Florida officers on Monday introduced the conviction of the highest chief of the “Intercourse, Cash, Homicide” gang within the Sunshine State, capping a multiyear racketeering investigation that authorities say uncovered a violent prison enterprise.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, joined by Florida Legal professional Basic James Uthmeier and different state officers, mentioned that case dismantled the Florida hierarchy of the gang, a subset of the Bloods.
“If you wish to have interaction in harmful, violent, gang-related exercise, don’t do it in Florida,” Judd mentioned. “Most significantly, don’t do it in Polk County. Are you nuts?”
Authorities mentioned the defendant, recognized as Hernando Thompson, referred to as T. Murda, was convicted on 17 felony counts, together with racketeering and conspiracy, and now faces as much as 5 life sentences.
Prosecutors mentioned Thompson directed gang exercise starting from robberies and drug trafficking to shootings and tried murders whereas insulating himself from direct involvement.
“He managed it like a enterprise crime syndicate,” Uthmeier mentioned. “This was a foul dude, a violent man, and we’re going to do what must be completed to guard our communities in any respect prices.”
Investigators mentioned that the case relied on a court-authorized wiretap that intercepted greater than 4,700 communications discussing prison exercise, together with search warrants that led to the seizures of firearms, ballistic armor and roughly $1.5 million price of medicine.
Officers additionally mentioned violent incidents throughout the investigations, together with when gang members allegedly pointed weapons at younger youngsters throughout dwelling invasions, together with an 8-year-old and a 3-month-old toddler.
“The one cause the sufferer wasn’t murdered is that he bought away in the midst of the night time,” Judd mentioned. “We locked him up on different fees to maintain him alive till the investigation was full.”
Through the information convention, Judd displayed boards displaying the suspect’s prolonged prison historical past, which authorities mentioned dated again greater than 20 years and included 14 prior felony fees, 10 misdemeanors and two jail phrases. Thompson is in custody on the Polk County Jail, awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for Feb. 20.
Judd criticized the prison justice system for permitting Thompson to be launched on bail whereas the investigation was ongoing.
“I don’t know who the harebrained decide was that permit him out,” Judd mentioned. “When he’s not in jail, he’s out committing crime.”
Officers mentioned the investigation prolonged past Florida, figuring out leaders and associates in North Carolina and South Carolina, and that further instances might observe.
Uthmeier framed the prosecution as a part of Florida’s tough-on-crime strategy, together with lengthy jail sentences for violent offenders.
“We would like him behind bars for the remainder of his life,” Uthmeier mentioned. “In case you run medication, weapons and violence into our communities, you will pay the worth.”
Judd ended with a blunt message aimed toward criminals watching the case: “In case you actually need to commit crime unabated, there’s California, New York, New Jersey. Simply get out of Florida.”
