DAVENPORT, Iowa – In a major blow to organized crime, a federal jury in Davenport convicted five Zone Fifth gang members yesterday, May 16, 2024, for Conspiracy to Engage in Racketeering Activity, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Firearms and Ammunition as a Felon.
Don Christopher White, Jr., 37, Raheem Jacques Houston, 30, Deaguise Ramont Hall, 34, Devell Carl Lewis, 35, and Simmeon Terrell Hall, 34, were found guilty of conspiracy to engage in racketeering activity, with multiple acts involving murder and trafficking in controlled substances. The jury also found Houston and White guilty of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, while Deaguise Hall and Simmeon Hall were found guilty of possession of cocaine base with an intent to distribute.
According to public court documents and evidence presented during the two-week jury trial, the defendants were members and associates of a criminal organization known as the “Arsenal Courts Posse a/k/a Zone Fifth a/k/a Fifth Street Mafia a/k/a Rock Town Money Getters (RTMG) a/k/a Money Team.” The Enterprise’s origins date back to the late 1990s and early 2000s in Rock Island, Illinois, where members and associates referred to themselves as the Arsenal Courts Posse.
Between 2009 and 2011, the younger members and associates began referring to themselves as “Zone Fifth” or “Fifth Street Mafia” continuing to represent the location of the Enterprise’s territory. The principal purposes and objectives of the Enterprise were to distribute controlled substances, obtain money and things of value, and earn and maintain respect in the Quad Cities.
White faces a maximum of 40 years in prison, Houston faces a maximum of 30 years, and each of Lewis, Deaguise Hall, and Simmeon Hall face a maximum of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Richard Westphal praised the local, state, and federal law enforcement officers who spent countless hours working on this investigation, saying, “The Quad Cities community deserves to go about their days free from the threat of violence used by these defendants.” The investigation was led by the Davenport Police Department, the Rock Island Police Department, the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation, and other agencies.
Jury trials for co-defendants Devante Atwell French, Michael Linn Cross, and Lashawn D. James Hensley are scheduled for August 5, 2024, while jury trials for co-defendants Timothy Justin Beaver, Rasheem Damonte Bogan, Kylea Dapri Cartwright, Jr., Ricky Lee Childs, Jr., and Cortez Deangelo Cooper, Jr. are scheduled for November 4, 2024.
Related Federal Cases
- ‘Strikers’ Gang Members Indicted for RICO Conspiracy, Car Thefts · Illinois
- Dwayne Appling Sentenced · Illinois
- Ten Men, Including Demarlo McCoy, Charged in IL Dog-Fighting Ring · Illinois
- 4 Latin Dragon Nation Members Indicted in RICO Conspiracy · Illinois
- Live Nation & Ticketmaster Face Antitrust Fight in NY · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
