CHICAGO – Raymond Betts, 56, of Riverdale, a self-proclaimed “prince” within the notorious Four Corner Hustlers street gang, will spend the next decade in federal prison after being sentenced for his role in a large-scale heroin distribution network operating on Chicago’s West Side. Betts received 120 months, followed by eight years of supervised release, after admitting to conspiring to distribute wholesale quantities of the deadly drug.
Federal prosecutors detailed how Betts, charged in May 2019 with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, personally or through associates, moved 136.4 grams of heroin to a confidential informant over eight transactions between December 2018 and March 2019. The majority of these deals – seven in total – went down in the hard-hit Austin neighborhood. One transaction took place in Betts’ hometown of Riverdale. The ATF, leading the investigation, uncovered plans by Betts to expand his operation beyond Chicago, specifically targeting markets in Northern Indiana.
The sentencing of Betts doesn’t end there. Two of his alleged co-conspirators, Angela Bell, 52, of Chicago, and Maurice Williams, 54, of Riverdale, also known as “Big Fella,” “Big Ride,” and “Naz,” have already pleaded guilty to the same heroin conspiracy charge. Williams is slated to be sentenced on July 14, 2023, while Bell will learn her fate on May 26, 2023. The investigation suggests a tightly knit operation, with each member playing a crucial role in moving the drugs and profiting from the city’s opioid crisis.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Morris Pasqual, announced the sentence, highlighting the collaborative effort of multiple agencies. The investigation was a joint operation between the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA), bringing together the ATF, the DEA, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan DeMarco prosecuted the case.
This case represents a small victory in the ongoing war against Chicago’s entrenched gang networks. While Betts is behind bars, the Four Corner Hustlers remain active, and the flow of heroin continues to poison the streets. Law enforcement officials acknowledge that dismantling these organizations requires sustained pressure and a multi-pronged approach, focusing not only on arrests but also on disrupting financial networks and addressing the root causes of drug addiction.
The ATF’s Christopher Amon, DEA’s Sheila G. Lyons, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart, and Chicago Police Superintendent Eric Carter all contributed to the investigation. Despite the collaborative effort, the question remains: how many more “princes” like Betts are still operating in the shadows, profiting from the misery of others and fueling the cycle of violence and addiction in Chicago?
Related Federal Cases
- Ramon Cortez Freeman, Heroin Distribution, Cedar Rapids IA, 2014 · Illinois
- Darren Kattan, Mail Fraud Conspiracy, LA 2024 · Illinois
- Gary James Evans Jr., Drug Conspiracy, Missouri 2024 · Illinois
- Gene Talley, Heroin Distribution, Ohio 2024 · Illinois
- Wendell Burts, Bank Fraud Conspiracy, Illinois 2024 · Illinois
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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