Defendant Personally Participated in Six Murders
A Baltimore, Maryland man was sentenced today to life in
prison for conspiring to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known
as Trained To Go (TTG). The racketeering
conspiracy included eight murders, drug trafficking, and witness intimidation.
The sentencing was announced by Assistant Attorney General
Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S.
Attorney Robert K. Hur for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge
Gordon B. Johnson of the FBI Baltimore Field Office; Acting Commissioner
Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge
Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Baltimore Field Division; Assistant
Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) Baltimore District Office; Anne Arundel County Police
Chief Tim Altomare and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
Montana Barronette, aka Tana, and Tanner, 23, was sentenced
by U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake for the District of Maryland to serve
life in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. The racketeering conspiracy included eight
murders – six committed by Barronette – as well as drug trafficking and witness
intimidation. Barronette and his
co-defendants were also convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with
intent to distribute heroin, marijuana, and cocaine. A federal jury convicted Barronette and seven
co-defendants on Oct. 31, 2018.
“From 2010 to 2017, Montana Barronette was known as the
number one trigger puller in Baltimore and the leader of the vicious Trained To
Go gang that terrorized the streets of West Baltimore, committing murders –
including six by Barronette himself – shootings, armed robberies, drug dealing,
and witness intimidation,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Today’s sentence brings Barronette’s
murderous career to an end – and brings some measure of justice to his many
victims. I commend our prosecutors, as
well as our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, for their
tireless pursuit of justice against this violent gang.”
“Montana Barronette was the leader of one of the most violent
gangs operating in Baltimore City and personally participated in at least six
murders,” said U.S. Attorney Hur. “As a result of today’s sentence justice has
been served for his victims and their families.
Federal, state and local law enforcement will continue to work together
to remove armed, violent criminals from our neighborhoods and bring them to
justice in the federal system, which has no parole—ever.”
“This case represents the epitome of law enforcement
agencies working together to target and dismantle violent street gangs that
threaten the safety and stability of our neighborhoods,” said FBI Baltimore
Special Agent in Charge Johnson. “The
citizens of Baltimore City and Maryland have the FBI’s commitment that we will
work with our local, state and federal partners to attack these dealers and
remove violent criminals from their neighborhoods.”
According to the evidence presented at their 24-day trial,
Barronette and his co-defendants are all members of TTG, a criminal
organization which operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore,
whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence including
murder, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed
that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity for
TTG.
The evidence at trial showed that Barronette and
co-defendant Terrell Sivells served as the leadership for TTG. Members and associates of TTG sold heroin,
cocaine, and marijuana, and worked to defend their exclusive right to control
who sold narcotics in TTG territory. In
addition to coordinating the distribution of heroin, Barronette also
coordinated with a criminal group known as the “Young Go Getters,” and others
to engage in murder-for-hire schemes on behalf of TTG.
Specifically, the evidence proved that between May 20, 2010
and Jan. 9, 2017, Barronette, his co-defendants, and other members of TTG
committed acts of violence, including nine murders, shootings, armed robbery,
and witness intimidation. The violent
acts were intended to further the gang’s activities, protect the gang’s drug
territory, and maintain and increase a member’s position within the
organization. Murders were committed in
retaliation for individuals robbing TTG members of drugs and drug proceeds, or
while TTG members robbed others of their drugs and drug proceeds, as well as in
murder-for-hire schemes. Further, the
defendants engaged in witness intimidation through violence or threats of violence,
to prevent individuals from cooperating with law enforcement.
The following defendants, all of Baltimore, were also
convicted after trial and face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the
racketeering and drug conspiracies:
Terrell Sivells, aka Rell, 27;
John Harrison, aka Binkie, 28;
Taurus Tillman, aka Tash, 29;
Linton Broughton, aka Marty, 25;
Dennis Pulley, aka Denmo, 31;
Brandon Wilson, aka Ali, 24; and
Timothy Floyd, aka Tim Rod, age 28.
Pulley and Wilson each also face a maximum sentence of 10
years in prison for being felons in possession of a firearm; and a mandatory
minimum of five years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, and
up to life in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug
trafficking crime. Tillman and Sivells
also face up to 20 years in prison for distribution and possession with intent
to distribute heroin. The defendants
remain detained.
Three other TTG members, all of Baltimore, previously
pleaded guilty. Brandon Bazemore, aka
Man Man, 25, pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy, including three
murders and an attempted murder, as well as to the drug conspiracy and was
sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.
Co-defendants Hisaun Chatman, 31, and James Woodfolk, 20, pleaded guilty
to the drug conspiracy and were each sentenced to five years in prison, to be
served concurrent to the state sentence each is currently serving.
Co-defendant Roger Taylor, of Baltimore, is still a fugitive. Anyone who may have information on the
whereabouts of Roger Taylor is asked to contact the FBI Baltimore Field office
at (410) 265-8080.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe
Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task
force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County
Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe
Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting
the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang
violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal
racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal
threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our
citizens and our communities.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a
program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities
they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for
everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff
Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on
targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in
partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the
local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce
violent crime.
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
investigation was conducted by the FBI, Baltimore Police Department, ATF, DEA,
Anne Arundel County Police Department and the Office of the State’s Attorney
for Baltimore City. The case was
prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley formerly of the
Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S.
Attorneys Daniel C. Gardner and Christopher J. Romano of the District of
Maryland.
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