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Grape Street Crips Leader Sentenced to 45 Years
Newark, NJ – Kwasi Mack, also known as ‘Welches,’ was sentenced to 540 months in prison for his role in a murder, attempted murders, plots to kill a state witness, and conspiracy to distribute heroin as part of a racketeering conspiracy.
Mack, 29, pleaded guilty to eight counts of the sixth superseding indictment, including murder and attempted murders as part of a RICO conspiracy, assaults with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to assault with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
According to court documents, Mack admitted to committing the following violent acts in furtherance of the RICO conspiracy:
In August 2006, Mack used two firearms simultaneously to kill a rival gang-member and severely injured an individual who was with the rival.
On Oct. 10, 2011, during an outdoor cookout, Mack used an assault rifle to attempt to kill a gang-member who had previously cooperated in a murder investigation and whose loyalty to the gang was in question. Mack shot eight individuals, at least two of whom suffered permanent or life-threatening injuries.
After being charged by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office with the Oct. 10, 2011, attempted murder, Mack was provided with the identity of the only witness against him. Mack ordered fellow gang-members to kill that witness. Gang-members took substantial steps to carry out Mack’s orders, but the murder never took place.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and special agents of the FBI for the investigation leading to Mack’s guilty plea. He also thanked prosecutors and detectives of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, police officers and detectives of the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the investigation.
Judge Madeline Cox Arleo sentenced Mack to five years of supervised release in addition to the 45-year prison term.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Osmar J. Benvenuto, Barry Kamar, and Richard J. Ramsay of the Criminal Division and the Office’s Appeals Division in Newark.
This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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