Christopher LaJuan Tibbs, Armed Robbery, Michigan 2014
Detroit Gang Leader Sentenced to 346 Months in Prison for Armed Robbery
A Detroit gang leader was sentenced to 346 months in prison for aiding and abetting an armed robbery of a Little Caesars pizza restaurant in Redford, Michigan.
Christopher LaJuan Tibbs, 38, also known as “Chief Fatah,” was convicted on August 29, 2014, of aiding and abetting an armed robbery. The evidence at trial established that Tibbs was the leader of the Michigan branch of the Mafia Insane Vice Lords, a violent street gang that operated primarily on the east side of Detroit.
The Mafia Insane Vice Lords was a local faction of the national Vice Lord gang that originated in Chicago. During his leadership of the Mafia Insane Vice Lords, Tibbs recruited and used young adults and children to commit crimes for the gang, and ordered the murder of a witness in connection with this case.
The evidence at trial showed that Tibbs helped plan an armed robbery of a Little Caesars restaurant in Redford, Michigan, in September 2013. Tibbs “blessed” it as a mission for the gang, and sent four subordinate members to commit the crime. At the robbers’ direction, the employees, including a pregnant woman, disabled the alarm and opened the safe.
Tibbs took a majority of the proceeds, some of which were spent on the gang. This case marked the first time that the federal criminal street gang enhancement was charged in the Eastern District of Michigan.
The case was investigated by the ATF, with assistance from the Redford Police Department, Detroit Police Department, and Chicago Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Joseph Wheatley of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Gabel of the Eastern District of Michigan.
Tibbs was sentenced to 346 months in prison for aiding and abetting an armed robbery. The crime occurred in September 2013, and Tibbs was convicted on August 29, 2014. He is currently serving a 346-month prison sentence.
This case highlights the importance of holding gang leaders accountable for their crimes. The Mafia Insane Vice Lords was a violent street gang that operated primarily on the east side of Detroit, and Tibbs was a key figure in the gang’s activities.
Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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