A nine-count indictment was unsealed in the Western District of Tennessee charging six alleged members of a criminal street gang known as Unknown Vice Lords – Ghost Mob with conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and firearms violations.
Court documents say that the UVL Ghost Mob is a violent, criminal street gang that operates throughout the Western District of Tennessee and elsewhere. The UVL Ghost Mob is a subset of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation, which originated in Chicago and eventually spread to other parts of the United States, including Tennessee.
On Sept. 6, 2020, after rival gang members opened fire on UVL Ghost Mob members and their families, injuring four people, UVL Ghost Mob leaders ordered a retaliatory attack.
Shortly after midnight on Sept. 7, 2020, the defendants travelled to the residence of the rival gang members, armed with assault style rifles and wearing masks and gloves. The defendants intentionally shot approximately 40-50 bullets into the residence while the rival gang members were inside. Neighborhood security cameras captured the shooting. In the video, the defendants are depicted using, carrying, and firing multiple firearms into the residence.
“As alleged, these individuals showed a blatant disregard for public safety, engaging in a retaliatory gang shooting in a residential neighborhood,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Gang violence inflicts profound harm on our communities, fostering fear, destabilizing neighborhoods, and damaging the quality of life for law-abiding residents. The arrest of these violent gang members underscores the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting public safety and the rule of law. We will continue to dismantle these criminal organizations and protect the safety and security of our citizens.”
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The following defendants were charged for their role in the offense:
Antwon Brown, also known as Yayo, 32 of Memphis, Tennessee;
Cordera Douglas, also known as Chuckie Dee, 36 of Memphis, Tennessee;
Willie Merriweather, 41 of Antioch, Tennessee;
Tevin Richardson, also known as Santana, 34 of Memphis, Tennessee;
Ricky Rogers, Jr., also known as Double R, RR, 32 of Memphis, Tennessee; and
Laraveus Williams, also known as Ray Ray, 32 of Memphis, Tennessee;
“The premeditated and horrendous acts of violence that these gang members committed demonstrates a blatant disregard for human life,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Nashville Field Division. “The men and women of the ATF, along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, remain committed to combatting violent crime and swiftly bringing these individuals to justice before they commit other senseless acts of violence.”
The ATF and Memphis Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Lisa M. Thelwell and Dennis Robinson of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
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