Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Gang Member Sentenced in Houston for Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering

WASHINGTON—A Houston resident and member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) gang was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for his role in an aggravated assault that took place in Tomball, Texas, in September 2008, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas.

Bobby Teets, 46, aka “Bull,” pleaded guilty on December 9, 2010, to racketeering aggravated assault for his role in the assault of an applicant for membership in the gang and was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Ewing Werlein, Jr. Teets is to serve the 72-month sentence consecutively to the state prison term he is currently serving. In addition to the prison term, Teets was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.

According to court documents, Teets was a member of the ABT, a race-based, state-wide organization that operated inside and outside of state and federal prisons throughout the United States. The ABT was established in the early 1980s within the Texas prison system. The gang modeled itself after and adopted many of the precepts and writings of the Aryan Brotherhood, a California-based prison gang that was formed in that state’s prison system during the 1960s. According to court documents, the ABT was concerned at one time primarily with the protection of white inmates, white supremacy, and separatism. Over time, the ABT has expanded its criminal enterprise to include illegal activities for profit.

According to court documents, the ABT enforced its rules and promoted discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, assault, robbery, and threats against those who violate their rules or pose a threat to the enterprise. Members, and oftentimes associates, were required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, often referred to as “direct orders.”

According to court documents, on September 22, 2008, Teets and 11 fellow ABT gang members participated in the beating of a prospective ABT member at the home of ABT gang leader Steven Walter Cooke, 48, aka “Stainless,” in Tomball. The prospective ABT member, who sustained serious bodily injury, was beaten by ABT gang members because he violated ABT rules of conduct.

Eleven of the 12 defendants have pleaded guilty for their roles in the assault. The 12th ABT gang member, David Harlow, 43, aka “Bam Bam,” was found guilty following his trial in the Southern District of Texas by Judge Werlein on March 21, 2012.

This case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Texas Rangers; Texas Department of Public Safety; Walker County, Texas Sheriff’s Office; Montgomery County, Texas Sheriff’s Department; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Tomball Police Department; Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Inspector General; and Harris County, Texas Sheriff’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by David Karpel of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman of the Southern District of Texas.