Anthony Hopper Convicted on RICO Indictment Including One
Murder
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Following an eight-day trial, a federal
jury in Syracuse convicted Anthony Hopper, age 32, of Syracuse, of violating
the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), announced United
States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge
of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and
Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner.
The RICO conviction included a finding that Hopper was guilty of a
murder. The jury acquitted on another
murder allegation contained in the RICO indictment and on a charge of discharge
of a firearm during a crime of violence.
The other 13 men charged in the same indictment as Hopper have all pled
guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
During the trial, jurors heard testimony from members of the
110 Gang and others about the 110 Gang’s robberies, drug trafficking, and
illegal possession of firearms. They
also heard from witnesses who described how the 110 Gang retaliated against
other gangs for shootings and murders.
“No one should have to live in a neighborhood controlled by
thugs,” said U.S. Attorney Grant Jaquith. “Thanks to the dedicated work of the
Syracuse Police Department, the FBI, and law enforcement agencies in Onondaga
County, another 110 Gang member will now be held responsible for killing a
person in our community. We will never
waver in our resolve to prosecute violent gang members.”
Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner, said, “The Syracuse
Police Department would like to thank United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith
for his partnership in the indictment of 14 men, members and known associates
of the “110” Gang, on Racketeering charges. The convictions of these
individuals culminates the efforts of our local, state and federal partners. This is another example of how working
together is beneficial to our entire community.
We look forward to continuing in this partnership.”
“Anthony Hopper chose to terrorize his community through
violence and fear on behalf of the 110 Gang, and now he will face the
consequences of those actions,” said James Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge
of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). “The FBI and our partners will continue to
aggressively pursue gangs wherever they surface and are committed to making
Syracuse and the surrounding communities a safe place for our citizens.”
Sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2020 in Syracuse before
Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. Hopper faces a
maximum sentence of life imprisonment, based upon the jury’s finding that he
was guilty of committing a murder. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge
based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the
U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), the Syracuse Police
Department, and the Gang Violence Task Force, which consists of members of the
Syracuse Police, the FBI, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S.
Marshals Service, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
(ATF), the New York State Police, the New York State Department of Corrections,
the New York State Attorney General, and the Onondaga County District
Attorney’s Office. This case is being
prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicolas Commandeur and Kristen
Grabowski.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods
(PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction
efforts. PSN is an evidence-based
program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad
spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent
crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address
them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most
violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry
programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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