DETROIT, MI – A jury delivered a damning verdict today, convicting three high-ranking members of the Almighty Vice Lords Nation (AVLN) on federal RICO charges stemming from a brazen 2020 murder committed in broad daylight at the Shirley-Plymouth playground on Detroit’s west side. The seven-week trial laid bare the sprawling criminal enterprise of the AVLN, detailing a network of violence, drug trafficking, and intimidation that reached across state lines.
The victim, identified only as J.G., 29, was gunned down in front of his two young children. The prosecution presented evidence showing that Davun Baskerville, 34, of Detroit, the Chief of Security for the Traveling Vice Lords (TVL) branch, was the shooter. But the conspiracy didn’t end there. Evidence proved Terry Douglas, 44, of Detroit, the Chief of the TVL branch, and Schuyler Belew, Jr., 31, of Detroit, a Universal Elite leader within the Michigan faction, aided and abetted the killing. The mother of the children, pregnant at the time, was also shot and injured during the attack.
The jury found Terry Douglas guilty of RICO conspiracy, with a special finding that he aided and abetted the 2020 murder and participated in a conspiracy to distribute more than 280 grams of crack. He also faces charges of aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during the murder and attempted murder, and multiple other gun and drug charges. Douglas is subject to a mandatory 35-year sentence and up to life in prison. Schuyler Belew, Jr. was convicted of RICO conspiracy, also with a special finding for aiding and abetting the 2020 murder and participating in the crack distribution conspiracy, plus aiding and abetting the firearm discharge. He faces a mandatory 20-year sentence and up to life.
Davun Baskerville bore the brunt of the jury’s anger, convicted of RICO conspiracy with a special finding for the murder and attempted murder. He was also found guilty of discharging a firearm during the murder and attempted murder of the witness – the mother of the children. Baskerville faces a mandatory 20-year sentence, with the possibility of life behind bars. The prosecution meticulously detailed how the AVLN operated as a criminal enterprise, using violence and intimidation to control territory and facilitate drug trafficking.
“Today, a jury delivered justice to the men responsible for a brutal murder that took place in broad daylight in a park where children play,” stated United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “It gave closure to a mother who was viciously shot in front of her kids. And, hopefully, it sent a clear message to those who are involved in gangs that perpetuate so much violence: stop or we will stop you.” James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the ATF, added that the verdict was proof of the agency’s commitment to disrupting gun violence at its core.
The ATF and Detroit Police Chief James White worked jointly on the investigation. While these convictions represent a significant blow to this particular faction of the AVLN, sources within the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) acknowledge the gang remains active nationally. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case, and report on further developments as they unfold. This conviction sends a message – even the most entrenched criminal organizations are not immune to federal prosecution.
Related Federal Cases
- Detroit Federal Agents, Money Laundering, Detroit MI, 2024 · Texas
- Derrick Lee Smith, Public Corruption Scandal, Detroit MI, 2023 · Michigan
- Tyrone Nix Charged with Counterfeit Debit Card Use, Detroit MI, 2023 · Ohio
- Larry Darnell Frazier, Store Credit Card Fraud, Detroit MI, 2023 · Ohio
- First National Bank of Lindsay, Bank Failure, Oklahoma, 2023 · Oklahoma
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Organized Crime|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Press Release
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News