Klegewerges Abate, 36, a Columbus resident and member of the Third World Mob gang, is facing a stiff penalty for his involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking operation and other criminal activities. Following a jury conviction in August 2024, Abate has been sentenced to more than 25 years in prison, specifically 310 months, for conspiring to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, alongside firearms offenses and wire fraud related to illicitly obtained COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.
Documents from the U.S. District Court reveal that Abate and his associates were transporting massive amounts of marijuana into Ohio, using methods ranging from U-Haul trucks to rental cars. The drugs, originally sourced from states such as California and Georgia, were stashed in rental homes or properties acquired under other people’s names—camouflage for their illicit activities. In a 2019 raid on Phlox Avenue in Blacklick, for instance, authorities discovered a suitcase stuffed with nearly a million dollars – precisely $940,000 in cash.
The Third World Mob, known for its violent tactics, upheld its enterprise with a show of force and intimidation. Surveillance footage aired during the trial exposed Abate, who was previously convicted of a felony, engaging in gun violence at a local eatery. According to The U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Ohio, jurors were also presented with testimonies of shootings, a pistol-whipping, among other acts of terror wielded by the gang members.
Wire fraud charges compounded Abate's legal woes, as he was found guilty of falsely applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance by forging his employment status as a self-employed landscaper during the period he was actively trafficking drugs. This sentencing is a culmination of federal law enforcement’s effort, with Abate being one of seven Third World Mob members federally indicted since 2021. Abate’s co-defendant, Abubakarr Savage, was sentenced in July 2025 to more than 15 years in prison. Likewise, Menelik Solomon, another gang associate, pleaded guilty in November 2023 and received a similar sentence.
The operation to dismantle the Third World Mob’s criminal infrastructure was a collaborative effort supported by several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA, and local Ohio police departments. U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II, along with Special Agents Elena Iatarola and Andrew Lawton, acknowledged contributions from the Columbus, Whitehall, Tucson police departments, and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and S. Courter Shimeall stood at the helm in representing the United States against the gang members.
