High Ranking Member of the Gangster Disciples Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy
Memphis, TN – A Gangster Disciples gang member was sentenced today to 324 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for participating in both racketeering and drug conspiracies.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U. S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant of the Western District of Tennessee, Special Agent in Charge M.A. "Mo" Myers of the FBI’s Memphis Division and Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Memphis Field Division, made the announcement.
Derrick Kennedy Crumpton, aka "38," 35, of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. of the Western District of Tennessee. Crumpton previously pleaded guilty to both racketeering and drug conspiracy charges.
According to the indictment, the Gangster Disciples is a highly organized national gang active in more than 35 states. The scope of the Gangster Disciples’ crimes is wide-ranging and consistent throughout its national operation. The gang protects its power through threats, intimidation and violence, including murder, attempted murder, assault and obstruction of justice. The Gangster Disciples promotes its enterprise through member-only activities and provides support to members charged with or incarcerated for gang-related offenses.
According to the indictment, Crumpton served as the "Assistant Governor" of the Gangster Disciples for the state of Tennessee, reporting directly to the Governor of the state for the enterprise. In that role, Crumpton directed other members and associates of the enterprise in carrying out criminal activity with other Gangster Disciples gang leaders, as well as participated directly in the criminal activities of the enterprise – including acts involving murder, kidnapping, assault, witness intimidation, narcotics distribution and weapons trafficking.
The FBI; ATF; the Memphis Multi-Agency Gang Unit; the Memphis Police Department; the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office; the Jackson Police Department Gang Enforcement Team; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; the Madison County Sheriff’s Department; the 28th District West Tennessee Drug Task Force; the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office; the 26th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office; the 25th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office; the Atascosa County District Attorney’s Office and the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office investigated this case.
Trial Attorneys Francesca Liquori and Marianne Shelvey of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth Boswell of the Western District of Tennessee and Samuel Stringfellow of the Northern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
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