Three Members of Almighty Vice Lords Nation Gang Indicted

Three members of the Almighty Vice Lords Nation (AVLN) gang were indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances such as marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and suboxone; and use of a communication facility to commit the drug conspiracy offense, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. The indictment was unsealed yesterday.

Joining Schneider in the announcement was James M. Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), Michigan State Police (MSP) and Detroit Police Chief James Craig.

"Our office, along with our State and Federal partners, is committed to aggressively prosecuting members of violent street gangs involved in drug trafficking," stated United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. "We are especially committed to stopping the flow of drugs into the Michigan prison system, especially when it is fueled by gang members of the Vice Lords, and this case is just one example of our teamwork."

"The Michigan State Police, Second District will continue to provide resources to multi-agency task forces consisting of Federal and local partners," stated F/Lt. Michael Shaw, Second District Public Information Officer. "It is through these multi-agency task forces that we can continue to make Michigan a safer place for everyone to work, live and play."

Charged were Johnnie Ross Jr., 47, of Redford, Rishard Collins, 31, of Detroit, and Keith Spann, 39, an inmate currently with the Michigan Department of Corrections.

Collins was separately charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of the charged drug conspiracy offense.

As alleged in the indictment, the drug conspiracy involved selling drugs in the Detroit area as well as within the MDOC, by smuggling drugs inside the MDOC to Spann who was serving time for two separate 2016 state convictions involving a cocaine possession offense and a marijuana trafficking offense. The indictment alleges that while inside the MDOC, Spann was caught with the drug suboxone and Spann was later convicted in a Jackson county court for the offense of possession of contraband by an inmate.

The Almighty Vice Lords Nation (AVLN) is divided into sub-groups known as "branches" and "decks," including but not limited to the Unknown Vice Lords (UVL), Conservative Vice Lords, (CVL), Traveling Vice Lords (TVL), Renegade Vice Lords (RVL), Insane Vice Lords (IVL), Mafia Insane Vice Lords (MIVL), Imperial Insane Vice Lords (IIVL), Executioner Insane Vice Lords (EIVL), Cicero Insane Vice Lords (CIVL), and 4 Corner Hustler Vice Lords (4CHVL). The indictment alleges that Ross, Collins, and Spann were members of the Vice Lords.

The federal offense of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances carries a maximum sentence of twenty years. The offense of using a communication facility to commit the drug conspiracy offense carries a maximum sentence of four years. The offense of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to a maximum of life; however, it must be served consecutive to any other offense of conviction.

The investigation was a collaboration between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), Michigan State Police (MSP), Detroit Police Department (DPD) and members of the Comprehensive Violence Reduction Partnership (CVRP).

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Terrence Haugabook and Blake Hatlem.