Three Gang Members Charged in Connection with Murder

A federal grand jury in Memphis, Tennessee, returned a superseding indictment yesterday bringing new charges against three alleged members of the Unknown Vice Lords (UVL)–Ghost Mob, a criminal street gang, for causing the death of an individual through the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

The superseding indictment charges Edward Earl Allen Jr., also known as E-Money, 40, of San Bernardino, California; Vincent Grant, also known as V Slash, 40, of Memphis; and Deandre Rodgers, also known as Dre, 27, also of Memphis.

“The Unknown Vice Lords street gang engages in violent criminal activity in Memphis and throughout the Western District of Tennessee. Today, we announce charges against three defendants for allegedly committing murder in order to increase their status in the gang,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution is the first brought in Memphis as part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative — a collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to address gang-related violence. It will not be the last.”

“When we announced the Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis, we promised to double down on our commitment to ensure families can feel safe in their homes and children can play safely on our streets without the threat of gang violence,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “The crimes alleged in this indictment underscore the tireless effort our prosecutors and agents are putting into fulfilling that promise and targeting the drivers of violence in Memphis with every tool we have. We will continue to build cases like this and hold violent gang members accountable for their actions.”

According to court documents, the UVL–Ghost Mob is a subset of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation, which originated in Chicago and eventually spread to other parts of the United States. The UVL–Ghost Mob is a violent criminal street gang that operates throughout the Western District of Tennessee and elsewhere as an extensive criminal enterprise whose members engaged in racketeering activity, including acts involving murder, robbery, and drug trafficking. The indictment alleges that Allen, Grant, and Rodgers used and discharged a firearm during the premeditated killing of an individual for the purpose of gaining entrance to and maintaining and increasing their positions within the UVL–Ghost Mob.

“The criminal misuse of a firearm by convicted felons to commit a premediated homicide had a devastating impact on the Memphis community,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division. “Identifying, arresting, and presenting the perpetrators of violent firearms crimes is at the core of the ATF mission of protecting the public. Yesterday’s indictment highlights ATF’s commitment to the Memphis community through vigorous enforcement of the federal firearms laws.”

Each defendant is charged with causing death by use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of life in prison, or the death penalty. 

The ATF, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and Memphis Police Department investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.

Trial Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy K. Cornejo for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.

This case is brought as part of the Criminal Division’s Memphis Violent Crime Initiative, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and associates in Memphis. As part of the initiative, the Criminal Division has dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecuting violent offenders and assisting intervention, prevention, and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.