United States Drug Enforcement Administration

OXFORD, Miss. - A federal jury in the Northern District of Mississippi convicted two members of the Aryan Brotherhood of (ABM) gang for their participation in various criminal acts, including racketeering conspiracy, methamphetamine production and trafficking, kidnapping, murder and other federal offenses. The verdicts marked the culmination of a 2 ½ year investigation and prosecution of ABM, which resulted in the convictions of 42 members and associates of the gang.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration’(DEA) Jackson District Office, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi, Special Agent in Charge Constance Hester of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and (ATF) New Orleans Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi, Division announced the verdict today. 

“Today, DEA and our talented team of prosecutors, agents, investigators, and analysts defeated the Aryan Brotherhood,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Comeaux. “This important success could not have been realized without the brave and courageous collective voice of the jurors in this case. Their verdict, on the heels of an outstanding investigative effort by all involved, sends a resounding message to this once seemingly impenetrable foe that if you attempt to operate a violent drug trafficking criminal enterprise here in the state of Mississippi, you can and will be “branded” with a guilty verdict for your crimes.”

“The Criminal Division and its partners at U.S. Attorney’s Offices appropriately use racketeering laws to target the worst-of-the worst gang members and the leaders of criminal enterprises like the Aryan Brotherhood of Mississippi,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “Just as we did in the recent Aryan Brotherhood prosecutions in Texas and Oklahoma, we have taken great strides in dismantling a violent gang with a dangerous and repulsive philosophy.”

“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 U.S. Attorney Adams. “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.”

“The outcome of this investigation is sending a positive message to the community on law enforcement’s commitment to keep the community safe,” said Special Agent in Charge Hester. “These verdicts will send a powerful message to the Aryan Brotherhood as well as all gangs throughout the country that if you prey on the citizens we are sworn to protect, you will spend the remaining years of your life in prison.”

“The convictions in these cases reflect a major disruption of a large organization that incubates in our prison systems and spills over to our streets," said Special Agent in Charge Alway. Recognizing and neutralizing these organizations is vitally important and thanks to the joint efforts of our law enforcement partners at the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Department of Corrections, the ATF, DEA and United States Marshals Service, Mississippi is much safer.”

On April 13, 2016, a federal jury convicted Frank George Owens Jr., 44, aka State Raised, of D’Iberville, Mississippi, and Eric Glenn Parker, 35, of Richton, Mississippi, both members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Mississippi, of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy and murder. Owens was additionally convicted of kidnapping and attempted murder. Parker was additionally convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. Sentencing will take place before a U.S. District Judge of the Northern District of Mississippi and will be scheduled at a later date.

The DEA, ATF, FBI and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case. The U.S. Marshals Service; Federal Protective Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Mississippi Highway Patrol; Mississippi Bureau of Investigation; Mississippi Department of Corrections; Harrison County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Office; South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team; Tupelo, Mississippi, Police Department; North Mississippi Narcotics Unit; Tishomingo, Mississippi, County Sheriff’s Office; Lee County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Office; Forrest County, Mississippi, District Attorney’s Office; Prentiss County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Office; Jones County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Office; Harrison County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Office; and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team also provided valuable assistance. The Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices of the Northern and Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.

Parents and children are encouraged to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.