William Walden, Bloods Gang Membership, Tennessee 2010

Nashville, Tennessee – A Nashville man’s affiliation with the Bloods gang has landed him in hot water. William Walden, 23, aka ‘Wild Bill,’ pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity in a federal court in the Middle District of Tennessee.

According to court documents, Walden and other Bloods gang members agreed to commit multiple acts of murder, robbery, and narcotics trafficking on behalf of the gang. The gang members would meet regularly to discuss gang-related business, collect dues, commit disciplinary actions against fellow gang members, and discuss acts of violence against rival gang members.

Walden admitted to being a Bloods member and to engaging in specific criminal activity in support of the criminal enterprise, including possessing cocaine with the intent to sell it, possessing a Glock 9mm semi-automatic firearm, and assaulting Bloods gang member Joedon Bradley during a gang meeting at the Galaxy Star Drug Awareness and Gang Prevention Center in Nashville in March and June 2010.

The investigation into Walden’s activities was a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the Gallatin Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office.

The case against Walden is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scarlett Singleton of the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Cody L. Skipper of the Organized Crime and Gang Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 23, 2012. The plea agreement states that the appropriate sentence is a term of 10 years in prison.

This conviction serves as a reminder of the consequences of gang membership and the importance of law enforcement efforts to combat organized crime in our communities. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and other agencies involved in this case deserve recognition for their tireless work in keeping our communities safe.

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