Beaumont, Texas – An inmate confined at the Federal Prison Complex in Beaumont has pleaded guilty to racketeering charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, in a Maryland based case, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales of the Eastern District of Texas and U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein of the District of Maryland, today.

James Sweeny, 35, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, will receive a life sentence for his role as leader of Dead Man, Inc. (DMI).  The Maryland based racketeering charge was transferred to the United States Court for the Eastern District of Texas in coordination with an indictment pending in the Eastern District of Texas, wherein Sweeny and his co-defendant, Harry Lee Napper, were charged in the 2008 murder of their cellmate at the United States Penitentiary in Beaumont.  Sentencing dates for both Sweeney and Napper are pending.

According to information presented in court, in 2000, Sweeney was a founder of DMI and became its “Supreme D.”  During his time in Maryland state prisons, and later during his incarceration in federal prison in Texas, Sweeney announced that DMI was available to do “hits” for hire in order to raise money for DMI and to enable white prisoners to retaliate against black gangs and cliques.  Further, Sweeney was aware of the smuggling of drugs, including heroin, cocaine, crack, and marijuana into prisons by DMI members and by others on behalf of DMI members.  During his incarceration, Sweeney ordered “hits” in furtherance of DMI, including conspiracies to commit murder and assaults.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore City and County Police departments, Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Tortorice, Joe Batte, (Eastern District of Texas) and Christopher Romano and Rob Harding (District of Maryland).

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