The wiretap was granted pursuant to Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Street Act of 1968, 18 U.S.C. And no sitting down or horsing around while on duty. News from DEA, News Releases, 06/21/06 - DEA.gov Nonetheless, as Agent Darin's testimony and the phone conversations established, Hankton dealt primarily in crack and the large wholesale purchases were made with the intent of converting the powder cocaine into crack. Gutta cobras (including) thf44 in the lowend probably the deep spot for cobras but they not . Like the Cobras in Cabrini (the castle) were King Cobras and Mickey's. Then in the 90s to make it even worse Prince Money ( Mickey's son) flipped GD and allot of cobras went with him. As this court held in United States v. Torres-Ramirez, credible corroborating testimony is sufficient to provide hearsay evidence, such as the plea agreements and the statements therein, with an indicia of reliability and satisfies the defendant's entitlement to have his sentence determined based on reliable evidence. Copyright 2023, Thomson Reuters. "Prentis Smith testified that he was a former member of the Mickey Cobra street gang. In addition, the district judge specifically found Agent Darin to be a credible witness, a determination which bolstered the judge's decision that Darin's testimony concerning the wiretap conversations was reliable. PDF People v Lauderdale 2021 IL App (1st) 200109-U - Microsoft As Olden explained, Hankton would supply him with crack-essentially on credit-and then collect the proceeds from the sale of the crack from him at a later time. 841 and 846. The initial intercept ran from June 15 to July 14, 2000, when the warrant expired. 7-8, when stating that Hankton exercised authority over persons, certainly well more than five or ten. However, Hankton claims that rather than directing its remarks to Mr. Hankton's conduct as it related to the actual offence, i.e., drug distribution, the court dwelled on Mr. Hankton's gang activities. This statement is nothing more than a self-serving red herring. 2. One memo from "the chairman and the board of directors" and dated July 23, 1983, addresses an important gang edict: Don't talk to law enforcement interrogators. Also, the reliability of the plea agreements-as well as Agent Darin's testimony for that matter-was bolstered by the fact that, at sentencing, Hankton took advantage of a reasonable opportunity to rebut the hearsay evidence used against him. United States v. Barnes, 117 F.3d 328, 338 (7th Cir.1997) (quoting United States v. Francis, 39 F.3d 803, 810 (7th Cir.1994)). Online Menu of Cobras & Matadors, Los Angeles, CA The government also introduced the signed plea agreements of other members of the MCs in which they admitted that they had purchased crack cocaine from Hankton. 13. Five others remain fugitives. In fact, both Agent Darin and Jammah Olden testified that the gang's sole source of revenues was from the sale of illegal drugs. Following the arrests, on July 3, 2001, Hankton and Davis, along with six9 other individuals, were indicted inter alia on drug conspiracy and drug possession charges.10 As discussed infra, Hankton and Davis entered into separate plea agreements with the government and each of them admitted facts sufficient to establish criminal liability beyond a reasonable doubt. Also, the district court did not rely solely on witness testimony concluding that Hankton was responsible for distributing more than 500 grams of crack. As the King, Hankton was responsible for everything from the direction of the conversion of powder cocaine into crack to the organization of the gang's basketball games. Even a conservative estimate of the amount of cocaine Hankton supplied Olden with amounts to approximately 4.6875 ounces or 134 grams of crack cocaine (which is equal to Hankton supplying Olden with 1/8 oz. Juwan Gatlin was a member of a street gang known as the Mickey Cobras. 45 warns, though it doesn't specify the punishment. 364, 54 L.Ed.2d 376 (1977). To corroborate Detective Charles' testimony, the government introduced sworn statements from two sub rosa government witnesses, identified in the record only as A and B.12 In their statements both witnesses identify Hankton as the don or leader of the MCs at Cabrini-Green. FindLaw.com Free, trusted legal information for consumers and legal professionals, SuperLawyers.com Directory of U.S. attorneys with the exclusive Super Lawyers rating, Abogado.com The #1 Spanish-language legal website for consumers, LawInfo.com Nationwide attorney directory and legal consumer resources. Mickey Cobras - Wikipedia Nothing could be further from the truth. mickey cobras laws - MEBW "He's got the props. "The leaders of street gangs should understand we know who they are, we know how to catch them and we're going to continue to be coming after them," Lassar told reporters. 