On September 6, 2018, a federal indictment was filed against Jose Luis Andrade in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (ILND Federal District). The charges brought against Andrade included three counts of violating the Hobbs Act, a federal statute that prohibits extortion and robbery affecting interstate commerce. Additionally, Andrade faced one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
The indictment alleged that between 2015 and 2017, Andrade, a member of the Latin Counts street gang, engaged in a pattern of extortion and robbery targeting local businesses in the Chicago area. It was further alleged that the proceeds from these crimes were used to finance further gang activities.
The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall, who presided over the trial. After a several-week-long trial, the jury delivered a guilty verdict on all counts. In 2019, Judge Kendall sentenced Andrade to a total of 180 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
The guilty verdict and subsequent sentencing marked a significant victory for law enforcement in their efforts to combat gang-related violence and extortion in the Chicago area. The case served as a prime example of the importance of federal involvement in addressing violent crime and gang activity that transcends local jurisdictional boundaries.
Key Facts
- Case: Andrade
- Court: ILND Federal District
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Federal Court Records
