NORMAN RATCLIFF, a/k/a “Turk", 21, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr. to serve 396 months in prison for violating federal RICO, drug conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, and murder charges, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. RATCLIFF was a member of a gang from the Hollygrove area of the city that was involved in several shootings and murders in recent years. To date, all but one of the indicted members of this gang have pled guilty and have been sentenced. The last remaining co-defendant, Walter Conley, is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 26, 2014.
RATCLIFF had previously pled guilty to RICO conspiracy, drug conspiracy, and participating in the drive-by shooting that resulted in the murder of Ms. Eula Mae Ivey on June 14, 2010.
A thirty-four count second superseding indictment was returned on Nov. 16, 2012, charging Walter Conley, a/k/a “Ike Neezy"; Tyronne Stevenson, a/k/a “Duke"; Theron Golston, a/k/a “Thema"; Bernell Williams a/k/a “Bussy", a/k/a “A-Boogie"; Carey Jones, a/k/a “Bean"; and Mark Glenn with participating in a RICO conspiracy, drug conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, and several substantive acts of violence.
Co-defendant Ryan Carroll pled guilty to participating in the RICO conspiracy and to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence. On Oct. 16, 2013, he was sentenced to serve 210 months in federal prison.
Co-defendant Theron Golston was sentenced to life in prison on Nov. 20, 2013 for his participation in the RICO conspiracy, the murder of Aaron Allen, and the drive-by murder of Ms. Eula Mae Ivey.
Co-defendants Tyronne Stevenson and Mark Glenn also pled guilty to various charges in the indictment, which included non-fatal shootings and were sentence back on Dec. 11, 2013. Stevenson and Glenn were sentenced to serve 360 and 300 months, respectively.
Co-defendant Carey Jones was sentenced to life in prison on Jan. 22, 2014.
“Ratcliff and his co-defendants were responsible for terrorizing the streets of New Orleans," stated United States Attorney Polite. “Today’s lengthy sentence underscores that our community is fed up with violence in our neighborhoods. Those who perpetrate such violence are on notice: you will be held accountable for your actions."
Mr. Polite thanked the federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (A.T.F.) who took the lead role in this investigation and who have been steadfast in their resolve to bring these violent offenders to justice. He also thanked the other members of the MAG UNIT who worked on this case and renewed the USAO’s commitment to assist the MAG UNIT in targeting these types of violent offenders.
The Multi-Agency Gang Unit is an N.O.P.D. led division which includes federal agents from A.T.F., the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as participants from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, State Probation and Parole, and the New Orleans District Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
