Keenan Seymour, Racketeering, Indiana 2023

HAMMOND, IN – Keenan Seymour, 23, of Chicago, Illinois, will spend the next 15 years of his life behind bars after being sentenced for his role in the brutal activities of the Latin Dragons Nation street gang. U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon handed down the 180-month sentence, followed by two years of supervised release, holding Seymour accountable for a November 2017 murder, according to federal prosecutors.

The sentencing is the latest fallout from a sprawling federal investigation into the Latin Dragons, which originated in Chicago and spread its tentacles into Northwest Indiana. A Sixth Superseding Indictment revealed the gang’s pattern of violence – murder, attempted murder, witness tampering, and assault – all used to maintain control of their territory. Seymour admitted to conspiracy to commit racketeering activity, a charge that carries significant weight given the gang’s history of bloodshed.

Seymour wasn’t working alone. Eighteen other co-defendants have already pleaded guilty to participating in the racketeering conspiracy, painting a disturbing picture of a gang deeply involved in criminal activity. The feds didn’t hold back when assigning responsibility for past crimes. Ralph Mendez, Jr. received a staggering 42.5-year sentence for his involvement in two drive-by shootings and murders in May and July of 2017. Justin Anaya will spend 35 years in prison, held responsible for the murder of a minor child in July 2017, and another murder in November of the same year, committed while shooting from a moving vehicle.

The carnage continued with Gustavo Mata, also sentenced to 35 years, for a July 2012 murder where the victim was shot from a residence’s back porch. Manuel Diaz earned a 35-year sentence for a September 2017 murder, shooting the victim while driving. Jonathan Arevalo received 20 years for supplying a firearm used in a 2012 murder and a 2015 felony murder. Luis Colunga, 17 years for a 2012 felony murder. Javier Aguilera, 18 years for a 2013 shooting. Ralph Daniel Mendez, 17 years for a 2017 drive-by.

This wasn’t a solo operation. The investigation involved a massive multi-agency task force: the FBI, ATF, Chicago PD, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and numerous local Indiana police departments including Hammond, East Chicago, Merrillville, Hobart, and Lake County. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin F. Wolff, Michael J. Toth, and Joseph A. Cooley, along with Hans Miller from the Organized Crime and Gang Section, built the case. The Department of Justice touted this case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.

While the sentencing of Seymour and his cohorts marks a significant blow to the Latin Dragons, it’s unlikely to be the end of gang violence in the region. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and expose the underbelly of federal crime. This case serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing battle against organized crime and the devastating consequences of gang activity.

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