Dead Man Incorporated Gang Member Exiled to 16 Years in Prison for Racketeering, Including Murder

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Gregory Cook, age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 16 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known as the Dead Man Incorporated (DMI).

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Gerido of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives-Baltimore Field Division; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Larry W. Tolliver; Secretary Gary D. Maynard of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee.

According to court documents, DMI was founded originally in 2000 as a prison gang in Maryland and at its inception was closely allied to the Black Guerilla Family (BGF), another prison gang. By 2006, DMI expanded its membership by recruiting members outside prison, including women.

According to Cook’s plea agreement, he was a member of DMI and in the summer of 2009 was in the Brooklyn, Maryland unit of the gang. Cook admitted that he trafficked in cocaine, crack, marijuana, and prescription pills with other DMI members. In August and September 2009, one of Cook’s co-conspirators ordered a “hit” on an individual who owed him a drug debt. DMI member Walter Milewski was recruited to commit the murder but killed the wrong person. As dictated by DMI rules, Cook and his co-conspirator sought the permission of a DMI “Elder” to murder Milewski, because they believed he was a risk to reveal what happened to police and as punishment for killing the wrong man. The murder was authorized, and Cook was notified by a call to his cell phone when Milewski was killed.

Two of the founders of DMI, Perry Roark, a/k/a Rock, “Pops,” “Slim,” “Saho the Ghost,” age 42, and James Sweeney, age 36, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty and were both sentenced to life in prison.

Mr. Rosenstein praised the FBI; ATF; Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; Baltimore County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Department; Baltimore City Police Department; the Maryland State Police; Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office; Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this investigation and prosecution.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Robert R. Harding and Christopher J. Romano, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.