Rolling 60s Gang Member Convicted by Jury of Racketeering, Attempted Murder and Firearm Charges
Las Vegas, Nev. - A Rolling 60s Crips Las Vegas street gang member was convicted by a federal jury this afternoon of five felony counts, including violence in aid of racketeering for the attempted murder of a rival gang member who had "disrespected" him, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Trial against LELAND DEVINE BANKS, aka Lee-Macc, age 29, of Las Vegas, began on Monday before U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson. BANKS was convicted of two counts of Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (one for attempted murder and another for assault with a dangerous weapon); two counts of Use of a Firearm During and In Relation To a Crime of Violence; and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
On January 6, 2004, BANKS, a "young rider"with the Rolling 60s Crips street gang, attempted to kill Kenny Gilmore, aka "Stay High," by firing six shots at him from the roof top of the Kimberly Place Apartments at 995 East Sierra Vista Drive in Las Vegas. BANKS used a .22 caliber bolt-action rifle to shoot at Gilmore who was located at the 7-11 convenience store across the street. BANKS attempted to murder Gilmore because BANKS thought that Gilmore's girlfriend had called him a "crab," a disrespectful and derogatory term for the Rolling 60s Crips gang. Gilmore did not cause his girlfriend to retract the slur, which made the disrespect worse. Additionally, several months prior to the January shooting, Gilmore had assaulted and injured BANKS by hitting him in the head. In order for BANKS to maintain or increase his position within the Rolling 60s Crips gang, BANKS was expected to attempt to kill Gilmore.
The Rolling 60's Crips is made up of a group of individuals who associate with each other for the purpose of committing crimes, such as illegal drug sales and armed robberies in an area of Las Vegas known as West Las Vegas. Gang members have threatened witnesses with arson, physical abuse and murder, and committed drive-by shootings of witnesses' cars and apartments to deter them from providing reports to law enforcement. They "jump in" new gang members, and teach them how to sell drugs and protect other gang members. They also operate drug houses or "spots," in apartments or hotel rooms for the purpose of selling drugs. They expect and require gang associates to retaliate against anyone who disrespects the gang.
"The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada has made it a high priority to aggressively prosecute those individuals who engage in acts of violence and drug trafficking for the purpose of earning a profit and controlling the marketplace and territory," said U.S. Attorney Bogden. "The resources that have been dedicated by local, state and federal law enforcement in investigating the cases against Rolling 60s gang members in Las Vegas have been instrumental to the success of our prosecutions."
LELAND BANKS is facing up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the violent crime in aid of racketeering and felon in possession charges, and a minimum of 10 years in prison on the use of the firearm during a crime of violence charges, which must run consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed for the other charges. Additionally, the jury found that BANKS qualified for a gang enhancement under federal statute, which allows the judge to increase the sentence by up to10 years for the defendant's participation in that criminal street gang.
The defendant is scheduled for sentencing on January 7, 2004, before U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson. He is in federal custody pending sentencing.
The investigation and prosecution of the members of the Rolling 60s street gang and their involvement in violent crime and drug trafficking in Clark County, Nevada, is the largest of its kind in the area, and has required the resources, coordination and cooperation of numerous federal, state and local agencies. Since the investigation began, 42 defendants have been indicted in United States District Court in Las Vegas, and 22 defendants have been convicted thus far. Numerous others have been charged and convicted in the 8th Judicial District Court in Clark County and prosecuted by the Clark County District Attorney's Office.
The federal cases are being investigated by the FBI's Violent Crime Squad, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Henderson Police Department, and the North Las Vegas Police Department, and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Bliss and Russell Marsh.
