In a significant crackdown on gang-related violence in Minneapolis, federal prosecutors have charged three additional alleged members of the Lows street gang with RICO conspiracy and murder, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota. The accused, Marques Armstrong Jr., Davant Moore, and Jahon Lynch, all from Minneapolis, are among a total of fourteen defendants now facing serious allegations tied to a string of violent acts that include ten murders, which are part of a broader pattern of racketeering activity.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti emphasized the gravity of the accusations, stating, "These fourteen defendants are allegedly all part of a gang that is responsible for at least 10 murders on the streets of Minneapolis," and with crimes that include shooting and killing victims in broad daylight at gas stations, barbershops; and near food trucks, they have sown fear across the community. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson has also voiced the government's resolve to leverage RICO charges to dismantle the street gangs that fuel the violence and trap families in fear and to bring peace back to the terrorized neighborhoods.
The indictment details several brutal instances of gang violence, one such act included Armstrong Jr. and another individual, Kaprice Richards, opening fire on a crowded Minneapolis barbershop, resulting in one fatality and additional injuries while a young child was present in September 2021. On another occasion, Lynch participated in a fatal shooting after carjacking a vehicle, which was followed by more drive-by shootings and other acts of senseless violence throughout 2023 and into 2024. These acts are indicative of the Lows gang's alleged use of violence as a tool to maintain their grip on their illicit enterprises.
The collaborative investigative efforts by multiple agencies, including the ATF, FBI, DEA, IRS-CI, HSI, and local partners, have been highlighted as critical to bringing forth these charges; the multi-agency cooperation indicates a significant commitment to uprooting violent crime from Minneapolis communities. Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI Minneapolis reinforced this point, commenting, "Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI has fought tirelessly to end that reign of terror." The accused face severe penalties if convicted, with potential sentences including life imprisonment for the most serious charges relating to racketeering conspiracy involving murder and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
While the fourteen individuals implicated in the indictment carry the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the message from federal and local authorities is clear: gang violence will be met with the full force of the law in Minneapolis. As neighborhood residents hold on to hope for a calmer, safer existence, despite the long shadows cast by past violence, the authorities march forward with the proceedings, aiming to secure justice and restore peace to the streets.
