Bloods Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Racketeering Charges

WASHINGTON – Kerry Pettus, aka “Lil Kerry,” 23, of Nashville, Tenn., pleaded guilty to charges related to his membership in the Bloods gang criminal enterprise , Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Jerry E. Martin announced today.

Pettus pleaded guilty on Dec. 21, 2011, before U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger in the Middle District of Tennessee to one count of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

According to court documents, Pettus and other Bloods gang members and associates agreed to commit multiple acts of murder, robbery, narcotics trafficking and bribery on behalf of the Bloods gang.  Pettus and numerous Bloods gang members met on a regular basis at various locations throughout the Middle District of Tennessee, including Shelby Park, Cedar Hill Park and the Galaxy Star Drug Awareness and Gang Prevention Center in Nashville, to report on gang-related business, collect dues, commit disciplinary actions against fellow gang members, discuss acts of violence against rival gang members and initiate or “jump in” new members by beating them for a period of time, among other things.

Pettus admitted to being a Bloods member and to engaging in multiple acts in support of the criminal enterprise, including: possessing firearms, shooting rival gang members, possessing crack cocaine with the intent to sell it and receiving fraudulent documentation of court-ordered community service hours from Lonnie Greenlee, co-founder of the Galaxy Star Drug Awareness and Gang Prevention Center, in exchange for money. These acts occurred at various times from March until May 2010.

Twenty-four co-defendants have pleaded guilty for their participation in the criminal enterprise. Pettus is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2012. The plea agreement states that the appropriate sentence is a term of 20 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; the Gallatin, Tenn., Police Department; with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Davidson County, Tenn., District Attorney’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scarlett Singleton of the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Cody L. Skipper of the Organized Crime and Gang Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.