ROCK ISLAND, IL – Two more alleged members of a ruthless Quad Cities gang are facing federal charges as prosecutors expand a racketeering conspiracy that’s stained the streets with violence for nearly two decades. Kylea Dapri Cartwright, Jr., 27, of Rock Island, Illinois, and Cortez Deangelo Cooper, Jr., aka “Tez,” 30, also of Rock Island, were added to an indictment already naming twelve individuals linked to groups known as the Arsenal Courts Posse, Zone Fifth, Fifth Street Mafia, Rock Town Money Getters (RTMG), and Money Team.
The feds allege this crew has been engaged in a pattern of criminal activity stretching back to April 2006, encompassing murder, shootings, robbery, and the relentless flow of drugs. Cartwright, Jr. is charged with racketeering conspiracy and being a felon in possession of ammunition, carrying a maximum sentence of 30 years. Cooper, Jr. faces the same charges and the same potential three-decade stretch behind bars.
According to the second superseding indictment, Cartwright, Jr. and a co-defendant allegedly opened fire on a rival gang member back on September 5, 2012. More recently, on June 1, 2020 – amid the chaos of civil unrest in Davenport – Cooper, Jr. is accused of shooting at someone believed to be a rival. The most damning allegation centers around July 5, 2020, when Cartwright, Jr. allegedly shot and killed a rival gang member.
Federal agents caught up with Cartwright, Jr. on February 20, 2024, executing a search warrant at a residence in the 1300 block of 44th Street in Rock Island. The search reportedly yielded over 30 pounds of marijuana and a haul of gang paraphernalia. He made his initial court appearance on February 23 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen B. Jackson, Jr. Cooper, Jr. is already serving time on a separate federal drug trafficking conviction and will be brought before the court at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa announced the updated charges. The investigation is a multi-agency effort involving the Davenport Police Department, Rock Island Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The ATF’s Kansas City Field Division is taking the lead on the federal investigation.
It’s crucial to remember that an indictment is not a conviction. Both Cartwright, Jr. and Cooper, Jr. are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. But with a history of violence stretching back years, and the weight of these new charges, the feds are clearly aiming to dismantle this dangerous operation and bring its members to justice.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Organized Crime|Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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