Fourteen members of the Traveling Vice Lords/Junk Yard Dogs (TVL/JYD) street gang have been sentenced in federal court following their conviction under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The gang, operating across Western Tennessee, was involved in a series of violent crimes, including attempted murders and murders of rival gang members.
The sentences, announced by U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz, mark the culmination of a two-year investigation into the gang’s activities.
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The TVL/JYD, a subset of the notorious Chicago-based Almighty Vice Lord Nation, was responsible for a wave of violence in the summer of 2020, with shootings occurring across multiple locations in Fayette and Hardeman Counties.
“These defendants were members of a violent gang who threatened the safety and security of communities throughout West Tennessee,” said United States Attorney Ritz. “Now they will be serving significant time—in some cases, life—in federal prison. This office will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to bring gang members and trigger-pullers to justice.”
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The investigation and subsequent convictions highlight the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to dismantle violent criminal organizations and bring their members to justice.
The sentences imposed on the TVL/JYD members are expected to disrupt the gang’s operations and contribute to a safer environment for the communities they terrorized.
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