Memphis, TN – Demario Demont Sprouse, 39, a/k/a/
"Taco," has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for
conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. U.S. Attorney D.
Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to the superseding indictment, the Gangster
Disciples is a highly-organized criminal street gang with nationwide reach. In
addition to Tennessee, the gang reportedly operates in more than 35 states. The
Gangster Disciples were organized into different positions, including board
members, and governor-of-governors who each controlled geographic regions;
governors, assistant governors, chief enforcers and chief of security for each
state or regions within the state where the Gangster Disciples were active; and
coordinators and leaders within each local group.
During the change of plea hearing on June 19, 2019, Sprouse
admitted that he was the Chief of Security for a region within the Western
District of Tennessee. The superseding indictment to which Sprouse pleaded
guilty indicates that, as Chief of Security he was responsible for the security
of fellow gang members, providing protection to senior Gangster Disciple
members, and providing security and protection during times when law
enforcement or rival gangs were exerting pressure on the gang.
Sprouse was among a total of 16 leaders and members of the
Gangster Disciples criminal street gang originally indicted in 2016 in
"Operation .38 Special" for federal racketeering offenses, including
conspiracy to commit attempted murders; robberies; assaults; distribution of
large quantities of heroin; cocaine and marijuana; firearms trafficking;
kidnappings; intimidation of witnesses and victims; extortion; obstruction of
justice; and other offenses in furtherance of the Gangster Disciples enterprise
and to raise funds for the gang.
On December 16, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge John T.
Fowlkes, Jr., sentenced Sprouse to 120 months in federal prison followed by 3
years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "We are
fighting to reclaim our cities, towns, and neighborhoods from the gangs, and
are effectively dismantling their leadership and influence. "Taco"
has terrorized the Memphis area with his violence and racketeering, and he will
now only have prison food for the next 10 years."
This prosecution was brought as part of the Justice
Department’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program.
OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on
major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and to diminish the
violence and other criminal activity associated with the drug trade. Today,
OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in
cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the
OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug
trafficking, money laundering, and violent organizations.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug
Enforcement Administration, Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, Jackson Police
Department Gang Enforcement Team, Memphis Police Department, Shelby County
Sheriff’s Office, 28th District West Tennessee Drug Task Force, 26th, 25th, and
30th Judicial District Attorney’s General Offices, Sheriff’s Offices for
Tipton, DeSoto, Madison and Fayette Counties, Police Departments of Bartlett,
Germantown and Columbia, TN.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth C. Boswell and Annie T.
Christoff of the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Shauna Hale
of the Criminal Division Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted this case
on behalf of the government.
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