Fourteen Syracuse gang members have been arrested on federal charges, including murder, racketeering, and drug trafficking. Members of the 110 Gang were charged with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) from 2012 to now.
The US Attorney’s Office says the 110 Gang “uses murder, robberies, assaults, threats and firearms to control the gang’s territory and to expand the gang’s power and reputation. The gang also sells drugs and commits credit card fraud to make money.” The gang’s territory is on the southwest side of the City of Syracuse, defined by Tallman Street to the north, Onondaga Avenue to the west, Centennial Drive to the south and Lincoln Avenue to the east, according to the indictment.
“110 Gang members routinely guard that territory and resort to acts of violence, if necessary, to ensure that no rival gang members encroach upon their territory to sell drugs, or for any other reason. 110 Gang members also occasionally resort to violence within their territory that is not directly related to their drug business, but helps to cement their reputation as violent and feared criminals,” the US Attorney’s Office said in the indictment. The indictment details numerous specific acts involving murders, robberies, drug trafficking and credit card fraud. Those acts include two murders allegedly committed by 110 Gang members as well as several shootings targeting both rival gang members and other members of the public.
Other acts are possessions of illegal firearms including the practice of sharing “community” guns among gang members, associates, and others. Twenty acts relate to the 110 Gang’s drug dealing, and three relate to its use of counterfeit credit cards at financial institutions, stores and businesses, the indictment says. The indictment alleges that all those arrested are all residents of Syracuse, and all are members or associates of the 110 Gang. All 14 defendants are charged with membership in a RICO conspiracy, a conviction for which carries a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment, a period of supervised release of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000. [Source: MyTwinTiers]