Baltimore BGF Gang Member Sentenced To Life In Prison For Federal Racketeering And Drug Conspiracy Charges

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    Contact ELIZABETH MORSE

www.justice.gov/usao/md                                              at (410) 209-4885

Baltimore, Maryland – On May 10, 2018, United States District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Kenneth Jones, a/k/a “K-Slay”, and “Slay,” age 30, of Baltimore, Maryland to life in prison for conspiring to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known as the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) gang’s Greenmount Avenue Regime.  Jones was responsible for three separate murders and at least one attempted murder as the primary enforcer for the gang.  In January, Jones was convicted by a federal jury of racketeering conspiracy, as well as conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

According to the evidence presented at the two-month trial, Jones was a member of an organization known today as the BGF Greenmount Avenue Regime, a violent set, or “bubble,” of BGF.  During the early years in which it operated, the gang called itself the Young Guerilla Family, or YGF, and consisted mostly of younger people who lived in the 2200, 2300, and 2400 blocks of Barclay Street and Guilford Avenue.  YGF members sold drugs throughout the Greenmount Avenue corridor and committed murders, shootings, and armed robberies.

In about mid-2007, YGF members took the BGF oath and became the BGF Greenmount Avenue Regime.  According to evidence presented at trial, the BGF Greenmount Avenue Regime continued to sell drugs and commit violent acts, including murders, shootings, and robberies, and by mid-2013 controlled the roughly rectangular area bordered by Greenmount Avenue to the east; Guilford Avenue to the west; 25th Street to the north; and Federal Street to the south, as well as certain offshoots east of Greenmount Avenue, including Mund Park and Cokesbury Avenue.

Between 2005 and 2017, the BGF Greenmount Avenue Regime and its members were responsible for seven murders; three non-fatal shootings; more than 10 armed robberies; and over 12 years of street-level drug dealing.  The government proved at trial that Jones was responsible for three of these murders and a fourth attempted murder.

In January 2007, co-conspirator Gerald Johnson, a/k/a “Geezy,” authorized the murder of YGF associate Gregory Rochester, a/k/a “Craig Mack,” both because Rochester was rumored to be cooperating with the law enforcement and because Johnson believed that Rochester had stolen drugs from him.  Pursuant to Johnson’s order, Jones and two other YGF members shot and killed Rochester inside a residence that was used by YGF to package and store narcotics.

The Court also found at sentencing that Jones was responsible for the May 7, 2013 murder of Trevon White, a/k/a “Country.”  Like Jones, White was a member of the BGF Greenmount Regime.  The government proved at trial that Jones shot White to death, in the presence of two other BGF members, with a 9mm handgun in the 300 block of E. 22^nd Street in Batimore.

Jones was also responsible for the murder of Thabiti Wheeler, an unauthorized taxi or “hack” driver, in March of 2013.  The government proved at trial that Jones shot Wheeler 18 times, with the same gun he used to kill Trevon White, while the two men were in Wheeler’s car.

Lastly, Jones was responsible for the October 5, 2013 non-fatal shooting of Lamontae Smith.  Smith testified at trial that Jones shot him in the arm in the 300 block of E. 24^th St. Smith explained that prior to the shooting, three of his fellow BGF members, including Shawn Gregg, Tavon Thompson, a/k/a “Man Man,” and Nate Brown, had attempted to shoot Jones as retaliation for Jones’ murder of Trevon White.  Following that attempted shooting, Smith learned from a co-conspirator that Jones believed—incorrectly, as it turned out—that Smith had been involved in the attempt on his life.

The following eight co-defendants, also members of the BGF gang, have all previously pleaded guilty or were found to be guilty of conspiring to violate federal racketeering and drug trafficking laws;

Joseph Laurence Bonds, a/k/a/ Joe, a/k/a Yo Gotti, age 36; 

Wesley Jamal Brown, a/k/a Shike White, a/k/a Wes, age 25;

Kenneth Lee Faison, a/k/a Roscoe, age 28;

Norman Tyrone Handy, a/k/a Lil Norm, a/k/a Norm, age 23;

Montel Harvey, a/k/a Telly, a/k/a Telephone, a/k/a Big Head, age 26;

David Albert Hunter, a/k/a Lil Dave, a/k/a Dave, age 31;

Gerald Thomas Johnson, a/k/a “Geezy,” age 35; and

Marquise McCants, a/k/a Digga, age 25.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF, the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Martinez and Christina Hoffman, who prosecuted the case.