Founder of Violent Dead Man Incorporated Gang Sentenced to Life on Federal Racketeering, Murder, and Drug Charges
Defendant was Scheduled to be Released from State Prison

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Perry Roark, a/k/a Rock, “Pops,” “Slim,” “Saho the Ghost,” age 42, today to life in prison for conspiracy to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known as the Dead Man Incorporated (DMI). Roark has been the “supreme commander” of DMI since it was originally created as a prison gang in Maryland in 2000. At the government’s request, Judge Bennett has recommended that Roark serve his sentence at USP Florence, Colorado, the most secure prison in the federal system.

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.

“Perry Roark was scheduled to be released from state prison, but instead he will spend the rest of his life in federal prison for leading the violent Dead Man Incorporated gang and arranging murders,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Federal racketeering prosecutions serve a critical role in the coordinated local, state, and federal law enforcement strategy to reduce violent crime in Maryland.”

According to Roark’s plea agreement, DMI was created 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.

DMI members operated in and out of prisons throughout Maryland, as well as Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Texas. DMI is active in numerous prison facilities in Maryland. Units operating outside the prisons are identified by the region they cover, such as Brooklyn, South Baltimore, Southwest Baltimore, Southeast Baltimore, Dundalk, Westminster, Glen Burnie, etc.

Roark admitted that he conspired to conduct the affairs of DMI through a pattern of criminal activity from 2000 to the present, including: murder and threats to commit murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and extortion. DMI members and associates smuggled drugs, tobacco, cell phones, and other contraband into prisons by concealing them on the persons of visitors to the prisons.

Gang members used contraband cell phones in prisons to coordinate the smuggling of contraband into prisons, disseminate information about arrests and releases of members and associates, to warn of investigations, to publicize the identities of persons believed to be cooperating with law enforcement, and to order assaults and murders of such persons, as well as enemies of DMI.

Specifically, Roark admitted that from November 2008 through June 2, 2009, he ordered and planned the June 2, 2009 murder of Tony Geiger, which was carried out by his co-defendants. Roark admitted that he ordered three other murders, which were never carried out, as well as numerous assaults. Roark was frequently involved in drug trafficking within the prisons where he was housed from 2000 to the present.

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.