Man sentenced for gang activity
Published 11:40 pm Monday, October 31, 2011
A Portsmouth man was sentenced Monday in Norfolk federal court to 15 years in prison for racketeering and other charges.
Tyrone Williams Jr., 23, was sentenced for participating in a pattern of racketeering activity including attempted murder, home invasion, conspiring to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after Williams was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Williams previously pleaded guilty to these charges on July 13.
According to court documents, Williams admitted to participating in a number of violent activities. On April 29, 2006, Williams and other members of the Bounty Hunter Bloods/Nine Tech Gangsters shot up an occupied residence in Suffolk in retaliation against a member of the Crips, a rival gang of the Bloods. On April 25, 2007, Williams and other gang members executed a home invasion of a residence in Chesapeake, Va. One of the occupants was hit over the head and the other was severely pistol-whipped. In the summer of 2008, Williams and other gang members were in a club in Virginia Beach and spotted an individual who had previously “disrespected” one of the gang members. While driving home from the club, they spotted the same individual driving through the Downtown Tunnel. While driving, they pulled out their handguns and started shooting at this individual, who was able to elude them without injury. Williams was also involved in the distribution of illegal narcotics.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Portsmouth Police Department and the Virginia State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Muhr and V. Kathleen Dougherty are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.