T&A Crips gang member sentenced to 20 years in prison

COLUMBUS, Ohio – One of 19 defendants charged in a gang-related racketeering conspiracy was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 240 months in prison.

Steve Henderson, Jr., 25, of Columbus, shot and attempted to murder rival Milo Bloods gang members in June 2014. He also opened fire on an individual after a dispute involving stolen narcotics in April 2015.

Henderson and others were indicted in September 2018 and charged in a racketeering conspiracy that includes five murders, multiple attempted murders and other violent and drug-trafficking crimes.

According to court documents, the defendants are members and associates of the Trevitt and Atcheson Crips gang known as T&A.

The gang derived its name from Trevitt and Atcheson streets in the King-Lincoln District of Columbus, where its members predominantly reside.

Beginning in June 2010, T&A members and associates conspired in a racketeering enterprise and engaged in murders, attempted murders, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, witness tampering, robbery, assault and other crimes.

The gang controlled the neighborhood through intimidation, fear and violence. Gang members were expected to retaliate with acts of violence when their members and associates were disrespected, threatened, intimidated or subjected to acts of violence.

Specifically, co-conspirators are charged with five murders:

the murder of Franky Tention on July 1, 2012, in the area of 431 Ellison Street;

the murder of William Moore on March 15, 2013;

the murder of Marvin Ector on December 23, 2013, on East 5th Avenue;

the murder of Quincy Story on January 24, 2015; and

the murder of Deaonte Fisher on March 4, 2016.

T&A engaged in a long-term operation of consistent transportation of heroin and crack from Columbus to Portsmouth, Ohio, for sale in various “trap houses.” In the summer of 2015, T&A, under the leadership of Eric Henderson, Sr., began to deliver large amounts of heroin, crack, and oxycodone from Columbus to Portsmouth on a weekly basis.  Female associates and drug-addicted “mules” transported the drugs at the direction of T&A members and associates. The drugs were then sold on a daily basis out of a number of “trap houses” controlled by T&A members.

“What made this violent gang particularly dangerous was their effectiveness at illegally acquiring massive amounts of firearms and bringing them to Columbus,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “T&A Crips not only sold narcotics, but also took advantage of the vulnerability of drug addicts, who often had no felony convictions, to both purchase and steal firearms.”

Co-defendant Eric Henderson, Jr. was sentenced last week to 78 months in prison. He sold gram quantities of crack cocaine in Columbus and Chillicothe on behalf of the racketeering conspiracy.

Terrance Pyfrom, 21, was also sentenced last week. Pyfrom was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiring to distribute crack cocaine and shooting at members of the Easthaven Bloods gang on Aug. 8, 2014, after a drive-by shooting.

David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Interim Columbus Police Chief Tom Quinlan; United States Marshal Pete Tobin and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.