Four members of gang faction tied to 11 murders face federal charges
Faction of Gangster Disciples tied to nearly a dozen murders in Englewood
Federal racketeering charges were announced Friday against four members of “a particularly violent” gang faction tied to nearly a dozen murders in Englewood.
At least 18 members of the Goonie Boss faction of the Gangster Disciples terrorized the South Side neighborhood, according to a federal indictment. And about half of them, including the gang’s leader, were allegedly responsible for the murders of 11 people between 2014 and 2016.
The faction bragged brazenly about their crimes on Facebook Live, authorities said.
Romeo Blackman — also known as “O” and “O-Dog” — and eight of his associates of the Goonie Boss faction are linked to the 11 murders and a host of nonfatal shootings.
Blackman is allegedly responsible for seven of those killings and five more attempted murders, U.S. Attorney John Lausch said.
“That’s staggering and it’s unacceptable,” Lausch said in announcing the charges Friday afternoon at the CPD’s Englewood District station.
Blackman, 22, Terrance Smith, 22, and Jolicious Turman, 27, and Nathaniel McElroy, 21, also are accused of stealing weapons and keeping witnesses from cooperating with law enforcement. All four are in custody.
In May 2017, Blackman and two others were federally charged with conspiring to steal 18 handguns, a rifle and a shotgun from a gun shop in Streator.
Nine other reputed Goonie Boss members already face federal weapons charges.
Tawana Bennett, cousin of murder victim Kenneth Whittaker, 34, attended Friday’s announcement, wearing a button with Whittaker’s photo and nickname, “Loso.”
She said the family was “floored” when they heard Turman, Whittaker’s alleged killer, was in custody.
“We’re just happy,” she said. “We just wanted justice and we’re finally at peace [because] we know that his killer is being locked up.”
The federal indictment outlines the attempted murder and racketeering charges:
Members of Goonie Boss allegedly murdered Gerald Bumper, 19, on June 30, 2016.
Turman allegedly murdered Ramal Hicks, 34, on June 20, 2016, outside a store in the 1500 block of West 69th Street.
In August 2017, Cook County prosecutors charged Lamarr Isaac in Hicks’ murder. He remains in the county jail on $1 million bond.
Blackman and McElroy allegedly murdered Gerald Sias, 38, on May 26, 2016, in a barbershop in the 1100 block of West 63rd Street.
Another man, Trevante Reed, appeared in Cook County bond court Friday on charges of fatally shooting Sias.
Reed already was in jail on a reckless homicide charge for allegedly crashing a stolen minivan into an SUV in Englewood in December 2015, killing a 37-year-old woman.
Blackman allegedly murdered Davon Horace, 19, on Jan. 15, 2016, in the 7200 block of South May Street.
Blackman allegedly murdered Andre Donner, 26, on Dec. 13, 2015, in the 7200 block of South May Street. Cook County prosecutors brought murder charges against Demarco Bennett, 22, in connection with Donner’s death last year. He’s being held without bond.
Blackman and Smith allegedly murdered Krystal Jackson, 25, on Nov. 19, 2014, in the 6800 block of South Loomis Boulevard.
Blackman and Smith allegedly murdered Stanley Bobo, 18, on Oct. 23, 2014, in the 1400 block of West 72nd Street.
Kwonte Hughes, 21, was previously charged in that murder by Cook County prosecutors in December 2014 and is being held in the county jail without bond.
Blackman allegedly murdered Alonzo Williams, 24, on March 21, 2014, in the 1200 block of West 70th Street.
Blackman allegedly murdered Johnathon Johnson, 21, on Jan. 22, 2014, in the 6900 block of South Racine Avenue.
Sivels is accused of shooting 26-yearold David Easley while Easley was walking in the 7000 block of South Carpenter Street on May 21, 2016.
Easley, of Evergreen Park, was in the neighborhood delivering a pair of shoes to his daughter when he was shot, according to authorities.
Cook County prosecutors said they believe Easley was mistaken for a member of the Cash Money Boys gang.
The Goonie Boss case comes as the U.S. attorney’s office is working to prosecute 11 members of the Four Corner Hustlers; authorities say they were responsible for six murders and a host of other crimes on the West Side for the last 20 years.