“Godfather” of North Carolina United Blood Nation Sentenced to Four Consecutive Life Sentences for Rico Conviction and Gang Related Murder

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced DEMETRICE R. DEVINE,  a/k/a “Respect,” 37, of Garner, NC, to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment followed by a term of 240 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release for Conspiracy to Participate in a Pattern of Racketeering (RICO conspiracy), Murder in Aid of Racketeering, Murder with a Firearm During and in Relation to  a crime of Violence, Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, and Conspiracy to Commit Witness Tampering.  The court also recommended that the defendant serve his life sentences at the “Supermax" Federal Prison in Colorado. 

On October 24, 2019, DEMETRICE R. DEVINE and BRANDON JOWAN MANGUM,  a/k/a “B-Easy,” 31, of Knightdale, NC, were found guilty of all charges after a two-week jury trial.  (More here.)  Evidence presented during the trial and other public documents established that DEMETRICE R. DEVINE was the leader or “Godfather” of the Gangsta Killer Bloods (GKB), and then created the Black Mob Gangstas (BMG) and  the Donald Gee Family (DGF) organization.  The BMG/DGF are sets of the “Bloods” gang whose members committed various crimes in the city of Raleigh and especially in the area of Haywood Street.  BRANDON JOWAN MANGUM was another high-ranking member of  BMG/DGF.  BMG/DGF members committed acts of violence to maintain membership and discipline, both within the gang and against non-gang members.  Members committed acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and assaults, in order to maintain their positions within the gang and to be promoted within the leadership structure of the gang. 

U.S. Attorney Higdon commented, “For the better part of two decades, members of the United Blood Nation, known locally as the Black Mob Gangstas or the Donald Gee Family, have operated and virtually controlled and terrorized the law abiding citizens who live in the Haywood Street area of downtown Raleigh, not more than a mile from our federal courthouse.  Last October, during the trial of Mr. Devine and his co-defendant, Brandon Mangum – the jury heard the chilling testimony and saw the uncontroverted evidence presented by the Government of Devine’s role – indeed, his absolute leadership – in a murderous, violent, drug dealing gang of thugs who terrorized Raleigh and the Eastern District for far too long.  These street gangs will stop at nothing to attempt to maintain their violent way of life without consequence.  Mr. Devine’s multiple life sentences exemplify the consequences for those who join gangs and commit crimes in the Eastern District of North Carolina.”

BMG/DGF, including its leadership, members and associates, constituted an “enterprise” as defined by Title 18, United States Code, Section 1961(4), that is, a group of individuals’ associated-in-fact. The enterprise constituted an ongoing organization, whose members functioned as a continuing unit for a common purpose of achieving the objectives of the enterprise.  The enterprise was engaged in, and its activities affected, interstate and foreign commerce.  The purpose of the BMG/DGF enterprise included the following:

    a.  Preserving and protecting the power, territory, reputation, respect, and profits of the enterprise through the use of intimidation, violence, threats of violence, assaults, murder and attempted murder;

    b.  Promoting and enhancing the enterprise and its members’ and associates’ activities, including, but not limited to, murders, attempted murders, robberies, drug distribution and other criminal activities;

    c.  Keeping the community and rivals in fear of the enterprise and its members and associates through violence and threats of violence;

    d.  Providing financial support and information to gang members, including those incarcerated in the United States;

    e.  Providing assistance to other gang members who committed crimes for and on behalf of the gang; and,

    f.  Hindering, obstructing, and preventing law enforcement officers from identifying, apprehending, and successfully prosecuting and punishing members of the enterprise. 

BMG/DGF also held gang meetings to communicate gang information, to recruit members, issue punishment and collect gang dues from each BMG/DGF member for the benefit of the BMG/DGF organization.  A portion of the dues were saved and utilized locally in what was referred to as a “community rent box” while another portion was sent up the chain of command to gang leadership in Virginia and New York.  BMG/DGF members were permitted to earn their money for dues through various methods, including, but not limited to, robberies, fraud schemes, and drug distribution.  The monies were used locally for loans to gang members, for drug purchases, for firearm purchases, for gifts, and cellular telephones for high-ranking members who were in jail.  DEVINE ordered that individuals selling narcotics in and around Haywood Street who were not BMG/DGF members were also required to pay gang dues in order to continue their drug sales in territory controlled by BMG/DGF.  Individuals who did not pay gang dues risked being robbed, assaulted, or murdered.

In his leadership position, DEVINE directed members of his gang to shoot a 16 year old rival gang member, Adarius Fowler, who died from gunshot wounds.  He also ordered a gang member to shoot a person who provided information to law enforcement regarding the murder of Fowler.  While this person was recovering from those gunshot injuries in the hospital, DEVINE ordered that the person be killed.

DEVINE presided over a “beat-in” gang initiation of a BMG/DGF gang member and personally assaulted another gang member whose loyalty he questioned.  DEVINE conspired with other gang members to silence and threaten gang members that had been provided subpoenas to testify in a federal proceeding.

MANGUM will be sentenced in May 2020 and also faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

The prosecution of DEVINE was a part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF) targeting violent gang members and drug traffickers in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department led the investigation with assistance from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification, United States Marshal’s Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.   Assistant United States Attorneys Dena King and Scott Lemmon prosecuted this case with Christina Taylor with the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section. 

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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.