GangRelated

Jury Selection Set to Begin for Jacksonville Woman Accused in Murder of Rapper Julio Foolio Amid Gang-Related Violence

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TAMPA, Fla. — Jury selection is set to commence Monday in the murder trial of a Jacksonville woman accused in the shooting death of Charles Jones, a rapper known as “Julio Foolio.” Alicia Andrews, 21, faces charges along with four others, marking her as the first of the group to stand trial. Jones, 26, was fatally shot on June 23, 2024, during an ambush while celebrating his birthday in Tampa. Prosecutors allege that Andrews, along with Isaiah Chance, Sean Gathright, Davion Murphy, and Rashad Murphy, traveled to Tampa from Jacksonville on June 22, 2024, with … Read more

Jury Convicts Inmate in Deadly 2018 Gang-Related Prison Riot, Hands Down Additional Life Sentences

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BISHOPVILLE, S.C. — After just one hour of deliberation, a Lee County jury convicted inmate Stephen Green of murder and other charges stemming from a brutal 2018 prison riot that left seven dead and more than 20 injured. The jury found Green guilty on Thursday, making him the only person thus far convicted of murder for the violent episode, despite the large number of inmates involved. The trial, which began Monday, highlights the severe consequences of one of the nation’s most devastating prison riots and marks Green as the second to face trial out of … Read more

Lil Tjay’s Lawyer Sets Record Straight: Rapper Not Indicted in Gang-Related Charges

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Bronx, NY — The legal team for rapper Tione Jayden Merritt, known professionally as Lil Tjay, is seeking to correct what they say are false reports linking the artist to a federal gang indictment. The 23-year-old Bronx native was recently rumored to be implicated in charges against a group identified as the Slattery Gang, or “Slaughtery” Gang, which has been tied to a series of violent crimes, including 14 shootings. The Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark, alongside NYC Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban, last month announced the indictment of several gang members. However, Lil … Read more

Former Gang Member Convicted of Gang-Related First-Degree Murder in Santa Cruz County

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SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – A former Watsonville man was found guilty of gang-related first-degree murder by a Santa Cruz County jury this week after an extensive trial and nearly three days of deliberation. The 29-year-old, Jason Cortez, was convicted for killing his Santa Cruz County Jail cellmate, German Carrillo, on October 13, 2022. Cortez’s conviction follows the separate trial and guilty verdict of another cellmate, Mario Lozano, who was sentenced to multiple life sentences for Carrillo’s murder, as well as an unrelated 2004 slaying in Watsonville. During the trial, Cortez took the stand in his … Read more