Three Members of “Dump Squad” Sentenced

NEWPORT NEWS, VA—Twan Bugg, age 23, and Samuel Bates, age 27, both of Newport News, VA were sentenced today to 30 years in prison and 25 years in prison respectively. Ty Davis, age 25, also of Newport News, VA was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison. Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.

According to court documents all three were members of the “Dump Squad” a criminal organization that grew from a national gang known as the “Bloods” and operated in the Ridley Circle, Harbor Homes, and Dickerson Court areas of Newport News, Va. The defendants protected the power and prestige of the criminal street gang through the use of intimidation, violence, and threats of violence—including the murders of Terrell Williams on Nov. 6, 2006; Tiarra Campbell on Jan. 17, 2007; and Tony Vaughan on Dec. 24, 2007.

The defendants were named in a 38 count indictment returned in March of this year. The indictment included charges involving a criminal racketeering enterprise that engaged in acts of violence, including murders, attempted murders, robberies, assaults, arson, witness intimidation, narcotics distribution, and weapons violations. All three defendants plead guilty in April to their participation in a conspiracy to engage in racketeering activity. Ty Davis pled to additional charges of brandishing a firearm during a drug robbery and conspiracy to burn the Newport News Police High Impact Patrol (HIP) Station. Twan Bugg pled guilty to an additional charge of discharging a firearm in connection with a crime of violence and Samuel Bates pled guilty to an additional Hobbs Act robbery which resulted in the murder of Terrell Williams. 

This case was investigated by the FBI, Newport News Police Department, the Hampton Police Department and the Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Tayman and Robert Bradenham, II, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.