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Press Release

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

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maryland
Gang was Responsible for Seven Murders, along with Armed Robberies, Shootings and Stabbings

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    Contact ELIZABETH MORSE

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

 

Baltimore, Maryland – United States District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Gerald Thomas Johnson, a/k/a “Geezy,” age 35, 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.  Johnson was convicted by a federal jury of conspiring to violate federal racketeering and drug trafficking laws, as well as conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, possession of ammunition by a felon, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. 

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; Commissioner Darryl DeSousa of the Baltimore Police Department; Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

According to the evidence presented at the two-month trial, Johnson was the leader 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 Regime.  According to evidence presented at trial, the BGF Greenmount 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. 

In his capacity as a leader of BGF, Johnson supplied his fellow gang members with powder and crack cocaine, as well as heroin, ecstasy, marijuana and oxycodone, for further distribution on the street.  He also distributed narcotics himself. 

Johnson also ordered the commission of multiple acts of violence, including two murders.  First, in January 2007, he ordered the murder of Gregory Rochester, a/k/a “Craig Mack,” because Rochester was rumored to be cooperating with law enforcement and because Johnson suspected that Rochester had stolen drugs from the gang.  On January 9, 2007, YGF members Kenneth Jones, a/k/a “Slay,” and Charles Pace, a/k/a “Foo,” carried out Johnson’s directive and murdered Rochester inside an apartment building in the 200 block of East 25th Street.  

Second, in April 2013, Johnson ordered the murder of Moses Malone.  Johnson authorized the murder after learning that Malone had provided information to Baltimore City Police detectives regarding a robbery and shooting committed by BGF member Norman Handy.  Malone was the victim of that shooting.  During his interview with police detectives, Malone had picked Handy out of a photo array as the person who shot him.  On May 2, 2013, BGF member Wesley Brown carried out Johnson’s directive and murdered Malone in the 600 block of Cokesbury Avenue. 

Prior to his conviction in this case, Johnson was acquitted of gang-related offenses following a jury trial in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.             

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; Kenneth Jones, a/k/a, K-Slay, a/k/a Slay, age 30; and Marquise McCants, a/k/a Digga, age 25.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF, 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.

 

Updated April 30, 2018