Portland Gang Affiliate Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland resident and affiliate of the Rollin’ 60s Crips gang was sentenced to federal prison today for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Kneko Tyray Moore, 34, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on the evening of April 17, 2020, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) received numerous calls from neighbors about an unruly gathering taking place at the Lone Fir Cemetery in southeast Portland during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Callers reported that approximately 20 people were having a barbeque and playing loud music in the cemetery. The gathering was a memorial party for Patrick Kimmons, a deceased Rollin’ 60s Crips gang member buried at the cemetery.

An undercover officer reported seeing known members or associates of the Rollin’ 60s Crips gang, including Moore, at the gathering. Six of the attendees, also including Moore, were on state or federal supervision following felony weapons convictions. When marked police cars arrived on scene, Moore quickly left the group and walked toward a black sedan. He entered the vehicle and sped away, nearly hitting a tree and an unmarked police vehicle.

Two officers then assigned to PPB’s Gun Violence Reduction Team followed Moore as he left the cemetery and pulled him over after he almost struck another car. Both officers recognized Moore as a Rollin’ 60s affiliate and convicted felon and reported he was visibly nervous and trembling. Moore became agitated when the officers impounded his vehicle and placed him under arrest for interfering with an officer. When officers searched Moore’s vehicle, they found a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a chambered round on the front passenger floorboard.

On October 6, 2020, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Moore with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On December 10, 2021, he was found guilty after a four-day trial.

This case was investigated by PPB and the FBI with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Gary Sussman and Leah Bolstad, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.