The blood-soaked reign of Telly Hankton, 40, and his New Orleans-based drug empire ended in federal court this week with a life sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman. Hankton, a ringleader of the violent Hankton Organization, was convicted on multiple counts including racketeering, drug conspiracy, and three cold-blooded murders committed in the name of gang dominance. The organization’s trail of terror stretched from 1996 to the present, leaving behind a legacy of dead rivals, silenced witnesses, and shattered families.
Hankton was found guilty on one count of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to possess firearms, three counts of murder in aid of racketeering—specifically for the killings of Darvin Bessie, Darnell Stewart, and Jesse Reed—and three counts of causing death through the use of a firearm. Prosecutors laid bare a criminal enterprise that operated like a paramilitary force, enforcing loyalty through fear and violence while flooding the streets of New Orleans with drugs.
He wasn’t alone. Walter Porter, 40, also received life in prison after being convicted on a sweeping array of charges, including RICO, conspiracy to obstruct justice, three counts of murder in aid of racketeering (Jesse Reed, Hasan Williams, Darnell Stewart), three counts of firearm-related murder, three counts of felon in possession of a firearm, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence. Porter’s record reflects a career steeped in intimidation and bloodshed, with direct involvement in eliminating both rivals and witnesses.
Andre Hankton, 38, brother of Telly Hankton, was also sentenced to life for his role in the organization. Convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess firearms, one count of causing death through the use of a firearm, and one count of possession of a short-barreled shotgun, Andre played a key role in the gang’s violent enforcement arm. His actions helped maintain the organization’s grip on its territory through lethal force and weaponized control.
Completing the sweep, Kevin Jackson, 43, was sentenced to life for one count of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and one count of murder in aid of racketeering in the death of Jesse Reed. Jackson’s conviction underscores the federal government’s focus on dismantling every level of the criminal hierarchy, from foot soldiers to masterminds. Each defendant was found guilty by a federal jury on June 29, 2016, following a three-week trial that exposed the inner workings of one of New Orleans’ most feared criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite hailed the verdicts as a long-overdue reckoning. ‘This organization poisoned communities, executed rivals, and murdered witnesses—some of whom were family members—just to stay in power,’ Polite said. He credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its relentless investigation and commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Privitera, William J. Quinlan, Jr., David Haller, and Brittany Reed for their prosecution. The life sentences mark the end of a decades-long crime spree that terrorized New Orleans under the banner of the Hankton name.
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- Jasmine Perry Convicted in RICO Murder-for-Hire Plot · Louisiana
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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