribly destructive and oftentimes difficult to prosecute. Gangster Disciples represent with the colors blue and black. Each "count" also has a Chief Enforcer. Shauntay Craig, 37, of Birmingham, Alabama, held the rank of Gangster Disciples "Board Member". The median income of Robbins, a town of 5,400 a few miles south of Chicago, is only $13,000, according to the last census. The gang employs a structured hierarchy, with leadership positions such as national Board Members and state Governors. Each of the defendants is alleged to be a member or leader of the Gangster Disciples and to have conspired to conduct the gangs affairs through a pattern of racketeering. The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Imprisoned Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover, who says hes no longer involved with the gang and is asking for an early release from his life sentence, promoted two men to top posts in the gang while locked up in a federal super-max prison in Colorado, according to an indictment unsealed Monday in East St. Louis. "he was responsible for violence drug trafficking and murders, including orchestrating the murder of a . But recent indictments against Gangster Disciples members downstate and in Atlanta suggest that the corporate structure of the gang has remained in place. Rev. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. ", Ninjas: Oftentimes members of the enforcement teams are known as "ninjas" or "UFOs.". This case results from investigations by ATF, FBI, Federal Bureau of Prisons, IRS Criminal Investigation, Missouri Department of Corrections, Illinois State Police, the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, Bridgeton Police Department, Cape Girardeau Police Department, and Chicago Police Department. Some of these teams have names, such as "Hate Committee" or "Blacc Team. With the charges unsealed today, we are taking an important, powerful step in the fight to disrupt and dismantle gangs operating in this region. According to the indictment, the Gangster Disciples is a violent street and prison gang founded in the 1960s that has engaged in large-scale drug trafficking and violence throughout the United States. "He's pulling a gun from his waistband," Sanders said. sweeping racketeering indictment against the Gangster Disciples. They are also represented by a black flag (bandana). The indictment also alleges various acts of drug trafficking by Gangster Disciples members, including an ongoing scheme to smuggle the synthetic drug K2 into Missouri state prisons. Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover appointed 2 gang leaders from prison, feds say They're now charged with killing a rival 'board member' of the notorious street gang in 2018 on the South Side. 2023 InfoPay, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Tackling issues related to criminal enterprises and gang-related activities are paramount to addressing violence in any city. Dobbins and Griffin were arrested later in 2018, Dobbins for drug possession and Griffin in a separate case for illegal possession of a gun. Moore questioned why prosecutors who previously have said they suspected Hoover was still involved in the gang hadnt brought up the latest accusation during arguments over Hoovers bid for a reduced sentence. Moving swiftly after winning convictions of Gangster Disciples leader Larry Hoover and other high-ranking gang members two weeks ago, authorities indicted eight additional men Friday in a. LOUISVILLE, Ky. A group of seven men were indicted on federal racketeering charges in connection to the violent Gangster Disciples gang including an alleged high-ranking member originally from Kentucky, according to a release from the United States Department of Justice.