Two men swept up in last year’s crackdown on Tacoma’s Hilltop Crips street gang were sentenced Friday, bringing to 23 the number of people sent to prison in the case.
Andre L. Bonds, 38, who previously pleaded guilty to riot and conspiracy to commit drive-by shooting, received a five-year sentence from Pierce County Superior Court Judge Thomas Felnagle.
Adrian O. Jacobs, 22, who pleaded guilty to drive-by shooting and conspiracy to commit drive-by shooting, received seven years, three months from Judge Frank Cuthbertson.
The two men were among 36 people charged in February 2009 as local law enforcement tried to gut one of the city’s oldest and arguably most dangerous gangs.
Bonds pleaded guilty to taking part in a fracas at a Tacoma Denny’s restaurant in December 2008 in which a security guard was beaten. Several other gang members were involved in the incident, which ended with shots being fired in the parking lot. No one was hit.
During his sentencing, Bonds admitted throwing a punch during the melee but denied firing any shots or knowing that anyone in his group had a gun that night. He pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge at the insistence of prosecutors, he said.
Jacobs pleaded guilty to participating in an exchange of gunfire with a rival gang near Mount Tahoma High School in September 2009. No one was hurt.
Jacobs told Cuthbertson he’d learned a lesson about associating with the wrong people.
“I was just running with the wrong crowd,” he said.
Before pronouncing sentence, Cuthbertson lectured Jacobs about making better choices. The judge pointed out that Jacobs was an adult when he decided to join the Crips.
“You had a choice, and you made the wrong choice,” Cuthbertson said. “And you’re lucky you lived to go to trial.”
So far, 32 defendants have been convicted of crimes as a result of the crackdown. Charges against two – Michael Ward and James R. Henry – were dismissed.
Four of the defendants, including two already convicted but with further charges outstanding, are set for trial this month.
Adam Lynn: 253-597-8644 adam.lynn@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/crime
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