Source: http://va.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20190722_0000698.WVA.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2020-07-08 07:39:32
Document Index: 221992159

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1962', '§ 1959', '§ 924', '§ 924', '§ 924', '§ 924', '§ 924', '§ 924']

This matter comes before the court on a number of motions by defendants to dismiss and/or merge certain counts of the First Superseding Indictment. ECF No. 207. These motions require the court to tread down the thorny path of the categorical approach, again addressed by the Supreme Court of the United States as recently as June 24, 2019 in United States v. Davis, No. 18-431 June 24, 2019).
This multi-defendant, multi-count RICO prosecution began on June 11, 2018 when a federal grand jury issued two indictments bringing charges against members of the Rollin 60s Crips street gang, the Milla Bloods street gang, and gang associates on violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ("RICO") statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1962, Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering ('VICAR") statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1959, and several other factually related charges. ECF No. 1; ECF No. 207. These cases are captioned United States v. Davis et al., 4:18-cr-11 (bringing charges against members of the Rollin 60s Crips and associates) and United States v. Anthony et al., 4:18-cr-12 (bringing charges against members of the Milla Bloods street gang and associates).[1] The United States alleges that, in the summer of 2016, members of the Rollin 60s and Milla Bloods collaborated to facilitate criminal activities in the Danville, Virginia area. See ECF No. 207 (describing alleged racketeering conspiracy). This collaboration resulted in (1) the attempted murders of the "Philly Boys" at North Hills Court on June 15, 2016, resulting in the assault and attempted murder of Armonti Womack and Dwight Harris; (2) the attempted murder of Justion Wilson and murder of Christopher Motley at Norm Hills Court on August 20, 2016; and (3) the attempted Murder of Tyliek Conway on August 24, 2016.
Since the return of the First Superseding Indictment, four of the original twelve defendants have entered guilty pleas (Matthew Ferguson, ECF No. 226; Jaquan Trent, ECF No. 369; Laquante Tarvares Adams, ECF No. 378; and Shanicqua Coleman, ECF No. 435). The remaining defendants have filed a series of motions to dismiss, challenging counts alleging violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c), 924(j), and 1959. The government has responded, argument was held in June 8, 2019, and the issue is ripe for consideration.
As an overview, the indictment in this gang case charges in Count 1 a RICO conspiracy and in Counts 2 through 19 various violent crimes associated with three shootings in Danville, Virginia in the summer of 2016.[2] As to each shooting, three categories of federal crimes are alleged:
1. VICAR Murder or Attempted Murder (Counts 2, 6, 10, 12 and 16);
2. VICAR Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Counts 4, 8, 14, 18); and
3. Use of a Firearm During a VICAR crime, Murder, Attempted Murder, and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Counts 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19).
On May 31, 2019, the government filed a Motion to Dismiss Counts 5, 9, 15, and 19 without prejudice. ECF No. 490. Counts 5, 9, 15, and 19 charge Use of a Firearm During VICAR Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The government's motion is GRANTED and Counts 5, 9, 15, and 19 are DISMISSED.
18 U.S.C. § 924(c) provides that "any person who, during and in relation to any crime of violence or drug trafficking crime . . . uses or carries a firearm, or who, in furtherance of such crime, possesses a firearm" shall be sentenced to a five-year minimum term of imprisonment "in addition to the punishment provided for such crime of violence or drug trafficking crime." 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(A). The statute defines a crime of violence as "an offense that is a felony" and
The elements clause requires courts to use the categorical approach to determine "whether the statutory elements of the offense necessarily require the use, attempted use, or threatened use of force." United States v. Simms. 914 F.3d 229, 233 (4th Cir. 2019). In conducting this analysis, the court must "focus on the minimum conduct required to sustain a conviction for the state crime." United States v. Doctor, 842 F.3d 306, 308 (4th Cir. 2016): Thus, if the minimum conduct necessary for a violation of the statute does not constitute a crime of violence, then the statute categorically fails to qualify as a crime of violence. United States v. Gardner, 823 F.3d 793, 803 (4th Cir. 2016) (quoting Castillo v. Holder, 776 F.3d 262, 267 (4th Cir. 2015)).
In Simms. the Fourth Circuit declared die residual clause of § 924(c)(3)(B) unconstitutionally vague, as other residual clauses with almost identical language in a variety of other statutes had likewise been declared, because it required courts ask whether the "ordinary case" of the offense posed the requisite "substantial risk that physical force against the person or property may be used" without providing any guidance on how to determine the crime's ordinary case. 914 F.3d at 236-37. The Supreme Court's recent opinion in Davis closes the door on the viability of § 924(c)'s residual clause.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Following Simms and Davis, the criminal conduct at hand must be analyzed under the elements clause of &sect; 924(c)(3)(A) to determine if it constitutes a crime of violence. Considered genetically, [4] if the elements of the underlying offense do not require the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force under the elements clause of § 924(c)(3)(A), there can be no separate conviction under § ...