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Native Mob Gang Leader Sentenced to 43 Years in Prison
A former leader of the Native Mob, a regional criminal organization, has been sentenced to 43 years in prison. Wakinyon Wakan McArthur, 36, was found guilty by a jury in March 2013 after a seven-week trial. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis.
McArthur was convicted along with two other defendants, William Earl Morris and Anthony Francis Cree. Morris was sentenced to 35 years, while Cree received approximately 24 years. The three men were found guilty of conspiring to engage in criminal activity through the Native Mob, in violation of the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
The Native Mob is estimated to have 200 members, with new recruits, including juveniles, regularly joining from communities with large Native American populations. Members often wear red and black clothing or sport gang-related tattoos to signify their affiliation. The gang is considered one of the largest and most violent Native American gangs in the U.S., according to the 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment.
As proven at trial, the Native Mob’s primary objective is to preserve, protect, promote, and enhance its power, territory, and finances. Gang members achieve this through distributing illegal drugs, including crack cocaine, and by committing acts of violence against individuals associated with rival gangs.
McArthur and his co-defendants were also found to have hindered or obstructed officials from identifying or apprehending those wanted by the law, and intimidated witnesses to Native Mob crimes. They maintained and circulated firearms for gang use and committed acts of violence, including murder.
This case was the result of a long-term, cross-jurisdictional investigation conducted by numerous local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement officers. The investigation was assisted by agencies from across the state, including the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the FBI-funded Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
In addition to McArthur, Morris, and Cree, 25 other defendants have pleaded guilty or been convicted of conspiracy and other crimes related to their membership in the Native Mob. Those defendants were sentenced to between 2 ½ and 43 years in prison for their crimes.
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: Organized Crime|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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