COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged 19 Columbus men associated with a local Crips gang in a racketeering conspiracy that includes five murders, multiple attempted murders and other violent and drug-trafficking crimes. The indictment was returned in Columbus on September 27 and 15 of the defendants are in custody today.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs, United States Marshal Pete Tobin  and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced the charges.

According to the indictment, the men are members and associates of the Trevitt and Atcheson Crips gang known as T&A.

T&A

The gang derived its name from Trevitt and Atcheson streets in the King-Lincoln District of Columbus, where its members predominantly reside.

The boundaries of the gang’s territory are marked by Mt. Vernon Avenue to the south, Leonard Avenue to the north, Taylor Avenue to the east and St. Clair Avenue to the west.

The criminal organization included various subgroups, including, Atcheson Crip Gangsters (ACG), Catch A Body (CAB), Kwamie Gang (KMG), Waun Gang, Family Over Everything (FOE), Go Gang, On The Family (OTF) Toe Tag, and Go Crazy.

T&A identifies with the national Crip gang, adopting the traditional colors, symbols, culture, codes and enemies of the Crip gang. Its local rival Blood gangs include, but are not limited to, the Easthaven Bloods, Poindexter Thug Life (PTL) and the Milo Bloods.

T&A members marked the gang’s territory with graffiti and themselves with common tattoos. Members also produced songs to boast of the gang’s existence, communicate their violent methods and threaten non-members and rival gang members. These songs were posted on various social networking sites used by the T&A members.

Those charged include:



Name





Also Known As





Age





Dominique Bryant





Doggy





26





Charles Carson





 





23





Jonathan Dantzler





Jesus





26





Terrell Hansard





T Body





21





Andrew Harris





Drip





30





Eric Henderson, Jr.





Lil Go, Little E





19





Eric Henderson, Sr.





Easy





39





Michael Henderson





Bang





20





Steve Henderson, Jr.





Big Go, Tana





25





Brandon Martin





Gunner





26





Lee Devine McCrae





Capone





22





Shawn Nelms





Mook





25





Terrance Pyfrom





Tee





21





Donovan Reed





Don Don





26





Deswan Robinson





Dezzy





25





Thomas Seals





Bhomo





24





Derrick Thornton





Fresh





29





Marcus Walton





Ox, Wax





35





Michael Watson





Sossa





25



 The Indictment

The seven-count indictment alleges:

Beginning in June 2010, T&A members and associates conspired in a racketeering enterprise and engaged in murders, attempted murders, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, witness tampering, robbery, assault and other crimes within the Southern District of Ohio and elsewhere.

The gang controlled the neighborhood through intimidation, fear and violence. Gang members were expected to retaliate with acts of violence when their members and associates were disrespected, threatened, intimidated or subjected to acts of violence.

Specifically, co-conspirators are charged with five murders.

On July 1, 2012 in the area of 431 Ellison Street, Dantzler and Nelms shot and killed Franky Tention.

On March 15, 2013, Martin, Nelms and Robinson shot and murdered William Moore, a rival gang member.

Michael Henderson and Watson shot and killed Marvin Ector on December 23, 2013, on East 5th Avenue.

On January 24, 2015, Carson shot and murdered Quincy Story.

Hansard was involved in the murder of Deaonte Fisher on March 4, 2016.

Additionally, from June 14, 2010 until March 15, 2017, the indictment details at least 26 separate incidences in which T&A gang members attempted to murder more individuals by shooting at them.

Co-conspirators also threatened and/or intimidated witnesses, using violence or the threat of violence to deter them from providing information to law enforcement and to enforce a “no snitching” code.

Defendants distributed cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone and marijuana. They also used “trap houses” in other individuals’ names to store and sell narcotics.

T&A members used the drug proceeds to purchase firearms to use in gang wars in Columbus. They often traveled to Huntington, W.Va, Portsmouth, Ohio and Chillicothe, Ohio (among other locations) to sell and purchase drugs and guns.

Each of the defendants faces life in prison. Carson, Dantzler, Hansard, Martin, Nelms, Robinson and Watson are charged with murder in aid of racketeering, a crime that could make them eligible for the death penalty. 

“Violent gangs seek to dominate and control neighborhoods in Columbus and in cities across America—but we're fighting back,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “Under the Department of Justice's crime reduction strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods, we work with state and local law enforcement to target the most violent criminals in the most violent areas. In 2017 we prosecuted more violent criminals than in any year on record—and this past fiscal year we broke our own record. Today we take our next step of indicting 19 alleged gang members from the King-Lincoln neighborhood who are facing potential life sentences. The indictment alleges multiple murders and attempted murders. I want to thank the ATF, FBI, the Marshals Service, Columbus Police, and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien for their hard work and I especially want to thank AUSAs Kevin Kelley, Noah Litton, and David DeVillers. This case is a perfect example of what PSN is all about.”

An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

# # #

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A total of 10 of 19 Columbus men charged federally as being associated with a local Crips gang has pleaded guilty. The men were indicted in September 2018 and charged in a racketeering conspiracy that includes five murders, multiple attempted murders and other violent and drug-trafficking crimes.

 

Those who pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today include:



Name





Also Known As





Age





Eric Henderson, Jr.





Lil Go, Little E





19





Eric Henderson, Sr.





Easy





39





Steve Henderson, Jr.





