CHARLOTE, N.C. – Briana Shakeyah Johnson, 19, of Concord, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity (RICO) and murder in aid of racketeering charges, for her involvement in the murders of Douglas and Deborah London, announced U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose of the Western District of North Carolina.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division; Chief Kerr Putney of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department; and Sheriff Bruce Bryant of the York County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina join U.S. Attorney Rose in making today’s announcement.
This is the sixth defendant this week pleading guilty to charges stemming from this investigation. Five other members of the United Blood Nation (UBN or Bloods) pleaded guilty on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 for their involvement in the conspiracy and murders. Ibn Rashaan Kornegay, Rahkeem Lee McDonald, Daquan Lamar Everett, Centrilia Shardon Leach and David Lee Fudge, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy. Fudge and McDonald also pleaded guilty to murder in aid of racketeering, for the murders of Douglas and Deborah London. Fudge also pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery for his role in the May 2014 armed robbery of the Pineville area mattress store owned by the Londons.
Federal charges against the remaining six gang members, Jamell Lamon Cureton, Nana Yaw Adoma, Randall Avery Hankins, Malcolm Jarrel Hartley, Nehemijel Maurice Houston and Ahkeem Tahja McDonald, are still pending.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, Johnson, a/k/a “Breezy B” a/k/a “Breezy V,” was an associate of gang members of the Charlotte-area Valentine Blood set of the UBN. Court documents show that Johnson met Hartley in April 2014 and became his girlfriend. According to court documents, on or about May 25, 2014, Cureton, Adoma and Fudge robbed “The Mattress Warehouse,” store owned by the Londons. The three were later charged in connection with that robbery. According to court records, Cureton and other gang members discussed that Douglas London was the only eye witness that could identify Cureton and that he needed to be eliminated. As an associate of the Bloods, Johnson was present at gang meetings during which the murder of the Londons was discussed and planned.
In court documents filed with the plea agreement, Johnson admitted she agreed to drive Hartley to South Carolina to murder the Londons. Johnson also admitted that on October 23, 2014, she drove Hartley to the London’s residence in Lake Wylie, S.C., and that she waited in the car while Hartley shot both victims. According to court records, Johnson then drove Hartley back to Charlotte, first stopping at Rahkeem McDonald’s house to dispose of the gun. The two of them then returned to Hartley’s apartment where they met with other gang members. According to filed documents, while at the apartment, Hartley described the victims’ murders and the group celebrated. Hartley was ultimately “ranked up” within the gang for murdering the Londons.
Johnson is currently in federal custody. Her sentencing date has not been scheduled yet. The RICO conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. The maximum penalty for murder in aid of racketeering is death or life in prison.
Charges against the remaining six gang members are still pending. Cureton, Adoma, Hankins, Hartley, Houston and Ahkeem Tahja McDonald are changed with RICO conspiracy. Cureton, Hankins and Hartley are also charged with two counts of murder in aid of racketeering and two counts of use or carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death, for the murders of the Londons. Hartley faces two additional charges of possession of a firearm by a felon. Cureton and Adoma are also charged with Hobbs Act Robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity, and use or carry a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence for their involvement in the mattress store robbery. Cureton and Ahkeem McDonald are also facing charges of murder in aid of racketeering and use or carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death, in connection with the August 2013 murder of Kwamne Donqurius Clyburn, who was allegedly murdered for falsely claiming to be a member of the Bloods.
The FBI, CMPD and the York County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Greene and Don Gast are in charge of the prosecution.