841 and 846. As this court has stated numerous times [t]he law is very clear that a sentencing judge may appropriately conduct an inquiry broad in scope, largely unlimited either as to the kind of information he may consider, or the source from which it may come. A corollary to this general principle is the rule that a sentencing judge may consider relevant information without regard to the rules of evidence provided that the information has [a] sufficient indicia of reliability to support its probable accuracy. United States v. Lemmons, 230 F.3d 263, 267 (7th Cir.2000) (quoting U.S.S.G. While it may be true that the sentencing judge primarily focused on Hankton's gang activities, there was good reason for doing so. Primarily, the group known as Mickey Cobras controlled the sale of narcotics and the life of most residents up until the 2000s. We review the district court's application of the Sentencing Guidelines de novo. However, a case was made, which was more than strong enough to convince the jury, that Vega used terms like chickens, roosters and it as code words for drugs. 29. Like many of Chicago street gangs, the Mickey Cobras have a long history. A.Validity of Davis and Hankton's Sentencing Enhancements. For example, the co-defendants' plea agreements state that Hankton sold them primarily crack cocaine-according to the government's calculation, 1156 grams total. Gang members who sell "packs" of cocaine "on the line" must be finished with work by midnight. Agent Darin, a member of the FBI's joint gang task force and a trained drug traffic investigation agent, testified concerning Hankton's coordination of the drug trade for the MCs as well as his role as King or leader of the gang throughout the city in 2000 and 2001. Los Angeles, California Employment Laws Overview - The National Law Review Imo..I think Maniac Cobras don't mess with other Mickey Cobra sets near them and I guess they don't go under the 5 (.. or they don't have structure and plus they only have love for their OWN set than any other sets.. like 051 for example. 1820, 40 L.Ed.2d 341 (1974). Reversal will be warranted only if, after reviewing the entire evidence, we are left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been made. United States v. Sheikh, 367 F.3d 683, 687 (7th Cir.2004) (quoting United States v. Frazier, 213 F.3d 409, 417 (7th Cir.2000)). 7. See United States v. Martinez, 289 F.3d 1023, 1028-29 (7th Cir.2002) (holding that reliability may be established by corroborating evidence). When determining the drug quantity attributable to Hankton pursuant to 2D1.1 the judge specifically found that, considering the admissions of the defendant in the plea agreement as well as the evidence concerning the intercepted phone conversations, Hankton was responsible for distributing well beyond 500 gram[s] of crack. Accordingly, lest we allow an illegal sentence to stand, we believe it appropriate to order a limited remand in this case, while retaining jurisdiction, for proceedings consistent with this court's decision in Paladino, 401 F.3d at 483-84. Instead, the government argued that, in addition to possessing powder cocaine, Davis was also responsible for possessing with the intent to distribute between 50 and 150 grams of crack cocaine, pursuant to U.S.S.G. The gang, called the Mickey Cobras, also sold crack cocaine, marijuana and the potentially lethal prescription painkiller fentanyl, according to authorities. See Barnes, 117 F.3d at 338. For example, although the judge recognized that Hankton was not the sole and only leader of the organization, he did exercise control [and] power [t]he telephone calls clearly establish that [t]hey show his concern for the organization itself, its image. In addition, the court referenced evidence presented by the government which illustrated Hankton's role in the murder of Annette Williams, see supra pp. Davis disagreed with each of the proposed enhancements, in the plea agreement, reserved his right to argue his position at sentencing. This evidence corroborates both the wiretap phone conversations as well as Agent Darin's testimony as to the substance of those phone calls in which Hankton solicited the purchase of large amounts of crack cocaine, e.g., telling Olden that he could supply him with a half, or a half an ounce of crack. Made public recently by police sources, the sheets outline how gang members should behave while peddling drugs in the Robert Taylor Homes. The record reflects that most of the large wholesale purchases involved powder, as opposed to crack, cocaine. 