For Release: Oct. 17, 2006
Contact: J. Tucker Martin or David Clementson
Email: jtmartin@oag.state.va.us or dclementson@oag.state.va.us
Phone: 804-786-2071
GANG MEMBER CONVICTED IN ROCKINGHAM
HARRISONBURG – Criminal street gang member Justin King of Grottoes today pled guilty in the Circuit Court of Rockingham County to felony gang participation, resulting from the first indictment by the Shenandoah Valley Multi-Jurisdictional Grand Jury.
King covered the laundry room of a local apartment complex with graffiti related to the criminal street gang known as the Gangster Disciples.
“This case demonstrates the value of Virginia’s tough new gang laws,” Attorney General Bob McDonnell said. “The Shenandoah Valley will not be a welcome home for criminal street gangs.”
King will serve two years in the state penitentiary, with three years on probation thereafter. If he violates his probation, he is subject to an additional eight years in prison. He has been ordered to pay a $500 mandatory fine, and make restitution. Additionally, the court prohibited King from having contact with anyone whom he knows to be a member of a criminal street gang.
This conviction is the result of a thorough investigation by the Combined Harrisonburg and Rockingham Gang Enforcement Unit (C.H.A.R.G.E.), the Office of the Rockingham County Commonwealth’s Attorney, and the Office of Attorney General McDonnell.
“We are quite pleased with this result, which is possibly the largest sentence ever imposed for gang graffiti in the Commonwealth,” Rockingham Commonwealth’s Attorney Marsha Garst said. “This is what can happen when law enforcement, prosecutors and legislators work together to combat gang violence.”
The conviction was the result of the effective use of several new laws passed by the General Assembly of Virginia to combat gangs. The two-year sentence was based on the mandatory minimum sentence required for gang crimes committed on or near school property. The $500 fine was based on a new Virginia law requiring a mandatory minimum fine for gang-related graffiti. In addition, a new law clarifies that courts may, as a condition for a suspended sentence or probation, prohibit a gang member from having contact with anyone he knows to be a member of a criminal street gang.
“Thanks to the work of our local prosecutors and law enforcement, the Shenandoah Valley was able to implement Attorney General McDonnell’s ‘Safer and Stronger Virginia’ anti-gang agenda,” Sen. Mark Obenshain said. “With today’s conviction, I am glad to see that laws that I believe are important are making a difference in our community.”
Obenshain patroned legislation that makes clear that judges have the ability to impose restrictions on gang members who are on probation with regard to association with other gang members. He also patroned legislation that allows prosecutors to bring gang offenses before a Multi-Jurisdictional Grand Jury.
Click here for more on Attorney General McDonnell’s work to combat gangs across Virginia.
