NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Raquille Jackson, 22, and Eric Edmunds, II, 20, both of Newport News, were sentenced today to 220 months and 240 months, respectively, on charges of attempted murder in aid of racketeering and discharge of a firearm in commission of a violent crime. Co-defendants, Raiquan Turner, 20, and Quantavius Durham, 19, also of Newport News, were previously sentenced (see chart below).
“Violent gangs have no place in this community,” said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “These sentences send a clear message to any other gang members considering committing violent crimes here in the Tidewater: You will be caught and you will be prosecuted. Together with our local law enforcement partners we will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute these cases at every opportunity.”
According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, the defendants were all members or associates of the 36th Street Bang Squad, a hybrid criminal street gang. On June 5, 2015, the men followed a Hampton Public School bus looking for a rival gang member. After not locating the rival, whom they suspected of killing a 36th Street Bang Squad member a few days earlier, the men returned to their vehicle which was parked at the Sonic Restaurant on Floyd Thompson Boulevard. After entering the vehicle, the men observed rival gang members walking toward the restaurant. As the rivals approached, Jackson and Edmunds opened fire. Edmunds used a firearm provided to him by Durham. Hampton Police quickly stopped the fleeing vehicle only miles from the location. All four defendants were removed from the vehicle. Ballistic tests of the firearms recovered from the vehicle matched casings left at the scene of the shooting, and all four men were positive for gunshot residue.
All four defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.
Name | Date of Sentencing | Sentence |
Raiquan Turner | June 6 | 240 months |
Quantavius Durham | July 19 | 210 months |
Eric Edmunds, II | September 12 | 240 months |
Raquille Jackson | September 12 | 220 months |
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Michael Boxler, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division; and Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, made the announcement after Edmunds and Jackson were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Zlotnick and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:15-cr-80.