Oakland Gang Members Sentenced in Child’s Murder

Two Oakland men linked to the violent Acorn street gang were sentenced to 43 years in federal prison for their roles in a 2011 shooting rampage that left a child dead and six others wounded during a music video filming. Dionte Houff, a/k/a “Bird,” “Birdman,” “Tay,” 36, of Oakland, and Houston Nathaniel, III, a/k/a “No No,” “Lil No,” 28, of Oakland, each admitted to federal racketeering charges tied to murder, drug trafficking, and multiple firearm offenses.

The sentencing, handed down by Chief United States District Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton, follows guilty pleas entered on August 9, 2017. The charges stem from a superseding indictment filed June 18, 2015, which detailed a pattern of violent behavior by the Acorn gang aimed at intimidating rivals and controlling territory in West Oakland. Nathaniel admitted to three separate shootings in November 2011, including two on November 6—one targeting a rival gang member who was left permanently disabled, the other hitting a bicyclist in Acorn-claimed territory.

The deadliest attack came on November 28, 2011, when Nathaniel and Houff joined a group of armed gang members who drove to a West Oakland block where a music video was being filmed. Believing the video disrespected their gang and was being shot near rival-affiliated homes, they opened fire on the crowd. Seven people were shot, including a child who later died from injuries. Nathaniel admitted he carried and fired a weapon during the assault; Houff admitted he exited the vehicle and personally fired into the group.

Nathaniel pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 1962(d)); maiming in aid of racketeering (18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(2)); assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering (18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(2)); attempted murder in aid of racketeering (18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5)); using a firearm during a crime of violence causing death (18 U.S.C. § 924(j)(1)); and additional firearm charges. Houff pleaded to the same core charges, including firearm use causing death and racketeering conspiracy.

Both men acknowledged their involvement in drug distribution as part of their support for the Acorn gang, furthering the enterprise’s criminal objectives. The initial indictment was returned July 19, 2012, and expanded in 2015 as federal authorities built a broader RICO case linking the shootings to an ongoing criminal organization. The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder.

Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse emphasized that the long sentences reflect the severity of crimes committed in broad daylight, targeting civilians and claiming an innocent child’s life. ‘This was not just street violence—it was organized, retaliatory, and ruthless,’ Tse stated. ‘The Acorn gang operated like a criminal enterprise, and today’s sentences deliver justice for years of terror in West Oakland.’

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