Governor of Tipton County, TN Gangster Disciples Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy

Memphis, TN – Robert Elliott Jones, 39, a/k/a/ "Lil Rob," a/k/a/ "Mac Rob" has pled guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty plea today.

According to the superseding indictment, the Gangster Disciples is a highly-organized criminal street gang with nationwide reach. In addition to Tennessee, the gang reportedly operates in more than 35 states. The Gangster Disciples were organized into different positions, including board members, and governor-of-governors who each controlled geographic regions; governors, assistant governors, chief enforcers and chief of security for each state or regions within the state where the Gangster Disciples were active; and coordinators and leaders within each local group.

During the change of plea hearing, Jones admitted that he was the Governor of Section 4, which covers Tipton County, TN, including Covington. The superseding indictment that Jones entered a guilty plea to indicates that as Governor over a region he was responsible for supervising the criminal activities of the members and associates of the Gangster Disciples enterprise; issuing orders to kill rival gang members and subordinate gang members who he believed had violated Gangster Disciple rules of conduct; and presiding over Gangster Disciple meetings where criminal activity was discussed, proceeds were collected and beatings of fellow gang members were administered.

The superseding indictment further alleges that Jones declared Covington, TN as "GD Land" and issued a green light to a subordinate gang member to kill rival gang members in Covington, TN.; he issued an order to kill a subordinate gang member whom the Gangster Disciples believed had cooperated with law enforcement; and sent a photograph of the Treasurer of Section Four who stole $2300 from the Regional Enforcer for the State of Tennessee who was "looking for all money stealers".

Sentencing is set for October 17, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., where Jones faces a possible sentence of up to life imprisonment, $250,000 fine and 5 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Despite Lil Rob’s declaration, Covington is not and will not be ‘GD Land.’ We are fighting to reclaim our cities, towns, and neighborhoods from the gangs, and are effectively dismantling their leadership and influence. Lil Rob will now pay for his violence and racketeering that has terrorized Tipton County, and the citizens are safer for it."

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, Jackson Police Department Gang Enforcement Team, Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, 28th District West Tennessee Drug Task Force, 26th, 25th, and 30th Judicial District Attorney’s General Offices, Sheriff’s Offices for Tipton, DeSoto, Madison and Fayette Counties, Police Departments of Bartlett, Germantown and Columbia.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth C. Boswell and Annie Christoff of the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Shauna Hale of the Criminal Division Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.