Former Member of Violent Gang “11 Hunnit” Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy Charge

 PITTSBURGH - A former resident of the City of Pittsburgh pleaded guilty in federal court to a violation of the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (commonly known as RICO), Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.

Dionte Griffin, 25, formerly of the Hill District neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty to one count of RICO conspiracy before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.

In connection with the guilty plea, Mr. Griffin acknowledged that he was a member of the violent street gang known as "11 Hunnit," which operated in the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Mr. Griffin acknowledged that he, along with alleged codefendants Sydney Pack, Richard Kelly, and others, conspired to conduct and participate in the conduct in the affairs of the 11 Hunnit gang through a pattern of racketeering activity consisting generically of acts involving murder, robbery, and the distribution of controlled substances. Mr. Griffin acknowledged his personal participation in certain overt acts that were done in furtherance of the RICO conspiracy, which included a January 2016 shooting of a rival gang member, an October 2016 shooting of a rival gang member, the unlawful possession of fentanyl and firearms, and his participation – along with other members of 11 Hunnit - in several publicly available rap music videos designed to intimidate rival gangs and enhance 11 Hunnit’s reputation as a violent enterprise.

Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for August 17, 2021, at 2:15 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than twenty years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the court remanded Mr. Griffin to the custody of the United States Marshals Service.

Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, together with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Mr. Griffin. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.