Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
HOUSTON – A grand jury in the Southern District of Texas has returned a superseding indictment charging 13 Texas men for their roles in a robbery crew that engaged in robbery, drug trafficking, obstruction of justice and murder, including the killing of two individuals in July 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei, Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI.
The following 13 men, all of Houston, have been charged in the superseding indictment with one count of robbery conspiracy and one count of drug distribution conspiracy:
- Derrick Dewayne Butler aka Kutt or Kutt Throat, 28
- Travon Maxwel aka Goonie, 29
- Emmanuel Winnfield aka Pimp, 36
- Herman Mitchell aka Boobie, 37
- Tyrone Raymond Bolton aka Honeybee, 32
- Joe Devon Champion aka Champ, 35
- Jonta Allen Glover, 32
- Dewayne Donnell Champion aka Wayne, 37
- Cedric Lynn Andrews aka as Ced, 50
- Jermar Ballard Jones aka Mar, 37
- Christian Xavier Rucker aka Gucci, 30
- Samuel Lamonte Draper, 25
- Jeremy James Jenkins, 21.
If convicted, each faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on the robbery conspiracy and a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life for the drug distribution conspiracy. In addition, all are charged with one or more counts of attempt to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Jones is also charged with obstruction.
Butler, Rucker and Jones are also charged with two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, using a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of causing death through the use of a firearm relating to the killing of two men July 19, 2023. If convicted of murder in aid of racketeering, Butler, Rucker and Jones each face a mandatory minimum of life in prison or possibly the death penalty.
Bolton, Joe Champion, Glover, Winnfield, Dewayne Champion, Mitchell, Andrews, Jones, Butler, Maxwell, Draper and Jenkins, each face an additional mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, upon conviction.
“There is no place in our community for groups that terrorize their fellow citizens,” said Ganjei. “This superseding indictment alleges violent criminal acts and the tragic loss of two lives. The Southern District of Texas will continue to pursue justice for these victims as well as for the people of Houston.”
The FBI and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Texas Department of Public Safety. This case is part of both the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Houston and an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Kelly Zenón-Matos are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Justin G. Bish, Ralph Paradiso, Ben Tonkin and Jodi Anton of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
The Houston VCI is conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and local, state and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and associates in Houston. As part of the initiative, the Criminal Division has dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecuting violent offenders and assisting intervention, prevention and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Justice Department’s OCDETF webpage.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.