Rounds Crew Gang Leader Sentenced On Racketeering Charges

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051 
 
BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Johnny Rounds, who was convicted of racketeering conspiracy involving murder and drug dealing and operating a continuing criminal enterprise, was sentenced to 300 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel L. Violanti and Wei Xiang, who handled the case, between 2004 and June 2010, the defendant was the head of the Rounds Crew which committed numerous acts of violence and narcotics trafficking on the East Side of Buffalo encompassing Broadway and several intersecting streets. Members of the gang guarded that territory and resorted to acts of violence to insure that no rival gang members or other individuals encroached upon their territory for any reason, including selling or distributing drugs.

Acts of violence included the murders of three people who did not have any affiliation with gang activity, and the attempted murders of several others:

• The July 10, 2009 murder of Brandon Haugabook, on the corner of Paderewski and Townsend Streets in Buffalo;

• The August 12, 2009 murder of Larry Crosland on William Street in Buffalo;

• The August 13, 2009 murder of Shawn Kozma on Reed Street in Buffalo. Kozma’s body was found burned a day later on August 14, 2009 in a vacant field on William Street;  

• Several attempted murders and shootings of rival gang members.

In addition to committing the murders and attempted murder, the Rounds Crew engaged in narcotics trafficking offenses in their territory which included Reed, Detroit, Townsend, and Coit Streets in Buffalo. 

Johnny Rounds and seven other Rounds Crew Gang members have been convicted in this case.  

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Delano A. Reid, New York Field Division. Additional assistance was provided by the Erie County District Attorney's Office.