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Eight Bloods Members Indicted for Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering
DENVER – Eight members of the Bloods street gang have been indicted by a federal grand jury this week on charges of Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Ken Croke, Denver Police Chief Robert White and Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz.
Of the eight indicted, six were previously in custody with the other two recently arrested. This is the first time the VICAR statute has been used in the District of Colorado. Law enforcement employed cutting-edge forensic tools to identify the most violent Bloods gang members, including shell-casing analysis, acoustic gunshot detection technology, and cell phone and social media exploitation.
The VICAR indictment alleges the Bloods are an enterprise whose business is violence, including murder. The indictment charges five counts of violent crimes in aid of racketeering; those violent crimes include conspiracy to commit two different murders, an attempted murder, and two different assaults with a dangerous weapon. The indictment also charges three counts of using firearms to commit violence in aid of the racketeering enterprise. Finally, the indictment charges three counts of unlawful gun possession.
The Bloods gang was formed in the early 1970s in Los Angeles, California. The gang initially was comprised of smaller individual street gangs that unified as the Bloods to protect themselves from a larger street gang, the Crips. Over time, Blood gang “sets” developed across the country. Despite differing geographic regions, the sets maintain common tattoos, communication codes, language, and graffiti markings. Members wear the color red to identify themselves as Bloods and to distinguish themselves from members of the Crips, who commonly wear blue and with whom the Bloods have an often lethal rivalry.
New Bloods members are recruited, generally as juveniles, and are “quoted” into the gang by being beaten by existing Bloods members. Members earn respect by engaging in violence and through a variety of criminal activities including robberies and drug dealing. Members typically tattoo their bodies to identify their membership in, and allegiance to, the Bloods. New recruits are indoctrinated in the Bloods’ rules, which are enforced. One prominent rule encourages Bloods members to confront, fight, and kill rival gang members, particularly the Crips. Another prominent rule commands silence about gang activity and forbids cooperation with law enforcement.
The indictment alleges that the defendants participated in the conduct of the Bloods’ business by the following means and methods: a. Members of the Bloods and their associates used intimidation, violence, and threats of violence, including murder and assault, to preserve, expand, and protect the enterprise’s territory and activities. b. Members of the Bloods and their associates used intimidation, violence, and threats of violence, including murder and assault, to promote and enhance its prestige, reputation, and position in the community. c. Members of the Bloods and their associates promoted a climate of fear through intimidation, violence, and threats of violence. d. Members of the Bloods and their associates used intimidation, violence, and threats of violence, including murder and assault, against various individuals, including known and suspected members of rival gangs and against those who challenged their members or associates.
Defendant/respondent: Not specified in the source.
Exact criminal charges: Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR), including conspiracy to commit two different murders, an attempted murder, and two different assaults with a dangerous weapon, using firearms to commit violence in aid of the racketeering enterprise, and unlawful gun possession.
City and state: Denver, Colorado.
Exact date: This week (no specific date mentioned).
Sentence or outcome: Currently under indictment.
Dollar amounts: Not applicable.
Tags: Bloods gang, VICAR charges, Colorado.
Category: Organized Crime.
Key Facts
- State: Colorado
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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