843(b) and 18 U.S.C. Mickey Cobras : r/Chiraqology - reddit This is not to mention the fact that Davis was provided with ample opportunity to rebut the hearsay evidence proffered against him in the form of the co-defendant plea agreements, either by calling his own exculpatory witnesses or through his cross examination of Agent Darin. 841(a)(1). The Mickey Cobras back in 1954 until 1960 were known as the Egyptian Cobras. The district court sentenced Davis at the low end of the sentencing range and ordered that he be imprisoned for 210 months. Introduced were the plea agreements of Davis, Woodrow Green, Jammah Olden, Rasuah Brunner, Ngaya Brunner, Timeka Murdock and Mekeba Gates. 30 gang members would then be taken into custody. Not only do they give a vivid glimpse into the world of gangs but also, law enforcement authorities say, underline how central the drug business has become in some Chicago gangs. Nonetheless, testimony from Chicago Police Detective Charles, as well as Agent Darin and Jammah Olden illustrated the power over the drug trade and gang activities that the title afforded Hankton. And gang members are forbidden from selling crack on the ground level of the building. 25. . For example, the government was unable to obtain conclusive information about Hankton and Hankton's associates without arousing suspicion. Additionally, the use of undercover agents [was determined to] be impractical and dangerous due to the highly suspicious' nature of the alleged offenders.. Thus, because Agent Darin's credible testimony corroborated the information contained in the co-defendants' plea agreements, the sentencing court did not err in finding that evidence reliable in concluding that Davis was responsible for possessing with the intent to distribute 50 to 150 grams of crack cocaine.27, B.Hankton's Leadership Role in the Offense. The collective name of joined gangs under the five point star banner (V.L.,B.P.S.,L.K., M.C.,4.C.H.,). Gatlin was murdered because he provided information to the police about the murder of Tony Dawson, a previously unsolved homicide in Minneapolis. Stay up-to-date with how the law affects your life. In addition, the judge agreed to maintain the two witnesses statements under seal on the similar grounds. For example, Agent Darin testified that as the king, Hankton was in charge of all the activities undertaken by the MCs on the north-side of the city, including the distribution of illegal narcotics. Allowing an illegal sentence to stand would constitute a miscarriage of justice, see White, 406 F.3d at 835-36. 10 Most Dangerous Housing Projects In Chicago (Chiraq) Also, information from the wiretaps demonstrated that Hankton used his position in the gang to facilitate his drug transactions, collect money for himself and protect the gang's drug dealing territory. Thus, because the plea agreements submitted at sentencing were corroborated by the credible testimony given by Agent Darin, as well as the live testimony of co-defendant Olden-both of which were subject to thorough cross-examination at sentencing-we hold that the sentencing judge did not err, much less commit clear error when considering this most reliable evidence when determining that Hankton was responsible for distributing in excess of 500 grams of crack cocaine pursuant to U.S.S.G. The Cobras also moved into the cluster of three buildings in the Washington Park neighborhood at 53rd and State, these buildings were: 5326, 5323 1:30. Id. Smith was best friends with defendant's brother. While in the gang, he achieved the rank of a 'prince.' He identified defendant in court as someone he had known for 20 years. A seller must turn over the proceeds from one pack before he can get another to sell, the rules state. 3661. The district judge mandated that the names of the witnesses be kept confidential, due to the fact that they feared retribution from the gang for their statements. Thus, because Hankton was a leader of the MCs, and because the gang was primarily concerned with dealing illegal drugs, it was entirely reasonable and logical for the sentencing judge to infer that Hankton's role as leader of the gang was related to his distribution of crack cocaine.28. But a Chicago Housing Authority sergeant who works in the Robert Taylor Homes said despite the sophistication of the drug trade, rules and bylaws created by imprisoned gang leaders are routinely violated on the street. 