This was in the Fairfield newspaper this morning, thought you guys might like to read it...
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'Rap group' indicted for array of crimes -- Charges against Vallejo men include five murders
By Tim Fields
VALLEJO -- A federal grand jury indicted six Vallejo men Thursday, ending a six-year rampage of homicide, violence and drug trafficking allegedly run by a Vallejo-based rap group called Pitch Dark Family.
In all the jury indicted nine men accused of enriching their organization from 1994 to 2000 by committing a plethora of crimes ranging from threats of violence to five murders in Vallejo, according to a press release from the Department of Justice. Some may face the death penalty if convicted.
Most of the killings occurred in 1994 when Vallejo experienced 30 homicides, by far the most ever in a year both before and since.
The Vallejo men indicted were Jason "Fade" Walker, 28; Charles Lee "Shady" White, 31; Louis "Lou Dog" Walker, 32; Elliot "LL" Cole, 31; Eric "EJ Rabbit" Jones, 29; and Marc "Bowleggs" Tarver, 33.
The grand jury also indicted Shango Jaja "G.O." Greer, 30, of Palo Alto; Oscar Gonzales, 25, of Reno; and Arnando Villafan, 22, of Reno.
Some of the crimes allegedly committed by some of the defendants include:
-- Killing Jewel Hart in January 1994 at the 500 block of York Street.
-- Killing Keith Roberts on Sonoma and Louisiana streets in 1994.
-- Fatally shooting Richard Garrett on the 2500 block of Sonoma Street in 1994.
-- Killing Devon Russell on Sonoma and Kentucky streets in 1998.
-- Killing Larry Cayton in Oakland.
-- Trying to kill Jason Hickerson on Werden and Parrot streets in 1994.
The Pitch Dark Family also sought "to preserve and protect the power, territory and profits of the enterprise through the use of intimidation, violence, threats of violence, assaults and murder," the press release said.
Police arrested Jason Walker, Louis Walker, Cole and Jones in Vallejo and Gonzales and Villafan in Reno Thursday. Greer and White were already in prison on different charges. Police arrested Tarver on unrelated charges Friday. All will be arraigned in the near future.
Vallejo detectives worked with several state and federal agencies on the case, said Capt. Jo Ann West of Vallejo Police.
"The organization considered itself a rap group but it never produced any CDs," she said.
If convicted, charges of violence crime in aid of racketeering each carry a maximum penalty of death or life in prison, a five-year supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
The U.S. Attorney's Office will prosecute the case.
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'Rap group' indicted for array of crimes -- Charges against Vallejo men include five murders
By Tim Fields
VALLEJO -- A federal grand jury indicted six Vallejo men Thursday, ending a six-year rampage of homicide, violence and drug trafficking allegedly run by a Vallejo-based rap group called Pitch Dark Family.
In all the jury indicted nine men accused of enriching their organization from 1994 to 2000 by committing a plethora of crimes ranging from threats of violence to five murders in Vallejo, according to a press release from the Department of Justice. Some may face the death penalty if convicted.
Most of the killings occurred in 1994 when Vallejo experienced 30 homicides, by far the most ever in a year both before and since.
The Vallejo men indicted were Jason "Fade" Walker, 28; Charles Lee "Shady" White, 31; Louis "Lou Dog" Walker, 32; Elliot "LL" Cole, 31; Eric "EJ Rabbit" Jones, 29; and Marc "Bowleggs" Tarver, 33.
The grand jury also indicted Shango Jaja "G.O." Greer, 30, of Palo Alto; Oscar Gonzales, 25, of Reno; and Arnando Villafan, 22, of Reno.
Some of the crimes allegedly committed by some of the defendants include:
-- Killing Jewel Hart in January 1994 at the 500 block of York Street.
-- Killing Keith Roberts on Sonoma and Louisiana streets in 1994.
-- Fatally shooting Richard Garrett on the 2500 block of Sonoma Street in 1994.
-- Killing Devon Russell on Sonoma and Kentucky streets in 1998.
-- Killing Larry Cayton in Oakland.
-- Trying to kill Jason Hickerson on Werden and Parrot streets in 1994.
The Pitch Dark Family also sought "to preserve and protect the power, territory and profits of the enterprise through the use of intimidation, violence, threats of violence, assaults and murder," the press release said.
Police arrested Jason Walker, Louis Walker, Cole and Jones in Vallejo and Gonzales and Villafan in Reno Thursday. Greer and White were already in prison on different charges. Police arrested Tarver on unrelated charges Friday. All will be arraigned in the near future.
Vallejo detectives worked with several state and federal agencies on the case, said Capt. Jo Ann West of Vallejo Police.
"The organization considered itself a rap group but it never produced any CDs," she said.
If convicted, charges of violence crime in aid of racketeering each carry a maximum penalty of death or life in prison, a five-year supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
The U.S. Attorney's Office will prosecute the case.
