Fourteen individuals belonging to a violent criminal street gang that operates in Western Tennessee have been given federal prison sentences.
The prison sentences handed out in this case vary from 2.5 years to a lifetime behind bars.
According to officials in the Justice department, the Traveling Vice Lords/Junk Yard Dogs (TVL/JYD) gang, which is a faction of Chicago’s Almighty Vice Lord Nation, consists of all the defendants.
According to reports, the gang was involved in a string of murders and attempted murders of their rival gang members in the summer of 2020, as part of an ongoing gang war.
The shootings occurred at five distinct crime scenes in Fayette and Hardeman Counties.
“We have caught hold of members of a violent gang who posed a threat to the security and safety of various communities in West Tennessee,” stated Kevin G. Ritz, the United States Attorney. “They will now be serving extended periods of time, including life sentences, in federal prisons. Our office remains committed to collaborating with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure that gang members and trigger-pullers are brought to justice.”
Under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, which is a federal law enacted by Congress in 1970 to combat organized crime, the 14 defendants were found guilty of various crimes.
On February 9, 2024, the RICO Act offenses were successfully prosecuted, resulting in the conviction of Tomarcus Baskerville, Courtland Springfield, and Thomas Smith, all of whom were members of the gang.
In 2023, the remaining 11 members of the group pleaded guilty.
Judge Sheryl H. Lipman of the United States District Court handed out sentences to the defendants in the following manner:
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- Tomarcus “TC” Baskerville, 35 | 960 months to be followed by life imprisonment
- Courtland “Hotbox” Springfield, 32 | 480 months to be followed by life imprisonment
- Montaveen “CGE Tay” Taylor, 26 | 420 months
- Martivus “Tavis” Baskerville, 30 | 324 months
- Deandra “Dre” Rivers, 28 | 262 months
- Thomas “TJ” Smith, 25 | 255 months
- Trevin “Scooter” Hullom, 31 | 216 months
- Bianca Jackson, 23 | 188 months
- Curtis “CB” Baskerville, 38 | 180 months
- Mardarius McNeal, 26 | 135 months
- Christopher “Lil Chris” Peeler, 32 | 120 months
- Davaius “Mighty Shun” Worrles, 31 | 66 months
- Deonte “Tez” Walker, 32 | 41 months
- Torrance “Phat” Fitzpatrick, 29 | 31 months
David Rausch, the Director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, has expressed his agency’s commitment to investigating and going after violent gang members in order to restore safety and peace. He has commended the justice system’s dedication to putting a stop to gang violence by sending a clear message that such reprehensible acts will not be accepted. Rausch has also emphasized that he and his team will keep working tirelessly with their partners to combat violent crime all over the wonderful state of Tennessee.
The investigation into this case was carried out by multiple law enforcement agencies including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office, Whiteville Police Department, and Somerville Police Department.
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