United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that an indictment charging eight members and associates of a local Philadelphia gang known as Omerta was unsealed Tuesday. The indictment charges various crimes, including racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit counterfeiting, and mail and wire fraud.
The defendants charged in the nine-count indictment are Jahlil Williams, aka “Bill,” “25th Street Bill,” “Kill Bill,” age 25; Rakiem Savage, aka “Roc,” “Fat Roc,” “roc30st_,” age 26; Kyair Garnett, aka “Ky Jefe,” “Jefe,” age 23; Haneef Roberson, aka “Haneef Robinson-Tucker,” “Neef,” “Black Neef,” “BlackNeef25st,” age 23; Biheis Moore, aka “Heis,” “Klay,” “klay_30st,” “heis.30st,” age 24; Rakiem King, aka “Cat,” “Hellcat,” “Hellcat30st,” age 25; Ward Roberts, aka “Rob,” “YoungWard25,” age 25; and Harry Draper, aka “Coach,” “Unk,” age 46.
The indictment alleges that the defendants were part of a racketeering enterprise that was engaged in murder, murder for hire, shootings, firearm possession, counterfeiting, money laundering, illegal gambling, robbery, drug trafficking and mail and wire fraud related to COVID-19 relief payments.
The conspiracy spanned from 2018 to 2023, and during that time, members of the conspiracy engaged in multiple acts of violence and fraud to enrich their enterprise and protect their gang territory and their reputation.
The Omerta organisation is based in the Strawberry Mansion neighbourhood of Philadelphia and is also closely aligned with another, larger Philadelphia gang named “Zoo Gang.” Omerta used social media, music, and music videos to enrich its members, promote their identity and image, recruit new members, brag about their own violent acts, and insult rival gangs and gang members.
Specifically, in September 2021, members of the conspiracy murdered C.J. and shot two other women in a murder-for-hire gone wrong. Then, in November 2021, members of the conspiracy murdered fourteen-year-old S.J. on a street corner in broad daylight because they felt he had either mocked their gang or was related to someone who killed one of their gang members.
In addition, mentioned in the indictment are at least two other shootings that members of Omerta committed during the course of the conspiracy to protect their territory, as well as plans to commit murder for hire.
To fund Omerta, members of the conspiracy committed over $1.5 million worth of counterfeiting by visiting stores throughout Pennsylvania and up and down the eastern seaboard to illegally change counterfeit currency for U.S. currency. In addition, members of the conspiracy filed fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance applications, receiving a total of over $443,000 to fund their illegal enterprise.
If convicted, some defendants face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison, while others face a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
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