Gangster Disciples

The Gangster Disciples are a criminal street gang which was formed in the South Side of Chicago in the late 1960s, by Larry Hoover, leader of the Supreme Gangsters, and David Barksdale, leader of the Black Disciples. The two groups united to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation (BGDN). In Chicago, the Gangster Disciples have a long and bitter rivalry with the Black Disciples. Since their creation, the Gangster Disciples have expanded nationwide.

Gangster Disciples
Gangster Disciples logo
Founded1968 (1968)
Founded byLarry Hoover
Founding locationChicago, Illinois, United States
Years active1968–present
TerritoryVarious
EthnicityMostly African-American
Membership50,000-100,000 (2003)[1]
Criminal activitiesStreet-level drug distribution, assault, auto theft, firearms violations, fraud, homicide, prostitution rings, money laundering[2]
AlliesFolk Nation
Crips
RivalsPeople Nation
Bloods

Gangster Disciples in the military

On July 3, 2005, an unsanctioned group of servicemen claiming to be gang members affiliated with the Gangster Disciples street gang killed Sergeant Juwan Johnson of the U.S. Army in the small town of Hohenecken near Ramstein, Germany. Prosecutors accused U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Rico Williams of being the first one to start attacking Johnson in a six-minute beating that he had to endure to join the gang. Actual Chicago-based Gangster Disciples do not beat in recruits, as they have evolved into a corporate type of organization. When Johnson asked one of his fellow gang members to take him to the hospital, Williams refused. Johnson later died from multiple blunt-force trauma injuries. According to the government's investigations, Williams was the leader of the gang set operating on base, although he was not appointed by anyone connected to Gangster Disciples' supremo Larry Hoover. Senior Airman Williams was sentenced to 22 years in prison, while other servicemen faced sentences ranging from 2 to 12 years. Some of the charges against the servicemen were: Williams, second-degree murder and witness tampering; Air Force Staff Sergeant Jerome Jones, conspiracy to commit assault, gang participation, and other charges; Airman Nicholas Sims and Army Sergeant Rodney Howell; involuntary manslaughter; Private Terrance Norman, voluntary manslaughter.[3][4][5]

Six-pointed star

The predominant symbol of this criminal gang is the six-pointed Star of David.[1]


References
  1. "Drugs and Crime Gang Profile" (PDF). cryptome.org. 2003. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  2. "National Gang Threat Assessment 2009". National Gang Intelligence Center. January 2009. Archived from the original on December 14, 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  3. "Airman convicted of murder in 2005 Gangster Disciples initiation death". stripes.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  4. "Former Air Force Airman Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison For Murder of Army Sergeant in Germany". justice.gov. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  5. "Rico Williams sentenced to 22 years in 2005 slaying". wjla.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
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