Gang Member From Hollygrove Area, Theron Golston, Sentenced To Life In Prison On Federal Rico, Drug, And Murder Charges

U.S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. announced that THERON GOLSTON, aka “Thema,” 23, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr. to serve the remainder of his life in prison for violating federal RICO, drug conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, and murder charges.  GOLSTON was a member of a gang from the Hollygrove area of the city that was involved in several shootings and murders in recent years.  To date, all of the indicted members of this gang have pled guilty.  The remaining gang members are awaiting sentencing. 

GOLSTON had previously pled guilty to participating in the murder of Aaron Allen on February 27, 2007 and to participating in the drive-by shooting that resulted in the murder of Ms. Eula Mae Ivey on June 14, 2010. He also admitted that he and the other gang members were street level dealers of crack cocaine.

A thirty-four count second superseding indictment was returned on November 16, 2012, charging Walter Conley, aka “Ike Neezy”, Tyronne Stevenson, aka “Duke”, THERON GOLSTON, aka “Thema”,  Bernell Williams aka “Bussy”, aka “A-Boogie”, Norman Ratcliff, aka “Turk”, and Mark Glenn with participating in a RICO conspiracy, drug conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, and several substantive acts of violence.  

Co-defendant Ryan Carroll, aka “Ronnie Boo,” pled guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy and to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence.  On October 16, 2013, he was sentenced to serve 210 months in federal prison.

Co-defendants Carey Jones, Bernell Williams, and China Stewart also pled guilty to various charges in the indictment and are scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2014.

Co-defendants Tyronne Stevenson, Walter Conley, Norman Ratcliff, and Mark Glenn also pled guilty to various charges in the indictment and are scheduled to be sentenced on December 11, 2013. 

Mr. Polite stated, “This is a clear example of how the federal government will target and convict the dangerous gang members that are responsible for numerous shootings in our community.  The life sentence imposed on Mr. Goldston should put other gang members on notice that the Multi-Agency Gang Unit (‘MAG UNIT’) has the ability, the tools, and the knowledge to dismantle an entire criminal enterprise.  This is the type of effort that the federal government will continue to put forward to combat violent crime.”  

Mr. Polite thanked the federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (A.T.F.) who took the lead role in this investigation and who have been steadfast in their resolve to bring these violent offenders to justice.   He also thanked the other members of the MAG UNIT who worked on this case and renewed the USAO’s commitment to assist the MAG UNIT in targeting these types of violent offenders.

The Multi-Agency Gang Unit is an N.O.P.D. led division which includes federal agents from A.T.F., the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as participants from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, State Probation and Parole, and the New Orleans District Attorney’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr.