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.. He and seven other high-ranking members of the Gangster Disciples have been released from prison under the 2018 law, signed by President Donald Trump with bipartisan support, intended to promote rehabilitation and cut the costs of incarceration. National gang leader from Birmingham sentenced to 40 years on federal Ronald Safer, a defense lawyer who was a federal prosecutor on the Gangster Disciples case, has said hed still prosecute Yates and other ranking members of the gang but would seek significantly less prison time for most. Barry Boyce, 44, of Charleston, Missouri, an alleged member of the gang, is charged with RICO conspiracy. Experts theorize that flooding the market with drugs was intentional by politicians to imprison community-oriented blacks and hippies to suppress any dissent and prevent them from voting. Yates, 51, was freed in April under the federal First Step Act, which allows imprisoned drug criminals like him to seek a reduction in their sentences because of changes imposed after they were sent to prison in the penalties for distributing crack cocaine. Dobbins is being held in the same prison where Hoover is being held, the federal super-max in Florence, Colorado, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. of Corrections, Gwinnett County PD, and Marietta PD), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, United States Marshal's Service and United States Postal Inspection Services. 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. If Leinenweber decides Hoover has served enough time in federal prison under the life term he was handed in 1997 for running a criminal enterprise, Hoover still faces a 200-year Illinois state court sentence from 1973 for ordering the killing of a gang member he suspected was stealing from him. Theres been a need for years.. 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. 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. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. They organize community clean-up events, "Stop the Violence" rallies, and events to feed the homeless as a way to mask their criminal activities. Copyright 2016 WMC Action News 5. Here are the key players and concepts, according to the indictment. Dozens of members of Gangster Disciples face federal murder, drug At the top of the national group is the "Chairman," a man known as L.H. Today, hes distributing a different kind of commodity in those same suburbs: food. 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. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to seeing this campaign through, and once and for all putting an end to the Gangster Disciples' reign of violence.. 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. Black Gangster Disciple Nation On The Basis Of The Del Vikings The wars ceased when Larry and David formed together as a . 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. Nothing seemed to have changed in his hometown since he was arrested in the 1990s. Lock Robinson was revered for breaking the color barrier, but dont forget about those who followed. 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 As one member of Yates crew flipped burgers on a grill and another worked a DJ booth, parents pulled up in cars, kids in tow. James Yates (right) talks with Robbins Park District president Andrea Roberson about logistics for his food drive. 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. The gang employs a structured hierarchy, with leadership positions such as national "Board Members" and state "Governors." "The long list of violent crimes alleged in this indictment - including two murders and multiple violent assaults - make plain the threat to our communities posed by criminal organizations like the Gangster Disciples," Nicholas L. McQuaid, Acting Assistant . A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. They'll usually deal cocaine and heroin, according to the Department of Justice. Opinions differ on how to define Gangster Disciples. LMPD will utilize intelligence-led policing in identifying and harnessing these issues in our city.. ", 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. The Memphis case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Memphis Multi-Agency Gang Unit; the Memphis PD; the Shelby County, Tennessee Sheriffs Office; the Jackson PD Gang Enforcement Team; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; the Madison County, Tennessee Sheriffs Department; the 28th District West Tennessee Drug Task Force; the Tipton County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Office; the 26th Judicial District Attorney Generals Office; the 25th Judicial District Attorney Generals Office; the Atascosa County, Tennessee District Attorneys Office; and the Shelby County District Attorney Generals Office. Reporting from Washington . Harrell, who spent time in prison for financial crimes about 20 years ago, says his goal is to feed people and help rehabilitate ex-offenders like himself. 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. Warren Griffin, 51, of Lancaster, Kentucky, an alleged "Board Member," is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes; Anthony Dobbins, 53, of Troy, Illinois, an alleged "Board Member," is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes; Hoover is serving a life sentence in a super-max prison in Colorado. The Federal Bureau of Investigation today announces the arrest of Shauntay Lamarr Craig, an alleged leader of the violent Gangster Disciples criminal enterprise, at New Orleans, Louisiana. Those gangs are generational. 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, Special Agent in Charge of the FBIs Springfield Field Office. As part of our response to the coronavirus, I prioritized sending nutritious food from our farmers to families in need throughout America.. They then recruited heavily in Chicago, within jails and prisons, and across the United States. The violence perpetrated by the Gangster Disciples in this district and nationwide has long been a particular focus of our top law enforcement agencies. They're controlled by a chairman of the board, and then they have a board of directors, one in prison, one outside below those people are the governors and they control the territories," Sanders said. Barry Boyce, 44, of Charleston, Missouri, an alleged member of the gang, is charged with RICO conspiracy. The January indictment says while he was locked up in 2019, Griffin used a contraband phone to make calls from prison. Rev. It had a compilation of video captured by police cameras that illustrated the influence gangs had on the streets of Chicago. Assistant governors collect dues from individual groups, called "counts" or "decks.". 