Playboy Bloods Street Gang Leader Sentenced to Prison

A leader of the Las Vegas Playboy Bloods street gang was sentenced to 23 years in prison for engaging in a racketeering conspiracy and possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute it, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada.

Markette Tillman, 31, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty on July 29, 2014, two days into his jury trial, before U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson of the District of Nevada.

According to Tillman’s plea agreement and evidence presented at trial, the Bloods is a nationally-known criminal street gang whose members engage in drug trafficking and acts of violence. The Playboy Bloods is a local “set” or affiliate of the national Bloods gang with local control and operation within the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Playboy Bloods operate primarily in the Sherman Gardens Annex, a Las Vegas public housing complex commonly called the “Jets.”

Tillman admitted that on Jan. 20, 2004, he aided and abetted the murder of a security guard at the Jets. The guard approached Tillman and several other Playboy Bloods and told them to leave the property. An argument ensued and the guard rode away on his bicycle to get help. One of the Playboy Bloods fired a gun at the guard, hitting him two times and killing him.

Tillman further admitted that he agreed with other members of the Playboy Bloods to manufacture and distribute narcotics, primarily crack cocaine, and to operate drug houses within the Playboy Bloods’ turf. Tillman specifically admitted to distributing in excess of 280 grams of crack cocaine over the course of the racketeering conspiracy.

Tillman was the last of 10 gang members charged in the indictment filed in 2008 to be sentenced. The nine other convicted gang members received the following sentences:

• Jacorey Taylor, aka “Mo-B,” 31, was sentenced to life in prison on Oct. 21, 2013, after being convicted by a jury of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy, committing violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity, using a firearm during a crime of violence, engaging in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute it.
• Steven Booth, aka “Stevie-P,” 27, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on April 10, 2013, after pleading guilty to engaging in a racketeering conspiracy involving two murders.
• Reginald Dunlap, aka “Bowlie,” 30, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on April 9, 2013, after pleading guilty to engaging in a racketeering conspiracy involving one murder.
• Demichael Burks, aka “Mikey P,” 29, was sentenced to 6 ½ years in prison on Dec. 3, 2010, after pleading guilty to engaging in a racketeering conspiracy.
• Anthony Mabry, aka “Akim Slim,” 43, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Oct. 20, 2010, after pleading guilty to engaging in a racketeering conspiracy.
• Delvin Ward, aka “D-Luv,” 37, was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Sept. 17, 2010, after pleading guilty to engaging in a racketeering conspiracy.
• Terrence Thomas, aka “Seven,” 40, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on June 16, 2010, after pleading guilty to engaging in a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
• Sebastian Wigg, aka “Rock,” 36, was sentenced to five years in prison on March 29, 2010, after pleading guilty to engaging in a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
• Fred Nix, aka “June P,” 36, was sentenced to five years in prison on March 29, 2010, after pleading guilty to engaging in a drug-trafficking conspiracy.

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Las Vegas Playboy Bloods Street Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Drug Charges

On the second day of his federal jury trial, a Las Vegas Playboy Bloods street gang member pleaded guilty to racketeering and drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada and Leslie R. Caldwell, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

“We will use federal resources to prosecute street gang members who commit cowardly and horrible crimes in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “I commend the many law enforcement officers who worked on this investigation and assisted us in ensuring a conviction in this case.”

Markette Tillman, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of RICO conspiracy and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson on Oct. 28, 2014. Tillman faces up to 20 years in prison on each count, as well as fines of up to $1 million. The jury trial began yesterday, July 28, 2014, and the government had called seven witnesses to testify. Tillman is the remaining gang member to be convicted out of 10 charged in a RICO indictment filed in 2008.

According to the guilty plea agreement and evidence produced at trial, the Bloods are a nationally-known criminal street gang whose members engage in drug trafficking and acts of violence. The Playboy Bloods is a local “set” or affiliate of the Bloods, with local control and operation within the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Playboy Bloods operate primarily in the Sherman Gardens Annex, a public housing complex, located at the corner of Doolittle and H Streets in Las Vegas, and commonly called the “Jets.” On or about Jan. 20, 2004, Tillman aided and abetted the murder of a security guard at the Jets. The guard approached Tillman and several other Playboy Bloods and told them to leave the property. An argument ensued, and the guard rode away on his bicycle to get help. One of the Playboy Bloods fired a gun at the guard, hitting him two times and killing him. Tillman admitted that he aided and abetted the murder of the guard and acted deliberately and intentionally with extreme disregard for human life. Tillman further admitted that he agreed with other members of the Playboy Bloods to manufacture and distribute narcotics, primarily crack cocaine, and to operate drug houses within the Playboy Bloods’ turf. Tillman specifically admitted to distributing in excess of 280 grams of crack cocaine. Tillman also admitted that he distributed crack cocaine to another person on about Jan. 3, 2007, at one of the drug houses.

