MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Five members of the notorious Highs gang are facing serious time after a federal jury delivered guilty verdicts on charges of RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking, and multiple firearms offenses. The convictions, handed down following a grueling three-week trial in Minneapolis, mark a significant blow against the gang responsible for years of terror in the city’s north side.
Tyreese Giles, 24, Josiah Taylor, 31, Trevaun Robinson, 29, William Banks, 35, and Gregory Brown, 35, all of Minneapolis, were found to be active participants in the Highs’ criminal enterprise. Prosecutors presented evidence detailing how the gang carved out territory north of West Broadway Avenue, using intimidation, violence, and a steady flow of narcotics to maintain control. The Highs are known for a long-standing and bloody rivalry with the Lows gang, who operate south of Broadway, fueling years of escalating violence.
The trial revealed the inner workings of the Highs, exposing a rigid structure of “cliques” and a clear expectation of retaliation against rivals. Members were allegedly required to participate in murders, shootings, burglaries, assaults, and robberies – all in the name of furthering the gang’s influence and protecting its drug trade. The Department of Justice is already pursuing separate federal charges, including racketeering, against alleged members of the Lows gang, indicating a broader crackdown on street violence in the city.
“This is the second successful trial against members and associates of the Highs gang in this case in the last three weeks,” stated Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case and these trials show the Department’s relentless determination to hold accountable criminal enterprises that use murder and intimidation to exert power and control narcotics territory. We will continue to dismantle violent gangs and secure justice for victims and their loved ones in communities around the country.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson for the District of Minnesota didn’t mince words, describing the Highs as having “long terrorized north Minneapolis, bringing drugs, violence, and murder.” He praised the coordinated effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as the expertise of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section, in bringing the case to fruition. The FBI and ATF played critical roles in mapping the gang’s structure and gathering evidence of their violent acts.
“The Highs have used violence to terrorize and control our streets with no regard for the innocent lives impacted by their dangerous lifestyle,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. Acting Director Daniel Driscoll of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) emphasized the agency’s commitment to utilizing federal racketeering laws to dismantle these criminal organizations, noting that the defendants “relied on firearms, retaliation, and drug trafficking to fuel chaos.” Sentencing dates for Giles, Taylor, Robinson, Banks, and Brown have not yet been announced, but each faces significant prison time for their roles in the Highs’ reign of terror.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Organized Crime|Violent Crime|Drug Trafficking|Weapons
- Source: Official Press Release
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