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. CHICAGO (AP) _ Five members of the Gangster Disciples street gang have been indicted in the killings of two fellow gang members, in what one prosecutor Thursday called ``cold, steely, calculated business decisions. One of the victims was cooperating with investigators. Craig was a Board Member, the highest-ranking position in the Gangster Disciples. Cases like these make a difference, and I want to thank all the law enforcement and U.S. Attorney Office and Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecutors who worked so hard to build this case., Atlanta has historically been resistant to the incursion of these national gangs, but unfortunately todays indictment shows how this landscape has changed in just the last few years, as the Gangster Disciples are only one of several gangs that now boast a strong foothold, said U.S. Attorney John Horn. Basically, they got de facto life sentences for drugs, Khalalah Jackson says of her husband and his co-defendants. 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 "Treasurer" assists the governor in collecting dues for each state for the national Treasurer. Male members of GD are referred to as "Brothers of the Struggle," and female members are referred to as "Sisters of the Struggle.". Rapper Kanye West appealed to President Donald Trump in 2018 for Hoovers release. But recent indictments against Gangster Disciples members downstate and in Atlanta suggest that the corporate structure of the gang has remained in place. InfoTracer is not a "consumer reporting agency" under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"), and does not provide "consumer reports" under the FCRA. 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. Many were recruited while in prison. Further, Gangster Disciples members would teach other members how to commit certain crimes, including frauds and would provide drugs on discount to other Gangster Disciples members for resale. These charges show how a national gang like Gangster Disciples can wreak havoc here and in communities across the country, with crimes that run the gamut from murder to drug trafficking to credit card fraud. Each "count" also has a Chief Enforcer. He pointed out that they came from Trumps U.S. Department of Agriculture. 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. After a somewhat-quiet offseason, the Fire are widely picked to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs again. Their children got toys. Gangster Disciples history and positions of authority, Judge sets bond for 76-year-old woman accused of killing terminally ill husband, Memphis and Atlanta announced a major bust. 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. Gangster Disciples represent with the colors blue and black. Other acts of violence alleged as part of the conspiracy include a nightclub stabbing in East St. Louis, Illinois, a nonfatal shooting in Cape Girardeau,and multiple unsuccessful murder plots. We hope this indictment warns the leaders of these gangs that Atlanta is not a good place to do business., As the indictment alleges, the Gangster Disciples flooded communities throughout the southeast and beyond with large amounts of drugs, and ruthlessly used fear, intimidation, and even murder to promote and protect their nationwide criminal enterprise, said U.S. Attorney Stanton. Chairman: the national leader, who is currently in prison but still communicates with gang leadership, the indictment claims. 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. 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. The two rival gangsters united together to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation ( BGDN ). "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. Gangster Disciples - Wikipedia The Gangster Disciples maintain a hierarchical structure on the belief that the enterprise will be ready to step in and run the United States should its government fail, the indictment states. Image from Chicago gang video provided by Jeffersontown Police Chief Rick Sanders, Indiana State Trooper struck, killed by driver accused of attempting to evade police, Beshear confirms 4 dead after severe weather makes its way through Kentuckiana, 'We can handle it': Fans brave the weather for Big Nita's Cheesecake. 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. John Harrell, pastor of Proviso Missionary Baptist Church in Maywood. Other acts of violence alleged as part of the conspiracy include a nightclub stabbing in East St. Louis, Illinois; a nonfatal shooting in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; and multiple unsuccessful murder plots. Dismantling violent gangs at the highest levels remains a priority for the U.S. Attorney's Office., Today's Gangster Disciple arrests across nine states merely marks the first wave of the FBIs strategic campaign to dismantle this violent criminal organization, said Special Agent in Charge Johnson. Gangster Disciples history and positions of authority - Action News 5 These are the people who keep gangs like the Gangster Disciples alive, year in and year out, generation after generation. Larry Hoover - Gangster, Age & Life - Biography He's currently being held at a federal prison in Ashland, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. 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 dealing on a large scale, prostitution, financial fraud and more. The other shows a gang-related shooting captured by police cameras in the middle of the day. 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. sweeping racketeering indictment against the Gangster Disciples. The Black Disciple Gangster Nation changed from a community organization back into a gang with an influx of drugs into the area. Frank Smith, 47, of Naperville, Illinois, an alleged national Board Member, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes. But there are far fewer people with the wherewithal to lead organizations like the Gangster Disciples. "Responsible for seeing that punishment, including 'Kill on Sight' (KOS) orders and 'greenlights,' which authorize physical punishment, are effectuated for Gangster Disciples who violate gang rules. Volunteers from the Jacksons organization were at Yates event, helping unload trucks and handing off boxes of food. Board Members: highest-ranking members after the Chairman. 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. Download WDTN Gangster Disciples Indictment, Download NDGA Gangster Disciples Indictment. Five Gangster Disciple members were convicted after an April . The Atlanta case is being investigated by the FBI Atlanta's Safe Streets Gang Task Force (composed of members of the FBI, Alpharetta Police Department (PD), Atlanta PD, Clayton County PD, DeKalb PD, Forest Park PD, GA Dept. The long list of violent crimes alleged in this indictment including two murders and multiple violent assaults make 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. "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. If you can restore, reshape, revitalize Black men, they can strengthen Black families, and Black families can strengthen Black blocks, he says. Shauntay Craig, 42, was sentenced to 40 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in August 2019 to racketeering conspiracy involving murder and drug trafficking. 