Member of the Imperial Gangsters Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Murder and Racketeering Conspiracy

A member of the Imperial Gangsters street gang was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murder and conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney David A. Capp of the Northern District of Indiana.

Julian Guillermo Serna, aka Big Ju, 25, of Munster, Indiana, pleaded guilty to the charges on Dec. 27, 2013.  Chief U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon of the Northern District of Indiana imposed the sentence.

According to evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, Serna shot and killed Mario Soriano, a member of a renegade clique of the 139th Street Imperial Gangsters, with whom he had engaged in shootouts previously.  Specifically, while riding in a car, Serna saw Soriano riding in another car.  When Soriano began to lower his window, Serna shot repeatedly into the car, killing Soriano.

Of the 24 Imperial Gangsters who were indicted in this case, all have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the FBI; and the East Chicago Police Department.  The Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department and the Lake County, Indiana, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program provided assistance.  This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Bruce R. Hegyi of the Criminal Division’s Capital Case Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Nozick of the Northern District of Indiana.