ORLANDO, Fla. — Eleven alleged gang members are facing federal charges for running a violent criminal enterprise inside Florida prisons, according to a four-count indictment unsealed in the Middle District of Florida.
A press release from the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida said the Sex Money Murder-24K gang (SMM-24K) orchestrated stabbings and attempted murders of their own members behind bars while trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine into correctional facilities.
Court documents reveal the gang created a "hit list" with identifying and location information of victims and intended targets, along with accusations against each person.
In one case, gang leaders ordered the murder of a member they accused of lying and stealing from the organization. On January 17, 2023, defendant Tyrone Conaway, 37, formerly of Fort Lauderdale, directed multiple SMM-24K members at DeSoto Correctional Institution to murder the targeted member. Less than two weeks later, that person was stabbed inside the facility.
On February 23, 2023, defendant Terry Tillman, 38, of Orlando, attempted to kill a different gang member by stabbing that person around the neck while defendant Charlie Martin, 28, of DeLand, acted as a lookout.
In April 2023, defendants Hernando Thompson, 40, of Orlando, and Alvin James, 30, of Orlando, texted each other about murdering a rival gang member. That person was attacked at Apalachee East Correctional Institution. Less than a month later, the same rival gang member was repeatedly stabbed by two inmates after being moved to Liberty Correctional Institution.
According to court documents, SMM-24K is a subset of the Bloods gang, which originated in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. The SMM subset has spread to areas across the East Coast, including Florida, where it operates inside and outside prisons and jails.
"The crimes alleged in this indictment demonstrate the callousness and determination of the SMM-24K gang to perpetuate heinous acts in Florida's prison system," U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe said.
Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor of the FBI's Tampa Field Office said the agency's goal is to "surge resources and partnerships, to build cases that cut into the capabilities of violent criminal networks."
The defendants face penalties including up to life in prison for racketeering conspiracy and drug conspiracy, and up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Florida Department of Corrections, the Florida Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, and the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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