Crime
Aryan Brotherhood leader from D’Iberville gets prison time
A high-ranking member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Mississippi has been sentenced to three life sentences plus 120 months for racketeering conspiracy, murder, kidnapping and attempted murder.
A release sent by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Thursday said Frank George Owens Jr., 44, aka “State Raised,” of D’Iberville, was sentenced yesterday to serve the 120 months for attempted murder by U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson of the Northern District of Mississippi. He was convicted on April 13. According to U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman Chad Lamar, all four sentences are to be served concurrently, and in the event that he ever gets out of prison, he is to serve five years of supervised release.
“The substantial sentence imposed today sends a strong message to the defendant and to other violent gangs that they will be held accountable for their criminal activities,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Constance Hester. “ATF will utilize every available resource to combat violent crime. We will continue to collaborate with all of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners in identifying, disrupting and dismantling the violent gangs that prey on our local communities.”
The ABM is the Mississippi-centered branch of the Aryan Brotherhood, a violent, “whites only,” prison-based gang with members and associates operating inside and outside of state penal institutions.
The ABM has been shown in various cases to be engaged in racketeering activities, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, assault, money laundering, firearms trafficking and trafficking in marijuana and methamphetamine, both inside and outside correctional facilities. According to trial evidence, Owens and three co-defendants served at varying times on the ABM’s three-member leadership “wheel” that oversaw and directed ABM activity throughout the state during the conspiracy.
Court documents showed that Owens and Eric Parker of Petal were accused in the death of Michael James Hudson in south Mississippi and the attempted murder of Jeremy Bailey. Authorities say Hudson was ordered by Owens to be beaten, kidnapped and then murdered. The allegations in the 10-count indictment took place all over the state.
According to evidence presented at trial, Owens and other ABM leaders ordered others to lure Hudson to an ABM house so that they could murder him for an unpaid drug debt. Owens and Eric Glenn Parker beat the victim to death and delivered the body to a co-defendant, who burned the victim’s body for days in order to incinerate it. In a separate incident, authorities say Owens ordered the stabbing of Bailey for threatening to rape a child. Bailey was stabbed five times.
Parker, 35, was convicted along with Owens of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy, murder and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. Parker’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
Owens’ sentencing marks the culmination of a 2 1/2-year investigation into and prosecution of ABM, which resulted in the conviction of 42 members and associates of the gang.
“This verdict and the culmination of this case, again, are another example of the outstanding teamwork of federal, state and local law enforcement,” said MBN Director John Dowdy. “The dismantling of this organization represents the continuing commitment in law enforcement to protecting the public safety for all Mississippians.”
The case was brought to a resolution by a huge amount of collaboration by federal, state and local agencies, authorities said.
“This prosecution is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between the Department of Justice, federal, state and local law enforcement officers targeting a large-scale prison gang involved in violent organized crime throughout the state of Mississippi,” said Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi. “As a result of this collaborative effort, we have effectively dismantled this violent organization and sent a clear message that the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners have an unwavering commitment to hold those individuals accountable who insist on creating an atmosphere of violence and fear in our communities.
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