Three members of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation have been sentenced after a federal jury found them guilty of RICO conspiracy, murder, and other charges. U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced the verdict, which follows strong evidence presented in court, signaling a major crackdown on the gang's activities, particularly in the Detroit branch, the Traveling Vice Lords, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Terry Douglas, 44, the Michigan leader of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation, Schuyler Belew, 31, a 'Universal Elite', and Devun Baskerville, 34, the gang's 'Chief Enforcer', were sentenced to long prison terms for violent crimes, including a daylight shooting where Baskerville killed a suspected informant and shot at his girlfriend’s car, which had her two children inside. Judge Ison said, "The sentences handed down in this case should send a clear message to violent offenders who terrorize our neighborhoods: we won't stop until you are brought to justice." ATF Special Agent James Deir added, "These three defendants represent the worst of the worst in our community," as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The crackdown on the Almighty Vice Lord Nation focuses on the gang's drug and weapons trafficking. Federal, state, and local agencies, through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, played a key role. Lawon Carter, another gang member, is awaiting sentencing on April 28, 2025. The Detroit Police and Michigan Department of Corrections were also crucial to the operation, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
