Terry Ross Blake, Racketeering, Texas 2014

Terry Ross Blake, 56, a high-ranking member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas gang, pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in the Southern District of Texas.

Blake, also known as ‘Big Terry,’ pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity before U.S. District Judge Sim Lake. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison at sentencing, scheduled for October 8, 2014.

According to court documents, Blake and other ABT gang members and associates agreed to commit multiple acts of murder, robbery, arson, kidnapping, and narcotics trafficking on behalf of the ABT gang.

The ABT was established in the early 1980s within the Texas prison system and modeled itself after the Aryan Brotherhood, a California-based prison gang formed in the 1960s. The gang expanded its criminal enterprise to include illegal activities for profit.

Court documents allege that the ABT enforced its rules and promoted discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, arson, assault, robbery, and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the enterprise.

Blake’s guilty plea is one of 36 defendants charged with conducting racketeering activity through the ABT criminal enterprise. To date, 28 defendants have pleaded guilty.

The case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Rangers; Texas Department of Public Safety; Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Office of Inspector General; Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Atascosa County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Orange County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Waller County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Alvin, Texas, Police Department; Carrollton, Texas, Police Department; Mesquite, Texas, Police Department; Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office; and the Atascosa County District Attorney’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.

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