GD Crew Admits Memphis Shooting Spree

MEMPHIS, TN – A brutal act of gang violence from 2014 is finally drawing to a close as seven members of the notorious Gangster Disciples have admitted to their roles in a retaliatory shooting that left five people wounded. The guilty pleas, announced today by Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence J. Laurenzi, expose the chilling inner workings of a gang built on intimidation and bloodshed.

The Gangster Disciples, born from the union of the Black Disciples and Supreme Gangsters in 1970s Chicago, have spread like a malignant tumor across the country, now active in roughly 35 states, including Tennessee. Court documents reveal the gang’s core purpose: to maintain power through threats, intimidation, and, when necessary, outright violence – even murder. This case demonstrates that intent in horrifying detail.

The incident began on June 21, 2014, at the Hillview Apartments in Memphis. Florence Anthony, a Gangster Disciple member, reported an altercation to her superiors within the gang’s hierarchy. This sparked a chain of events culminating in a calculated act of retribution. Anthony, along with Brandon Milton, returned to the apartments and Milton opened fire, discharging at least three shots. Fortunately, no one was hit, but the gang’s “security team” was activated to plan a more devastating response.

Hours later, Edwin Carvin, Robert Mallory, Tony Coburn, Erik Reese, and Ranito Allen – all identified as Gangster Disciples – descended upon the Hillview Apartments, armed with firearms. They systematically targeted individuals they believed to be rival gang members, unleashing a hail of bullets that struck four juveniles and one adult male. While all five victims survived, several sustained serious injuries. This wasn’t random violence; it was a deliberate attempt to assert dominance and send a message.

All seven defendants – Florence Anthony, Brandon Milton, Edwin Carvin, Robert Mallory, Tony Coburn, Erik Reese, and Ranito Allen – were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity (18 U.S.C. § 1959) and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (18 U.S.C. §924(c)). Today, Erik Reese became the final defendant to plead guilty. Sentencing dates are as follows: Tony Coburn – March 23, 2017 at 3:30 p.m.; Robert Mallory – March 24, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.; Edwin Carvin – March 24, 2017 at 1:30 p.m.; Florence Anthony – June 1, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.; Brandon Milton – June 1, 2017 at 1:30 p.m.; Ranito Allen – June 2, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.; and Erik Reese – June 22, 2017 at 1:30 p.m., all before United States District Court Judge Samuel H. Mays.

Each member of this violent crew now faces up to life in federal prison and a potential fine of up to $250,000. The investigation, a collaborative effort by the FBI, the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, and multiple local law enforcement agencies including the Memphis, Bartlett, and Germantown Police Departments, and Sheriff’s Offices in Tipton, Desoto and Shelby counties, sends a clear message: gang violence will not be tolerated. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry Kitchen, Michelle Kimbril-Parks, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stringfellow.