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. You have to harm or kill somebody as part of your initiation, there's a lot of torture that might be involved, Sanders said. Gangster Disciples Gang Initiation and Colors, a political action committee dubbed V.O.T.E. He reached in to a box and pulled out a copy of a letter from Trump on White House letterhead. 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. The "Literature Coordinator" maintains contact lists, meeting minutes, membership applications, and other documents. 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. The notorious gang started was founded by Larry Hoover in Chicago in the 1960s but has since spread to at least 31 states and 110 cities, according to the Department of Justice. The Gangster Disciples are known to be active in 35 states. Her husband Johnny Jackson was a board member of the Gangster Disciples, which, according to federal prosecutors, sold more than $100 million a year in drugs and, at its peak, had more than 6,000 members. Alleged Leaders of the Gangster Disciples Indicted on Federal Gangster Disciples leaders sentenced to prison Sometimes they wear Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox and other teams clothing from their original city, though they do not always match colors. EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. 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 racketeering conspiracy involving multiple murders, drug trafficking, and other crimes. Watch what we do. "We can't ignore that.". Criminal Investigation is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners in this case to bring these criminals to justice.. 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. Information obtained through InfoTracer is not to be used for any unlawful purposes such as stalking or harassing others, or investigating public officials or celebrities. Gangster Disciples Prison Gang Profile & Structure - InfoTracer "They were very disciplined, very organized," Sanders said. 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. Anthony Dobbins, 53, of Troy, Illinois, an alleged national Board Member, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms crimes. Underneath the Chairman are "Board Members," who maintain contact with state and regional leaders--the "Governor-of-Governors," "Governors," and"Assistant Governors.". The decision to merge the two gangs came from a fear that gang warfare would decimate the black youth of the region. 2023 InfoPay, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. According to court documents, the Gangster Disciples is a national gang active in more than 24 states with a highly organized structure including board members and governor-of-governors who each controlled geographic regions; governors, assistant governors, chief enforcers and chiefs of security for each state or regions within the state where the Gangster Disciples were active; and coordinators and leaders within each local group. 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. [citation . The Gangster Disciples are a highly organized and ruthless gang that recognizes no geographical boundaries, and its members have far too long indiscriminately preyed upon and infected the good people of our communities like a cancer. Each state additionally has a "Chief Enforcer," responsible for enforcing the gang's codes and regulations. Gangster Disciples: A Gang Profile | Office of Justice Programs And I said, Absolutely. . "A Governor is aware of and coordinates much of the (gang's) criminal activity within that state," the indictment says. Certain defendants were also charged with murder, attempted murder, and various firearms crimes. According to the indictment, the Gangster Disciples is a violent street and prison gang founded in the 1960's that has engaged in large-scale drug trafficking and violence throughout the United States. An official website of the United States government. Certain defendants were also charged with murder, attempted murder, and various firearms crimes. Larry Hoover was given another life sentence in 1993 after federal officials wiretapped him in prison and charged him with drugs, extortion and running a 30,000-member criminal enterprise from behind bars. You always have naysayers, he says. We aint looking back. Craig . There are a lot of people out there willing to join gangs, and eager to get easy money from criminal activity. Count: The geographic divisions of the Gangster Disciples are called "counts" or "decks.". 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.. He said, I want to give back to Robbins, Roberson says. The drastically different team is built around its All-Star cornerstone, and new players will match her intensity, Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover appointed 2 gang leaders from prison, feds say, Illinois has paroled double ax-murderer, other heinous killers, offering Gangster Disciples boss hope, Gangster Disciples boss Larry Hoover seeks break on prison time under law Kanye West championed, Chicago gang kingpin Larry Hoovers bad behavior could keep him from cutting life sentence, Over 60% in Chicago seeking early prison release under Trumps First Step Act go free, Putins pollock: U.S. seafood imports fuel Russian war machine, Chicago police supervisors obstructed probe of sergeants suicide, resigned before they could be fired, inspector general says, Tom Dart, judge at odds over required 2-day furlough from home confinement for suspects on bail, ATF cited stores that most often sold guns used in Chicago crimes, then let them off easy, Outlaws Motorcycle Club enforcer denied compassionate release, showed no compassion in killing McHenry County couple, Taxing times for popular South Side restaurant eased by county agency, Dear Abby: When my husbands brother marries, I should be in the wedding, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and wife to invest $250 million in new Chicago research lab, Jose Abreu on life with the Astros and leaving the White Sox, who werent a family in 2022, Chicago police officer was shot and killed in front of kids playing at school: They ran as quickly as possible just to get to safety, Dear Abby: With boyfriends fussy father living here, I feel trapped, The Astros Dusty Baker 73 years young is still at it, and hes one Hall of a manager.