WASHINGTON – A violent member of the Omaha, Nebraska area Crips Gang was sentenced today to seven years in prison at the federal courthouse in Omaha, following his Feb. 22 jury trial conviction for participating in a racketeering conspiracy involving acts of violence, including attempted murder and assaults, witness tampering, and drug distribution.

Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Kelly for the District of Nebraska made the announcement.

Jerell Haynie aka “Bootie,” 35, of Omaha, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon, who also ordered him to serve a three year term of supervised release following his prison sentence.

According to evidence presented at trial, from 2008 to 2016, Haynie conspired to conduct and participate in the affairs of the Omaha-area chapter of the Crips, known as the “40th Avenue and 44th Avenue Crips,” through a pattern of racketeering activity.  As a long-standing gang member, Haynie engaged in cocaine trafficking and personally committed acts of violence for the gang in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy.  The evidence presented at trial revealed that Haynie attempted to kill a fellow Crips member suspected of cooperating with the police by shooting a gun at him multiple times.  According to trial evidence, in another incident of violence, Haynie and other gang members participated in a shooting in which they attempted to kill a police informant who made controlled drug purchases from Crips members.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Omaha Police Department are investigating the case.  Trial Attorney John S. Han of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Molsen of the District of Nebraska are prosecuting the case.