Federal jury convicts final defendants in violent gang-related racketeering murder case.
Federal prosecutors announced the conclusion of a major racketeering murder case in Memphis after a jury convicted the final two defendants linked to a violent street gang killing. The verdict followed a weeklong federal trial that focused on the fatal shooting of a gang member accused of betraying his own group. Authorities described the crime as deliberate, public, and meant to send a warning to others within the organization.
The two men convicted were identified as senior figures in the Unknown Vice Lords, a gang that operated throughout Memphis and extended its influence into parts of Arkansas and Mississippi. Evidence presented in court showed the group was involved in a range of crimes, including shootings, robberies, assaults, drug sales, and human trafficking. Prosecutors explained that the gang enforced strict loyalty rules and responded with violence when members were suspected of turning against leadership.
The case traced back to January 2019, when the gang’s top leader in Tennessee and his girlfriend were shot and killed in a residential neighborhood during the daytime. The killing sparked immediate retaliation. That same night, gang members carried out a drive-by shooting at a location believed to be connected to a rival group. At least one person was injured in that attack. Over the following days, the gang began to suspect that the leader’s murder was not carried out by rivals but by one of their own members.
According to testimony, this suspicion led to an internal decision to punish the accused member. Several days after the leader’s death, the victim was lured into a car under the control of fellow gang members. Late at night, the group drove to a rundown apartment complex. The victim was taken behind one of the buildings and shot to death. Prosecutors told the jury that the killing was planned and carried out to show the consequences of disloyalty.
The jury found both defendants guilty of causing death through the use of a firearm during a racketeering crime. This charge carries severe penalties under federal law. Each man now faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May, at which time a federal judge will consider sentencing guidelines and other legal factors before issuing final punishment.
A third gang member involved in the killing had already been convicted in an earlier trial. That individual was responsible for supplying firearms to the group on the night of the murder and was sentenced to more than two decades in federal prison. Prosecutors argued that the three men worked together, each playing a role in carrying out the execution.
Federal officials emphasized that the case was not only about one murder but about dismantling a violent organization that posed a threat to the community. Law enforcement agencies described the conviction as a blow to the gang’s leadership structure. Investigators from federal, state, and local agencies worked together over several years to gather evidence, track movements, and build the case presented at trial.
Authorities noted that the violence connected to the gang was not hidden or isolated. Shootings occurred in neighborhoods where families lived, children played, and residents went about daily life. Officials stressed that such acts create fear far beyond the immediate victims and damage entire communities. The prosecution, they said, was meant to show that organized violence would be met with serious consequences.
The case was handled as part of a broader federal effort to address violent crime in Memphis. Prosecutors and investigators described a strategy focused on using federal laws to target gang-related violence and hold leaders accountable. By bringing complex cases into federal court, authorities aim to disrupt criminal networks and prevent future acts of violence.
Officials involved in the case stated that continued cooperation between agencies remains key to reducing violent crime. They also noted that while convictions mark an important step, ongoing work is needed to protect neighborhoods and prevent gangs from regaining influence. The verdict, they said, sends a clear message that those who organize and carry out acts of extreme violence will face justice.
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Final Two Gang Members Convicted by Jury in Brazen Racketeering Murder
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