Newport News Man Pleads Guilty To Murder

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Aronte D. Jarvis, 25, of Newport News pled guilty today to the 2008 murder of Jonte Terry in the Kmart parking lot located at Oriana Drive in Newport News.

            Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Royce E. Curtin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.

            Jarvis was indicted on October 10, 2012 on charges of murder in aid of racketeering activity, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, murder with a firearm and drug conspiracy. His girlfriend, Tayvonna Licorish was charged in a superseding indictment with accessory after the fact and misprision of a felony.  Jarvis will be sentenced to Life in prison when he is sentenced on September 20, 2013.  Licorish is proceeding to trial on September 17, 2013 and faces a maximum sentence of 18 years in prison.

According to the indictment, Jarvis was a member of a criminal organization known as “Thug Relations,” operating in the Aqueduct Apartments, St. Michael’s Apartments, Warwick Lawns, Warwick Town Homes, Heritage Trace Apartments, Mariner’s Landing Apartments, Sharon Drive and the Savage Drive areas of Newport News.  The defendant and others established the power and prestige of the gang through violence, including the murder of Jonte Terry on February 3, 2008.  Terry, 22, was shot in the Kmart parking lot located at Oriana Drive in Newport News.  The indictment alleged that Terry was killed by Jarvis for the purpose of maintaining his position in “Thug Relations.”

            This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Newport News Police Department and the Virginia State Police.  Assistant United States Attorneys Howard J. Zlotnick and Lisa R. McKeel are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.