Nine members of a street gang have been indicted on charges of drug trafficking, attempted murder, firearms offenses and related charges, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The indictment alleges that the nine people are members of the Eastside Rollin 20s Crips, or RTC, gang, operating throughout the United States including in Washington and Northern Virginia.
The names of the nine members were not released. It is unknown if the alleged gang members are in custody.
According to the indictment, the RTC members and associates committed numerous violent acts on behalf of the RTC, including:
- June 2022 murder in Alexandria
- July 2021 attempted shooting of several individuals in the District of Columbia
- August 2021 armed robbery and pistol whipping of an individual in Hollywood, Fla.
- January 2021 attempted murder of two individuals in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The 12-count indictment was unsealed today in the Eastern District of Virginia charging the nine people with:
- drug conspiracy
- murder, in aid of racketeering
- firearms offenses
- attempted murder
- armed robbery
- conspiring to distribute large quantities of pressed fentanyl pills
- narcotics trafficking
- identity fraud
- straw purchasing of firearms
To finance and promote criminal activities, the indictment alleges that RTC members and associates obtained and distributed multi-kilogram quantities of pressed fentanyl pills. The indictment also alleges that, as part of the gang’s criminal activity, the RTC recruited children and encouraged them to commit crimes on behalf of the gang, including acts of violence and drug trafficking.
If convicted, the defendants face up to life in prison or the death penalty, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
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Crystal Graham
