Seven members of the Vice Lords were charged in an
indictment unsealed today with various offenses based on their roles in a
gang-related shooting. The charges are
the result of the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and the community to
reduce homicide and other violent crime under the Detroit One program, which
has led to the arrests and convictions of Vice Lords leaders during this past
year.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General
Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney
Barbara L. McQuade of the Eastern District of Michigan, Special Agent in Charge
Robin Shoemaker of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
(ATF) Detroit Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the
FBI’s Detroit Division and Chief James Craig of the Detroit Police Department.
The seven Vice Lord members charged with crimes stemming
from this incident are:
Antonio Clark, aka
Cheeto, 25, of Detroit, is charged with attempted murder in aid of
racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, use and
carry of firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence and being a
felon in possession of firearms;
Aramis Wilson, aka
Ace, 24, of Detroit, is charged with attempted murder in aid of racketeering,
assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, use and carry of
firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence and being a felon in
possession of firearms;
Tyrone Price, aka
Price, 26, of Detroit, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in aid
of racketeering, and use and carry of firearms during and in relation to a
crime of violence;
Jonathan Kinchen,
aka Deago, 22, of Detroit, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in
aid of racketeering, and use and carry of firearms during and in relation to a
crime of violence;
Kojuan Lee, aka
Juan, 19, of Detroit, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of
racketeering, and use and carry of firearms during and in relation to a crime
of violence;
Kirshean Nelson,
18, of Detroit, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of
racketeering, and use and carry of firearms during and in relation to a crime
of violence; and
Dion Robinson, aka
Doggy, 37, of Detroit, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in aid
of racketeering, and use and carry of firearms during and in relation to a
crime of violence.
Robinson, Clark, Price and Kinchen are in custody; arrest
warrants have been issued for the other three defendants.
According to the indictment, the Vice Lords is a national
gang engaged in a variety of crimes, including murder, robbery, narcotics
trafficking and witness intimidation.
The indictment alleges that the Vice Lords’ leaders are located in both
Chicago and Detroit, and that the gang is broken down into various “sets,”
“decks,” or “branches,” including the Detroit-based Insane Vice Lords, Imperial
Insane Vice Lords, Traveling Vice Lords, Conservative Vice Lords, Mafia Insane
Vice Lords and Insane Goon Gang. The
indictment further alleges that members who seek to leave or withdraw from the
gang oftentimes endure a physical beating, known as a “beat out,” by multiple
Vice Lord members, or are targeted for killing, known as a “green light.”
According to the indictment, on May 7, 2015, to maintain and
improve their positions in the Traveling Vice Lords, the defendants shot four
individuals from the same family. The
indictment alleges that the shooting was prompted by two of the family members’
attempts to leave the gang.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are
merely accusations. The defendants are
presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the ATF, FBI and the
Detroit Police Department. The case is
being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section
and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Michigan.
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