Nine other defendants who have been convicted and sentenced, as follows:

Jacorey Taylor, aka “Mo-B,” 31, convicted by a jury of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy, committing violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity, using a firearm during a crime of violence, participating in a drug conspiracy, and possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and sentenced to life in prison Oct. 21, 12013.

• Steven Booth, aka “Stevie-P,” 27, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy involving two murders and was sentenced to 20 years in prison on April 10, 2013
• Reginald Dunlap, aka “Bowlie,” 30, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy involving one murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison on April 9, 2013
• Demichael Burks, aka “Mikey P,” 29, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and was sentenced to 6½ years in prison on Dec. 3, 2010
• Anthony Mabry, aka “Akim Slim,” 43, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Oct. 20, 2010
• Delvin Ward, aka “D-Luv,” 37, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Sept. 17, 2010
• Terrence Thomas, aka “Seven,” 40, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on June 16, 2010
• Sebastian Wigg, aka “Rock,” 36, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and was sentenced to five years in prison on March 29, 2010
• Fred Nix, aka “June P,” 36, pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and was sentenced to five years in prison on March 29, 2010

The cases were investigated by the FBI’s Las Vegas Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes officers from the North Las Vegas Police Department and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas D. Dickinson and Phillip N. Smith, Jr., and Kevin L. Rosenberg, Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice Organized Crime and Gang Section.

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Playboy Bloods Gangster Pleads Guilty to Racketeering

A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiring to conduct a racketeering enterprise as a member of the Playboy Bloods criminal street gang, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada.

Steven Booth, 27, aka “Stevie-P,” pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Phillip Pro in the District of Nevada to one count of conspiracy to engage in a racketeering enterprise.

According to court documents, the Bloods is a criminal street organization whose members engage in drug trafficking and acts of violence. The Playboy Bloods is a local affiliate of the Bloods, with control and operation within the Las Vegas metropolitan area. A subset of the Playboy Bloods is Full Throttle Clique, a group made up of Playboy Bloods members who engage in acts of violence, including murder.

According to Booth’s plea agreement, he is a member of the Playboy Bloods and the Full Throttle Clique. Booth pleaded guilty to conspiring to conduct and participate in the conduct of the affairs of the Playboy Bloods through a pattern of racketeering activity.

According to court documents, Booth aided and abetted the murder of security guard Brian Wilcox in the Jets housing complex located in Playboy Blood controlled territory in Las Vegas. On approximately January 20, 2004, Wilcox and another security guard approached Booth and several other Playboy Bloods and told them they had to leave the property. An argument ensued, and the security guards rode away on their bicycles to call for backup. According to court documents, a Playboy Blood fired a gun at Wilcox, hitting him three times, and Booth and the others fled the scene. On January 21, 2004, Wilcox was pronounced dead.

Booth also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the murder of Billy Thomas. On October 31, 2004, Playboy Bloods and Full Throttle member Quazi Burns was murdered, and Playboy Bloods members believed that a rival Crips gang member was responsible for the crime. That night, according to court documents, several Playboy Bloods members, including the defendant, met at the Jets complex and discussed retaliating against the Crips. Booth and the other Playboy Bloods members got into two cars and spotted Billy Ray Thomas, who was working on his car, at Pecos Terrace Apartments in Las Vegas. According to court documents, several Playboy Bloods’ members got out of the cars carrying firearms, approached Thomas, and shot and killed him, believing that he was a Crips gang member.

At sentencing, scheduled for April 5, 2013, Booth faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Booth is one of 10 defendants charged in October 2008 with conducting racketeering activity through the Playboy Bloods criminal enterprise. To date, six defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to prison on this indictment.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas D. Dickinson and Phillip N. Smith, Jr. of the District of Nevada and Trial Attorney Kevin L. Rosenberg of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

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