Alleged Members of Violent Gang Charged in Racketeering Conspiracy

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging seven alleged members of the Reccless Tigers street gang with various crimes including racketeering conspiracy, murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, money laundering, and obstruction of justice.

The superseding indictment includes allegations of two murders committed by members of the Reccless Tigers. The first occurred on April 24, 2016, at a house party hosted by the Reccless Tigers. During the party, one of the guests, Ho Lee, got into an argument with someone in the gang. The argument turned into a brawl, during which Lee was attacked by numerous gang members. Lee was stabbed in the chest during the fight, and later left the party with friends unaware that his injuries were life-threatening. Lee died later that night at home.

The second alleged murder occurred on Feb. 1, 2019. The victim, Brandon White, allegedly owed defendant Young Yoo approximately $10,000 for marijuana he had obtained in 2015-2016. In August 2018, White was severely beaten by a Reccless Tigers gang member, David Nguyen, because of this debt. Nguyen was arrested by Fairfax County Police and charged with robbery and malicious wounding. The gang was allegedly aware that Brandon White had been subpoenaed to testify against David Nguyen at a preliminary hearing and allegedly attempted to pay him if he would refuse to testify. White was allegedly warned, however, that he would be killed if he testified. White refused the gang's offer, and he testified against Nguyen on Nov. 19, 2018.

On Jan. 31, 2019, and continuing into the early morning hours of February 1, White was abducted at a shopping mall in Fairfax County and then killed two hours later in a wooded area of Richmond. The superseding indictment alleges that White was killed by defendants Peter Le, Young Yoo, and Joseph Lamborn. Defendant Sascha Carlisle allegedly participated in the abduction of White.

Below is information related to each defendant charged in the superseding indictment.

Six of the seven defendants are in custody (Anthony Thanh Le is a fugitive). Arraignment is scheduled for September 1.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Robert E. Bornstein, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James L. Trump, Carina A. Cuellar, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael C. Tucker are prosecuting the case.

This investigation was conducted by FBI Washington Field Office’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force. This task force, composed of FBI Special Agents, along with Agents from the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigative Division, and local and state law enforcement agencies, investigate and disrupt the most egregious organized crime enterprises operating within the Capital Region. 

Investigative assistance was provided by ATF Washington Field Division, FBI Richmond, FBI Los Angeles, FBI Sacramento, U.S. Marshals, Prince William County Police, City of Richmond Police, Montgomery County (MD) Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Falls Church Police, City of Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Fire Marshal, Prince William County Fire Marshal, Stafford County Fire Marshal, City of Monterey Park (CA) Police, Garden Grove (CA) Police, Anaheim (CA) Police; Trinity County (CA) Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, DEA San Francisco Division – Reading Office, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Department of Food & Agriculture, California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Cannabis Control, U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of California – Sacramento Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California – Santa Ana and Riverside Offices.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-57.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.