York Gang Member Who Was Videotaped Stomping A Rival Gets 21 Years’ Imprisonment

HARRISBURG — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tyree Eatmon, a/k/a “Ree,” age 30, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 21 years and eight months’ imprisonment on December 20, 2018, by United States District Court Judge Yvette Kane for racketeering and drug distribution conspiracies.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Eatmon was identified as a member of the “Southside” street gang and was involved in violent gang activity. Four other gang members from the “Southside” case were previously sentenced to life in prison.

At the sentencing hearing, the United States presented evidence of Eatmon’s involvement in the violent gang activity that was the subject of the two-month long trial that occurred in 2015. On September 2, 2012, Eatmon and his fellow gang members were involved in a melee in the parking lot of convenience store. During the melee, Eatmon and co-defendant Maurice Atkinson, a/k/a “Mo,” assaulted, kicked and stomped a member of a rival gang. During the altercation, multiple shots were fired striking an innocent bystander in the head, causing permanent damage.  Video footage of the assault and shooting was played at the trial.

The government noted that Eatmon was involved in other shootings and assaults during his years of involvement in the gang.          

Judge Kane noted that the violence associated with the gang was a “reign of terror” to community. The court compared Eatmon to the other four defendants on whom she imposed a life sentence. The judge found that Eatmon was not involved in murders and / or violent retaliations against witnesses. She also found that Eatmon served over 42 months of incarceration in state facilities for related conduct.

In November 2015, a jury convicted Eatmon of racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug trafficking after a seven-week trial.  It included over 100 witnesses called by the government, including York City Police officers and detectives, federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI and gang members who had previously pleaded guilty and featured the presentation of over 500 exhibits.  Among the exhibits were videos of violent incidents involving the Southside Gang, drugs, cash and property seized by police and ATF agents as part of the investigation. 

The jury also convicted the other 11 men who went to trial with Eatmon.

Overall, the jury found seven of the 12 men on trial guilty of racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute drugs, mainly cocaine base (crack) and cocaine, but including heroin in some instances.  Two others were found not guilty of the racketeering charge but were found guilty of the drug distribution conspiracy count of the indictment.  Three of the defendants were found not guilty of either of the conspiracy counts.  The jury found all 12 defendants guilty of possession of illegal drugs with the intent to distribute.  Two defendants were also charged and found guilty of, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

According to U.S. Attorney Freed, the principal defendants, specifically the most violent and those in leading roles, were found guilty of the racketeering conspiracy charges.

The individual defendants and the charges on which they were awaiting sentencing or were sentenced:

Rolando Cruz, Jr., “Mico,” age 32; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, drug possession with intent to deliver and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking (2 counts) was sentenced on October 3, 2017, to life in prison.

Marc Hernandez, a/k/a “Marky D,” age 32; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, drug possession with intent to deliver and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking (2 counts) was sentenced on October 25, 2017, to life in prison.

Douglas Kelly, a/k/a “Killer,” age 39, racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced on December 12, 2017, to life in prison.

Maurice Atkinson, a/k/a “Mo,” age 30; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced on February 12, 2018, to life in prison.

Roscoe Villega, a/k/a “P Shawn,” age 44; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Anthony Sistrunk, a/k/a “Kanye,” age 30; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to 30 years in prison.

Eugene Rice, a/k/a “B Mor,” age 29; drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced to 200 months in prison on December 7, 2017,

Angel Schueg, a/k/a “Pocko,” age 28; drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced to 165 months in prison on December 21, 2017,  

Richard Nolden, age 28; racketeering conspiracy was sentenced to 25 years in prison on December 21, 2017,

Jalik Frederick, a/k/a “Murder Cat,” age 22; drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced to 33 months in prison on June 5, 2017,

Brandon Orr, a/k/a “B Or,” age 23; drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced to 34 months in prison on November 10, 2016,

Jabree Williams, a/k/a “Minute,” age 24; drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced to 60 months in prison on May 15, 2017. 

Southside gang members who pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy prior to the trial are and who are awaiting sentencing are:

James Abney, a/k/a “Doocs,” age 31;

Malik Sturdivant, a/k/a “Base,” age 25;

Jahkeem Abney, a/k/a “Foo,” age 27;

Ronald Payton, a/k/a “Ron Ron,” age 25;

Marquis Williams, a/k/a “Quis,” age 29; and

Quintez Hall, a/k/a “Q,” age 25.

The case included the participation and assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police, West York Borough Police Department, Spring Garden Township Police Department, the York County Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio, William Houser, and Joseph Terz prosecuted the case. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

 

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