Big Go, Tana





25





Lee Devine McCrae





Capone





22





Marcus Walton





Ox, Wax





35



 

In January and February, Terrance Pyfrom, 21; Derrick Thornton, 29; Donovan Reed, 26; Andrew Harris, 30; and Dominique Bryant, 26, pleaded guilty.

 

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Roland Herndon, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Todd Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Interim Columbus Police Chief Tom Quinlan, United States Marshal Pete Tobin and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced the pleas entered into before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.

 

According to court documents, the defendants are members and associates of the Trevitt and Atcheson Crips gang known as T&A.

 

The gang derived its name from Trevitt and Atcheson streets in the King-Lincoln District of Columbus, where its members predominantly reside.

 

Beginning in June 2010, T&A members and associates conspired in a racketeering enterprise and engaged in murders, attempted murders, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, witness tampering, robbery, assault and other crimes.

The gang controlled the neighborhood through intimidation, fear and violence. Gang members were expected to retaliate with acts of violence when their members and associates were disrespected, threatened, intimidated or subjected to acts of violence.

 

Specifically, co-conspirators are charged with five murders:

the murder of Franky Tention on July 1, 2012, in the area of 431 Ellison Street;

the murder of William Moore on March 15, 2013;

the murder of Marvin Ector on December 23, 2013, on East 5th Avenue;

the murder of Quincy Story on January 24, 2015; and

the murder of Deaonte Fisher on March 4, 2016.

 

T&A engaged in a long-term operation of consistent transportation of heroin and crack from Columbus to Portsmouth, Ohio, for sale in various “trap houses.” In the summer of 2015, T&A, under the leadership of Eric Henderson, Sr., began to deliver large amounts of heroin, crack, and oxycodone from Columbus to Portsmouth on a weekly basis.  Female associates and drug-addicted “mules” transported the drugs at the direction of T&A members and associates. The drugs were then sold on a daily basis out of a number of “trap houses” controlled by T&A members.

Henderson, Sr. pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. He faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. According to his plea agreement, Henderson, Sr. participated extensively in the planning and organizing of the Portsmouth drug operation by recruiting accomplices and co-conspirators to carry out the trafficking.

 

Eric Henderson, Jr. pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy. He admitted that on numerous occasions he sold gram quantities of crack cocaine in Columbus and Chillicothe. A sentence of 78 months in prison has been recommended to the court, and Judge Watson will consider that recommendation at a future sentencing hearing.

 

Steve Henderson, Jr. also pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy. According to his plea agreement, Steve Henderson shot and attempted to murder rival Milo Bloods gang members in June 2014.  He also opened fire on an individual after a dispute involving stolen narcotics in April 2015. All parties involved in Steve Henderson’s case have recommended a sentence of 240 months in prison for the court to consider.

 

As part of McCrae’s plea, he admitted to participating in the racketeering conspiracy (a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison) by selling narcotics as part of the Portsmouth drug operation and also opening fire during the April 2015 drug dispute.

Walton pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, a crime punishable by 10 years up to life in prison. According to his plea agreement, he arranged for heroin addicts to transport cocaine and heroin from Columbus to Portsmouth. Walton also sold narcotics in Portsmouth and was personally responsible for distributing between 1,000 and 3,000 grams of heroin himself.

 

Others charged in this case include:



Name





Also Known As





Age





Charles Carson





 





23





Jonathan Dantzler





Jesus





26





Terrell Hansard





T Body





21





Michael Henderson





Bang





20





Brandon Martin





Gunner





26





Shawn Nelms





Mook





25





Deswan Robinson





Dezzy





25





Thomas Seals





Bhomo





24





Michael Watson





Sossa





25



 

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ATF, FBI and Columbus Police, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys David M. DeVillers, Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton, who are prosecuting the case.

# # #

COLUMBUS, Ohio – One of 19 defendants charged in a gang-related racketeering conspiracy was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 120 months in prison.

 

Dominique Bryant, also known as “Doggy,” 27, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in the racketeering conspiracy in January.

 

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Todd A. Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Interim Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan, United States Marshal Pete Tobin and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.

 

According to court documents, Bryant and the other defendants are members and associates of the Trevitt and Atcheson Crips gang known as T&A.

The gang derived its name from Trevitt and Atcheson streets in the King-Lincoln District of Columbus, where its members predominantly reside.

Beginning in June 2010, T&A members and associates conspired in a racketeering enterprise and engaged in murders, attempted murders, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, witness tampering, robbery, assault and other crimes.

The gang controlled the neighborhood through intimidation, fear and violence. Gang members were expected to retaliate with acts of violence when their members and associates were disrespected, threatened, intimidated or subjected to acts of violence.

 

Specifically, co-conspirators are charged with five murders:

the murder of Franky Tention on July 1, 2012, in the area of 431 Ellison Street;

the murder of William Moore on March 15, 2013;

the murder of Marvin Ector on December 23, 2013, on East 5th Avenue;

the murder of Quincy Story on January 24, 2015; and

the murder of Deaonte Fisher on March 4, 2016.

 

As part of Bryant’s plea agreement, he accepted responsibility for firing a gun and striking two members of the rival gang Poindexter Thug Life (PTL) at Beatty Park Recreation Center in June 2014.

 

Again, in 2014, Bryant retaliated against members of a second rival gang, the Milo Bloods, by shooting his firearm at a vehicle containing Milo Bloods members.

 

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ATF, FBI and Columbus Police, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys David M. DeVillers, Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton, who are prosecuting the case.

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