Hollygrove Gang Member Walter Conley Pleads Guilty to Federal RICO and Murder Charges

Walter Conley, age 25 and a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty today in federal court before U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr. to various federal violations stemming from a 34-count indictment that charged Conley and several of his associates with participating in a violent drug gang that operated in the Hollygrove area of the city of New Orleans.

As part of his plea agreement, Conley agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit RICO; conspiracy to use firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking offense; participating in a non-fatal shooting in aid of racketeering, to wit: the assault with a dangerous weapon; using a firearm to murder Paul May on September 14, 2008; committing a carjacking in Jefferson Parish on January 15, 2010; and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Based on his guilty plea, Conley will face a sentence of up to life in prison plus an additional 10 years for the firearms offense.

On November 16, 2012, an indictment charged Conley, Tyronne Stevenson, Theron Goldston, Bernell Williams, Norman Ratcliff, and Mark Glenn with participating in a RICO conspiracy, drug conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, and several substantive acts of violence.

The indictment alleged the defendants were members and associates of this criminal enterprise that operated in an area of the city that historically encompasses the Hollygrove area of New Orleans. Theron Golston pled guilty to a life sentence for his participation in the murder of Ms. Eula May Ivey.

Carey Jones also pled guilty to a life sentence for his participation in the RICO conspiracy, two separate non-fatal shootings, and for his participation in the murder of Ms. Eula May Ivey.

Bernell Williams pled guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy, drug conspiracy, gun conspiracy, and to his involvement in two separate non-fatal shootings. He will face a sentence of 25 to 30 years in prison.

Ryan Carroll pled guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy and to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence. He faces a sentence of 10 years to life.

China Stewart pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and will face a sentence of not more than five years.

On August 21, 2013 co-defendants Tyronne Stevenson and Mark Glenn both pled guilty. Stevenson will receive a sentence of 30 years and Glenn will receive a sentence of 25 years.

Conley, Stevenson, and Glenn will be sentenced on December 11, 2013, at 9:00 a.m.. Conley was the last defendant in this indictment to plead guilty.

U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente stated, “We are starting to see the results of the strong cases that are being made by the newly formed Multi-Agency Gang Unit [MAG Unit] as the indictments in this case were the first to be returned based on the investigations done by the members of the MAG Unit. These long sentences confirm that the agents built their investigations on solid evidence and should put other gang members on notice that the MAG Unit has the ability, the tools, and the knowledge to completely dismantle an entire criminal enterprise. This is the type of effort that the federal government will continue to put forth to combat violent crime.”

U.S. Attorney Boente would like to thank the federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives who took the lead role in this investigation and who have been steadfast in their resolve to bring these violent offenders to justice.

The Multi-Agency Gang Unit is a New Orleans Police Department-led division that includes federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the U.S. Marshals Service; as well as participants from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, State Probation and Parole, and the New Orleans District Attorney’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr.