FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
DECEMBER 6, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TWO BALTIMORE MEN INDICTED ON RACKETEERING, MURDER, DRUG AND FIREARM CONSPIRACY CHARGES
Defendant Harry Burton to Face Death Penalty on Three Murders
BALTIMORE, Maryland - A federal grand jury filed a superseding indictment today charging Harry Burton, a/k/a Big Harry, a/k/a Lil’ Harry, age 28, and Allen Gill a/k/a Bam, a/k/a Bam-Bam, age 27, both of Baltimore, with: murder in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin; and conspiracy to possess and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Gill is also charged with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
“The Attorney General has authorized us to seek the death penalty against Harry Burton for the brutal murders that he allegedly committed. The other defendant faces a potential sentence of life in federal prison,” said United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.
The nine-count indictment charges that from 1999 to April 2007, Burton, Gill and others were members of the Latrobe drug and firearms organization, which operated in Latrobe Homes and East Baltimore, and conspired to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine, five kilograms of cocaine and more than a kilogram of heroin. In furtherance of the Latrobe organization’s criminal activities, Burton is charged in the murder of Maurice “Smokey” Ireland and the attempted murder of Gary Creek on January 27, 2003 and the murder of Michael “Mike-Mike” Jones on May 19, 2003. Burton and Gill are both charged in the death Valencia Jones on June 20, 2003 and face firearms charges related to the murders and drug distribution.
Burton and Gill face a maximum penalty of death or life in prison for each count of murder in aid of racketeering. A notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Harry Burton was filed today in relation to these charges. Burton and Gill face a maximum penalty of life in prison for possession of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime and for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin, and 20 years in prison for conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Gill also faces a maximum of 40 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. The defendants are currently in federal custody and no court appearance has been scheduled.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the investigative work performed in this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Baltimore City Police Department. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kwame J. Manley and Robert R. Harding, who are prosecuting the case.