The two rival gangsters united together to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation ( BGDN ). You always have naysayers, he says. . Gangster Disciples Gang Initiation and Colors, a political action committee dubbed V.O.T.E. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A different world.. 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. 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. "They know when we make the arrest of a 12-year-old, it's going to not really go very far.". Chairman: the national leader, who is currently in prison but still communicates with gang leadership, the indictment claims. James Yates (right) talks with Robbins Park District president Andrea Roberson about logistics for his food drive. But there are far fewer people with the wherewithal to lead organizations like the Gangster Disciples. "They were one of the biggest gangs in Chicago dealing drugs.". 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. The F.B.I. They are heavily organized, using code language to communicate, and have been reported in the news to use children as young as 8 years old to smuggle guns and drugs and carry out gang executions. Chief Enforcer: The gang member in each state who is responsible for enforcing codes, rules and regulations of the gang. After a somewhat-quiet offseason, the Fire are widely picked to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs again. Official websites use .gov 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. 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. 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. The DEA labeled Hoovers conviction as the beginning of the end for the Black Disciples Gangster Nation. An official website of the United States government. Life on a third straight one-year contract with the mega-talented Astros isnt bad at all. Emailassign@whas11.com, visit ourFacebook pageorTwitter feed. May 4, 2016 / 3:51 PM / CBS/AP. Barry Boyce, 44, of Charleston, Missouri, an alleged member of the gang, is charged with RICO conspiracy. Opinions differ on how to define Gangster Disciples. Certain defendants were also charged with murder, attempted murder, and various firearms crimes. 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. For more information on the indictment on the Gangster Disciples members, click here. 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. There are a lot of people out there willing to join gangs, and eager to get easy money from criminal activity. The violence perpetrated by the Gangster Disciples in this district and nationwide has long been a particular focus of our top law enforcement agencies. 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. The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. how interested you are in the Fire, whose season begins Saturday against New York City FC at Soldier Field. 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. 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. Black blocks can strengthen Black communities, cities and states.. 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. 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 new indictment says one member of the gang, Anthony Dobbins, told another, Warren Big Head Griffin, in September 2014 that Hoover had appointed them as board members the highest rank in the gangs leadership. 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 "Chief of Security" for each state protects the members of gangs within the state. 2023 InfoPay, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Griffin is in a federal prison in Kentucky. They use front organizations to integrate themselves in the communities they live in. 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've got grandfathers, fathers and sons all members of a gang, said Jeffersontown Police Chief Rick Sanders. 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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. "A Governor is aware of and coordinates much of the (gang's) criminal activity within that state," the indictment says. (WMC) - The Gangster Disciples is a dangerous gang founded in the 1970's in Chicago, Illinois. If you can restore, reshape, revitalize Black men, they can strengthen Black families, and Black families can strengthen Black blocks, he says. 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. Barry Boyce, 44, of Charleston, Missouri, an alleged member of the gang, is charged with RICO conspiracy. The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. "He's checking the money to make sure it's real," Sanders detailed. 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. Criminal Investigation is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners in this case to bring these criminals to justice.. Hoover got arrested and went to prison and continued to run the gang from behind bars. It is the very of core of law enforcements mission to ensure that everyone feels safe in their homes and neighborhoods, and it is a hard reality that many people across our country simply do not enjoy this basic sense of security because of gangs like the Gangster Disciples, said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John A. Horn of the Northern District of Georgia, U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III of the Western District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge J. Britt Johnson of the FBIs Atlanta Division and Special Agent in Charge A. Todd McCall of the FBIs Memphis Division made the announcement. Those gangs are generational. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof. Theres been a need for years.. 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. We aint looking back. The indictment describes the Gangster Disciples as a violent gang with a long history of lawlessness in the United States. He's currently being held at a federal prison in Ashland, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Atlanta RICO conspiracy indictment names the following defendants and their alleged roles within the Gangster Disciples: Shauntay Craig, 37, of Birmingham, held the rank of Gangster Disciples board member; Alonzo Walton, 47, of Atlanta, held at different relevant times the positions of governor of Georgia and governor of governors, the latter position controlling Georgia, Florida, Texas, Indiana and South Carolina; Kevin Clayton, 43, of Decatur, Georgia, was the chief enforcer for the state of Georgia; Donald Glass, 26, of Decatur, served as a first coordinator of the eastside group of the Gangster Disciples; Lewis Mobely, 38, of Atlanta, was an enforcer; Vertious Wall, 40, of Marietta, was a first coordinator for the Macon Gangster Disciples group; Adrian Jackson, 37, of San Jose, California, was the national treasurer for the Gangster Disciples; Terrence Summers, 45, of Birmingham, held at different relevant times the positions of governor of Alabama and governor of governors for Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida; Markell White, 43, of Atlanta, was a regional leader in Macon; Ronald McMorris, 34, of Atlanta, was first coordinator of the Atlanta group; Perry Green, 29, of Decatur, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and acted as enforcer of a Gangster Disciples group; Dereck Taylor, 29, of Macon, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and acted as security for a Macon group; Alvis ONeal, 37,of Denver, was a senior member of and money launderer for the Gangster Disciples; Jeremiah Covington, 32, of Valdosta, Georgia, was a first coordinator for the Valdosta region; Antonio Ahmad, 33, of Atlanta, was the chief of security for the state of Georgia; Eric Manney, 39, of Atlanta, was a member of the Gangster Disciples and stored multiple guns at his house; Quiana Franklin, 33, of Birmingham, served as treasurer for the state of Alabama; Frederick Johnson, 37, of Marietta, was a chief enforcer for a Gangster Disciples group; Charles Wingate,25, of Conyers, Georgia, was chief of security for a Covington, Georgia group; Vancito Gumbs, 25, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples while at the same time serving as a police officer with the DeKalb County Police Department; Thomas Pasby, 42, of Cochran, Georgia, was a member of the Gangster Disciples; Denise Carter, 41, of Detroit, was a member of the Gangster Disciples; Carlton King Jr., 25, of Cochran, was a member of the Gangster Disciples; Kelvin Sneed, 26, of Cochran, was a member of the Gangster Disciples; Arrie Freeney, 32, of Detroit, was a member of the Gangster Disciples; Myrick Stevens, 26, of Madison, Wisconsin, was a member of the Gangster Disciples; Curtis Thomas, 45, of Cochran, was a member of the Gangster Disciples; Yohori Epps, 36,of Marietta, was a member of the Gangster Disciples; and. It had a compilation of video captured by police cameras that illustrated the influence gangs had on the streets of Chicago. Identification: Symbolism plays a large part in the Gangster Disciples' culture. We are committed to dismantling violent gangs like the Gangster Disciples and holding their members accountable for criminal conduct., These charges target national and state leaders of one of the most notorious street gangs in America, said Steven D. Weinhoeft, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. 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. Law enforcement officials said GDis a highly organized and sophisticated gang. of Community Supervision, GA Dept. Tommy Lee Wilkins (Holloway), aka Tommy Gunz, 28, of Memphis, was a member of the security team in Memphis. Shauntay Craig, 37, of Birmingham, Alabama, held the rank of Gangster Disciples "Board Member". The Black Disciples Gangster Nation initiate new members with beat-downs by fellow gang members, murders, and other violent crimes. The scope of the Gangster Disciples crimes is wide-ranging and consistent throughout the national operation. 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. 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. "Right in front of the camera. The lawlessness these gangs bring to our cities is terribly destructive and oftentimes difficult to prosecute. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Walton, Ahmad and Laderris Dickerson, 45, of Chicago, are also charged with carjacking and Walton and Dickerson are charged with a related firearms offense. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof. 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.