February 3, 2010
Office of The Attorney General
– Paula T. Dow, Acting Attorney General
Division of Criminal Justice
– Stephen J. Taylor, Director
Peter Aseltine
609-292-4791
Two Top Deputies in Nine Trey Set of Bloods Gang Sentenced to Prison for Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Murder
TRENTON – Acting Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced that two top deputies in the Nine Trey set of the Bloods street gang were sentenced to state prison today on charges of racketeering and, in the case of one of the men, conspiracy to commit murder.
According to Director Taylor, James Pringle, 37, of Newark, was sentenced to 23 years in state prison, including 11 without possibility of parole, by Superior Court Judge Edward M. Neafsey in Mercer County. He was sentenced to 13 years in state prison, including 11 years of parole ineligibility, on a charge of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, and a consecutive term of 10 years in state prison on a charge of first-degree racketeering. Pringle pleaded guilty to those charges on Dec. 22.
In addition, Jermaine Little, 36, of Newark, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Judge Neafsey on a charge of first-degree racketeering. He also pleaded guilty on Dec. 22.
Supervising Deputy Attorney General Andrew Butchko prosecuted the cases and handled the sentencing hearing for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau.
The charges were contained in a June 7, 2007 state grand jury indictment which charged a total of 48 members and associates of the Nine Trey set of the Bloods gang, including its top leaders. The indictment was the result of a joint investigation by the New Jersey State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice called Operation Nine Connect.
The indictment also charged David “Duke” Allen, 37, who allegedly ran the gang from Trenton State Prison. The investigation revealed that Pringle and Little were two of Allen’s top deputies. Pringle held the title of “OG” or “Original Gangster,” and Little held the title of “OOG” or “Double Original Gangster.”
In pleading guilty, Pringle admitted that he conspired with gang members in a plot to kill another Nine Trey member in Atlantic City. The Atlantic City Police Department, Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and State Police intervened to prevent the murder from being carried out.
Another gang leader, Michael Smart, was tried in January 2009, convicted and sentenced to 70 years in prison, including 40 years without possibility of parole, for crimes that included his participation in the murder conspiracy in Atlantic City as well as the attempted murder of a Crips gang member who was shot in Irvington.
Of the 59 defendants initially charged in Operation Nine Connect, including those named in the June 2007 indictment, pleas have been obtained from approximately 48 defendants. The other guilty pleas have resulted in sentences between five and 16 years in state prison. Charges are pending against Allen and the other remaining defendants. The indictment is merely an accusation and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Acting Attorney General Dow credited the detectives and investigators with the State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice who carried out the investigation, as well as the numerous deputy attorneys general who coordinated the investigation, presented it to the grand jury and prosecuted cases. She also thanked the many law enforcement agencies that assisted in the investigation and arrests, including the FBI, Newark Police Department, Trenton Police Department, Atlantic City Police Department, Pleasantville Police Department, Washington Township Police Department (Mercer County), Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Tinton Falls Police Department, Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, Bordentown City Police Department, New Jersey Department of Corrections, and State Parole Officers.
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