10. The informant agreed to wear an undercover recording device while interacting with Hankton. However, as noted above, the relevant inquiry is not whether the plea agreements submitted at sentencing constituted hearsay, see Smith, 3 F.3d at 1100, but whether the plea agreements included a sufficient indicia of reliability to support [their] probable accuracy, Taylor, 72 F.3d at 543, which we conclude that they did. The rules make it clear that activities normally associated with gangs, like graffiti and fighting, are not acceptable while drugs are being sold, he said. R. Evid. Mickey Cobras - Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core 2 Dodge city is not active anymore but they were notorious back in the day. As the district court concluded, given the entirety of the government's submission, [Agent Darin's testimony] is reliable evidence and should be given substantial weight by the court [i]t is corroborated [i]t all ties together. On the high end, Hankton may have supplied Olden with as much as 1071 grams of crack (which is equal to 1 oz. In a nine count superseding indictment issued on May 15, 2002, the grand jury charged both Hankton and Davis with participating in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute in excess of 500 grams of cocaine and in excess of 50 grams of [crack cocaine] (Count I) and using communication devices in committing the conspiracy (Count VII) in violation of 21 U.S.C. In the Illinois prison system, they are a part of the People Nation. In another conversation, Darin described a conversation between Hankton and co-defendant Jammah Olden, where Olden requests that Hankton supply him with: About a half. Darin testified that, a half, as used in that particular context, referred to one half-ounce of crack cocaine. View Menu. Hankton's initial argument is that statements made by Agent Darin concerning various wiretap phone conversations should not have been relied on by the sentencing judge in his determination that Hankton was responsible for the distribution of more than 500 grams of crack under the guidelines. 14. David Kelley. Hankton's role as King was also supported through Agent Darin's description of physical evidence that was confiscated from Hankton's residence upon a search warrant-such as letters calling Hankton the King, statues of cobras wearing crowns and jewelry of crowns-all referring to Hankton's leadership position in the gang as the King of Kings.. As part of the plea agreement, Hankton admitted that on three separate occasions in Cook County, Illinois, between February and April 2000, he distributed a total of approximately 156 grams of crack to an individual who, unbeknownst to him, was a confidential informant recruited by the FBI. Authorities arrest alleged Chicago gang members in drug crackdown The email address cannot be subscribed. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Clarence Hankton and Gregory Davis were prominent members of the MCs, a dangerous and violent street gang that operated primarily out of housing projects on the north-west side of Chicago. They are members of the People Nation in Illinois prisons. See United States v. Smith, 3 F.3d 1088, 1099. This evidence was fully corroborated by the testimony of Agent Darin, which the sentencing judge expressly found to be credible. [1] The gang has distributed narcotics since the late 1960s . The rules, chock-full of mispellings and street slang, aren't contained in a tidy corporate packet or posted on a store bulletin board. See United States v. Torres-Ramirez, 213 F.3d 978, 980-81 (7th Cir.2000) Under circumstances such as these we are unwilling to find fault with the sentencing judge's decision to credit Darin's statement in determining the drug quantity attributable to Hankton. Mickey Cobra History : r/Chiraqology - reddit (quoting United States v. Carson, 9 F.3d 576, 584 (7th Cir.1993)); see United States v. Reneslacis, 349 F.3d 412, 417 (7th Cir.2003). 2D1.1(a)(4).23 In addition, the government maintained that Davis' offense level should also be increased by 3 levels because he qualified under the Guidelines as a manager or supervisor of a criminal activity involving more than five participants. Co., 434 U.S. 159, 161 n. 1, 98 S.Ct. See id. In at least one of those conversations Davis states that he purchased powder cocaine specifically for the purpose of further processing it in order to manufacture and distribute the resulting crack. Instead, all of the evidence presented-as well as commonsense-suggest that, in fact, Hankton's gang activities were intimately, related to and intertwined with, his drug distribution activities. Federal authorities dealt a blow Thursday to the Mickey Cobras street gang, charging 19 of its leaders and members with narcotics conspiracy and also indicting a top leader on charges he passed along orders to have a woman killed six years ago.
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