San Francisco, California - A federal grand jury in San Francisco returned a superseding indictment charging Marcus Etienne, a.k.a. Hitler, Mario Robinson, and Burte Gucci Rhodes, a.k.a. Moeshawn, with murder-for-hire, a number of firearms and drug distribution offenses, and related crimes, announced United States Attorney Alex G. Tse, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett and Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Tara Sullivan. Etienne and Robinson also are charged with racketeering conspiracy.
The superseding indictment, filed today, amends racketeering, murder, and conspiracy charges originally filed February 16, 2017, and updated August 3, 2017, against Etienne, Robinson, and other defendants.
The charges stem from a multi-state marijuana trafficking organization and the murder of Trince Thibodeaux on March 22, 2016, at 90th Ave. and International Boulevard in Oakland, Calif. The superseding indictment alleges that Etienne, 37, of Opelousas, La., ran an enterprise consisting of more than five members who conducted a continuing and extensive narcotics conspiracy and criminal organization. The criminal organization and conspiracy distributed marijuana from California to Louisiana and Texas.
The superseding indictment filed today makes clear that Etienne conspired with, Robinson, 35, of Oakland, and Rhodes, 37, of Oakland, to murder Thibodeaux on March 22, 2016, in Oakland. According to the indictment, Rhodes shot and killed Thibodeaux and $5000 was promised in exchange for the murder.
Etienne and Robinson also are charged with racketeering conspiracy and being part of an enterprise referred to in the indictment as the “Etienne Enterprise,” based in St. Martin Parish La. The Etienne Enterprise engaged in narcotics distribution, assault, robbery, extortion, extortionate collection of extensions of credit, murder for hire, murder, money laundering, illegal firearms possession, and obstruction of justice. Among the activities of the racketeering conspiracy was a gambling operation through a large-scale dogfighting ring. The racketeering conspiracy existed since January 7, 2013, and its members operated in Louisiana, in the Northern District of California, in Texas, and elsewhere.
The defendants are charged in the superseding indictment as follows:
|
DEFENDANT |
CHARGES |
STATUTE |
MAXIMUM STATUTORY PENALTY |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Marcus Etienne a/k/a Hitler |
Conspiracy to Distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana |
21 U.S.C. § 846, 841, and (b)(1)(A) |
Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison $10,000,000 fine After filing of prior conviction, if applicable, not less than 20 years or more than life in prison and $20,000,000 fine |
|
Murder during a narcotics offense |
21 U.S.C. § 848(e)(1)(A) |
Not less than 20 years and not more than live in prison $250,000 fine |
|
|
Use or possession of a firearm in murder |
18 U.S.C. § 924(j) |
Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison. $250,000 fine |
|
|
Conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity |
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) |
Life in prison $250,000 fine |
|
|
Murder in aid of racketeering |
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1) |
Mandatory life in prison $250,000 fine |
|
|
Conspiracy to commit murder in aid or racketeering |
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) |
Ten years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
|
Murder for hire |
18 U.S.C. § 1958 |
Mandatory life in prison $250,000 |
|
|
Conspiracy |
18 U.S.C. § 371 |
Five years in prison $250,000 fine |
|
|
Assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering |
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(3) |
20 years in prison $250,000 fine |
|
|
Conspiracy to commit money laundering |
18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) |
20 years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
|
Money laundering (2 counts) |
18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and (a)(1)(B)(i) |
(each count) 20 years in prison $250,000 fine |
|
|
Mario Robinson |
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana |
21 U.S.C. § 846, 841, and (b)(1)(A) |
Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison $10,000,000 fine
After filing of prior conviction, if applicable, not less than 20 years or more than life in prison and $20,000,000 fine |
|
Murder during a narcotics offense |
21 U.S.C. § 848(e)(1)(A) |
Not less than 20 years and not more than live in prison $250,000 fine |
|
|
Use or possession of firearm in murder |
18 U.S.C. § 924(j) |
Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison.
$250,000 fine |
|
|
Conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity |
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) |
Life in prison $250,000 fine |
|
|
Murder in aid of racketeering |
18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1) |
Mandatory life in prison $250,000 fine |
|
|
Murder for hire |
18 U.S.C. § 1958 |
Mandatory life in prison $250,000 |
|
|
Conspiracy |
18 U.S.C. § 371 |
Five years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
|
Conspiracy to commit money laundering |
18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) |
20 years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
|
Money laundering (3 counts) |
18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and (a)(1)(B)(i) |
(each count) 20 years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
|
Burte Gucci Rhodes a/k/a Moeshawn |
Murder for hire |
18 U.S.C. § 1958 |
Mandatory life in prison
$250,000 |
|
Use or possession of a firearm to commit murder |
18 U.S.C. § 924(j) |
Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison.
$250,000 fine |
|
|
Conspiracy |
18 U.S.C. § 371 |
Five years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
|
Possession with intent to distribute heroin |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(i) |
Not less than 5 years or more than 40 years in prison
$5,000,000 fine |
|
|
Possession of firearms in connection with drug trafficking offenses |
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A) & (B) |
Not less than 5 and 10 years consecutive in prison
$250,000 fine |
Additional fines, forfeitures, restitution, and special assessments also may be imposed. However, any sentence after conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Etienne remains in custody based on the February 16, 2017, indictment. Robinson was arrested in Louisiana on August 4, 2017, and appeared on August 7, in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana. Rhodes was arrested December 5, 2018, on a federal arrest warrant. The case is assigned to the Honorable William Alsup, United States District Judge, for the Northern District of California.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith Osborn and William Frentzen with the assistance of Jessica Meegan and Bridget Kilkenny. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s San Francisco, New Orleans, Houston Divisions; IRS-CI; Oakland Police Department; with the assistance from the St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, Opelousas, Louisiana Police Department.
