Source: United States Department of Justice News
Memphis, TN – A superseding indictment has been returned by a federal grand jury charging three men, Michael Hobson, 30, and Tomarcus Baskerville, 34, of Somerville, Tennessee, and Christopher Peeler, 31, of Moscow, Tennessee, with committing murder in aid of racketeering and causing death using a firearm. The charges arise from a 2015 Hardeman County murder.
“This is another great example of the diligent work of the law enforcement community to rid our communities of the violence that gang members inflict upon our citizens. This indictment should serve as notice that we will use every available resource to bring those who engage in organized crime to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz.
“We applaud the diligent and thorough work of our special agents and law enforcement partners and are grateful for the continued work of the U.S. Attorney in ensuring the individuals responsible for this deadly and devastating string of organized crime, throughout West Tennessee, will be held accountable for every criminal act they have committed,” said TBI Director David Rausch.
According to U.S. Attorney Ritz, as well as the charges and information presented in court, in 2022, a federal grand jury indicted 14 alleged members and associates of the Traveling Vice Lord/Junk Yard Dog gang on various racketeering charges, including murder, attempted murders, and narcotic trafficking. This superseding indictment adds charges for a second murder and includes Michael Hobson as an alleged gang member and offender.
The indictment includes charges for six separate shootings, two murders, and four attempted murders in Hardeman County. As a result of these crimes, nine individuals were shot, and two of those victims died. Each of the defendants are being detained.
The RICO conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of life. The charge of murder in aid of racketeering charge carries a sentence of life imprisonment. Each of the acts of brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence carries a penalty of not less than 10 years consecutive to its related attempted murder (Violent Crime in Aid in Racketeering).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, and the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Department.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant United States Attorneys Neal Oldham and Beth Boswell are prosecuting the case.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901) 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.