Southside York Gang Leader Enters Guilty Plea to Racketeering Conspiracy

HARRISBURG - A leader of the “Southside Gang” located in York, Pa. pled guilty to racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracy today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karoline Mehalchick in Scranton. According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, James Abney, a/k/a “Doocs”, age 29, of York, pled guilty as the parties prepare for a jury trial scheduled for September 21, 2015.

On September 17, 2014, a federal indictment was brought by a grand jury in Harrisburg charging 21 one members of the Southside Gang with racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracy. In the indictment, the Southside Gang is identified as an alleged criminal enterprise whose purpose is to protect its territory and power through intimidation, violence and threats, generate profits primarily through open-air drug dealing within its territory and violent crime, defend and retaliate on behalf of gang members, and assist members through retaliation against witnesses and thwarting efforts of law enforcement.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Essam E. Rabadi, the racketeering conspiracy indictment was the result of a two-year combined investigation by ATF, York City Police Department and the York County District Attorney’s Office with participation by the Pennsylvania State Police, West York Borough Police Department, Spring Garden Township Police Department, the York County Drug Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio, William Houser, Joseph Terz, and Daryl Bloom are prosecuting the case. The names of those charged in the indictment are listed at the end of this release. They all were held in custody pending trial.

According to the indictment, all 21 men allegedly are or have been members or participants in the Southside Gang, which operated in the southern area of the City of York. The center of the alleged gang area is near Maple and Duke Streets in York, a location locally known as “the Jungle.”

The gang allegedly functions through an organized structure, including senior leaders, drug traffickers engaged in narcotics distribution; and “shooters,” who commit violent acts on behalf of the gang and to protect each other. Order is allegedly maintained through intimidation, threats, violence and, in some cases, murder.

The indictment alleges that defendant James Abney has been a principal leader and organizer, along with six other indicted individuals. The indictment also alleges that the Southside Gang includes a group of violent drug traffickers, originally affiliated with the “Bloods,” primarily a New York-based national violent street gang.

The indictment alleges criminal acts involving violence against a rival York gang, called “Parkway,” allegedly resulting in deaths of members of both gangs and innocent bystanders. Southside Gang members allegedly distribute illegal drugs, mainly crack cocaine, as a major part of the criminal enterprise’s business and used and possessed firearms to protect the drugs.

Many Southside gang members have been investigated and prosecuted by York and York County law enforcement agencies for years as individual cases. The federal prosecution aims at dismantling the organization by exposing and attacking its ongoing structure and leadership. The federal investigations of gang violence and drugs in York are continuing in full cooperation with local police and the York County District Attorney’s Office.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

In this case, the maximum penalty James Abney faces is 25 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

Name and Street Name                Age

Rolando Cruz, a/k/a “Mico”         29

Marc Hernandez, a/k/a “Marky D”           29

Douglas Kelly, a/k/a “Killer”         36

Roscoe Villega, a/k/a “P Shawn”               40

James Abney, a/k/a “Doocs”      28

Tyree Eatmon, a/k/a “Ree”         26

Jahkeem Abney, a/k/a “Foo”     24

Maurice Atkinson, a/k/a “Mo”   27

Anthony Sistrunk, a/k/a “Kanye”              26

Cordaress Rogers, a/k/a “Tank”                 28

Eugene Rice, a/k/a “B Mor”         26

Angel Schueg, a/k/a “Pocko”      24

Marquis Williams, a/k/a “Quis” 26

Jalik Frederick, a/k/a “Murder Cat”          21

Brandon Orr, a/k/a “B Or”            22

Malik Sturdivant, a/k/a “Base”   22

Jabree Williams, a/k/a “Minute”               23

Ronald Payton, a/k/a “Ron Ron”               22

Jerrod Brown, a/k/a “Boogie”    25

Quintez Hall, a/k/a “Q” 21

Richard Nolden, a/k/a “Rich”      24