Another Street Gang Leader Prosecuted in Federal Court

MINNEAPOLIS—This afternoon in federal court in St. Paul, the former leader of the “Young and Thuggin’” (YNT) street gang was sentenced for distributing crack cocaine. United States District Court Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced Trayjohn Lashawn Martin, age 21, of Minneapolis, to 87 months in federal prison on one count of aiding and abetting the distribution of crack cocaine.

Martin was indicted on September 7, 2011, and pleaded guilty on June 14, 2012. Because the federal justice system does not have parole, Martin will spend virtually his entire prison sentence behind bars.

In his plea agreement, Martin admitted that on June 13, 2011, he provided a confidential informant with approximately 24.7 grams of crack cocaine during a controlled purchase in north Minneapolis. Several days earlier, law enforcement officers had contacted Martin via telephone to set up the buy. It ultimately took place in the 2500 block of Fourth Street North.

Martin also admitted to the court that he conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute as well as to distribute at least 28 grams but less than 112 grams of crack cocaine.

The YNT gang has been connected to a string of violence in North Minneapolis, which has included the trafficking of both narcotics and firearms.

This sentence comes on the heels of last week’s federal-court conviction of several members of the Native Mob street gang on charges ranging from racketeering to attempted murder.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Twin Cities Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which is led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and includes the Minneapolis Police Department. The task force’s mission is to investigate and target the most violent gangs operating in the Twin Cities or those gangs engaged in the large-scale trafficking of illegal drugs. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven L. Schleicher.