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Press Release

Nine Trey Gangster Leader Sentenced To 30 Years, Girlfriend Sentenced To Nearly Six Years

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Virginia

RICHMOND, Va.  – Quincy L. Burrell, 36, of Richmond, Virginia, was sentenced today to 360 months’ in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release for charges of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeffrey C. Mazanec, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Richmond Field Office; Ray J. Tarasovic, Chief of Police for Richmond Police Department; Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent, Virginia State Police; and Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s Washington Division, made the announcement after the sentence was imposed today by United States District Judge James R. Spencer.

Burrell was charged in a criminal indictment with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, 280 grams or more of cocaine base; and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

In the Statement of Facts filed at the time of his plea hearing in June, Burrell admitted to having distributed between 2.8 and 8.4 kilograms of “crack” cocaine into the Richmond, Virginia metropolitan area in furtherance of the conspiracy.  

Burrell also admitted in the Statement of facts that he is a leader of the NTG, holding the rank of “High Stain.”  NTG a set of the United Blood Nation (UBN).  NTG members are organized into “line-ups.”  There were multiple active “line-ups” in Virginia and elsewhere under Burrell’s control.  The “High Stain” of each line-up reports to two “Godfathers,” both of whom are in New York. Burrell admitted that nearly every member of the NTG line-up in Virginia was involved in the distribution of narcotics at the direction of, or for the benefit of the gang.  In addition, he stated that distribution of narcotics was routinely discussed at NTG meetings, which also included assigning discipline to NTG members who have improperly managed drug proceeds.  Discipline may involve a loss of rank, or a 31 second beating.  

Sande Chhim, Burrell’s girlfriend at the time of their arrest, and a co-defendant in the drug trafficking conspiracy, was sentenced to 70 months’ in prison on September 9, 2013, for her role in the conspiracy. Although Chhim was not a member of the NTG, she was an active participant in the conspiracy with Burrell from 2011 until their arrest in March 2013. Her involvement included providing Burrell with a place to cook cocaine hydrochloride into “crack” cocaine, driving Burrell to meetings with his suppliers and sub-dealers, pooling her money with Burrell’s to purchase narcotics, wiring drug proceeds to NTG leadership out of state, and serving as a nominee by placing vehicles and apartments in her name for Burrell.  She facilitated the concealment of firearms and a vehicle that had been involved in criminal activity for the benefit of the gang. 

This case was initiated and investigated by the FBI as part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation - Full Blooded Ink. Assistant United States Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted 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.
Updated March 18, 2015