Detroit gang leaders sentenced to decades in prison

Detroit — Two leaders of the Rollin 60s Crips street gang were sentenced Friday to decades in federal prison, the latest crackdown on violent crime in Detroit.

Chief U.S. District Judge Denise Page Hood sentenced gang leader Jerome Hamilton of Detroit to 30 years in prison while his deputy, Darriyon Mills of Detroit, received a 24-year sentence.

The duo pleaded guilty last year to racketeering conspiracy and firearm charges after being accused of participating in gang-related murders, shootings and drug deals, federal prosecutors said.

“Today’s sentence sends a clear message that we will not tolerate the senseless violence committed by criminal gangs,” said Paul Vanderplow, acting special agent in charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Every citizen has the right to feel safe in their neighborhoods.”

Hamilton, 26, admitted approving the attempted murder of a member of the rival Playboy Gangster Crips in 2011. He also took responsibility for firebombing a rival’s house and the 2011 homicide of Kionte Atkins during a drive-by shooting.

Hamilton, who started the gang’s Detroit branch in 2006, also admitted being involved in distributing marijuana and prescription pills.

The gang has about 150 members who operate primarily on Detroit’s west side near Seven Mile and Tracey.

Mills, 22, Hamilton’s second-in-command, admitted committing armed robberies, carjackings and multiple attempted murders. He also sold drugs, which bankrolled the gang’s activities.

A dozen members of the gang have struck plea deals or been convicted during a broader crackdown on violent street gangs in Detroit.

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