OAKLAND, California — Nine members of the Oakland-based “Ghost Town” gang have been sentenced to a combined total of nearly 60 years in prison for a series of armed robberies targeting small Bay Area businesses.
The sentences were handed down by U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, with the final defendant sentenced recently, according to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office. The defendants, Demarco Barnett, 36, Jakari Jenkins, 34, Danny Garcia, 41, Garland Rabon, 30, Aramiya Burrell, 35, Lester Garnett, 34, Darrin Hutchinson, 39, Ricky Joseph, 37, and Keanna Smith-Stewart, 33, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce. Eight of the defendants also pleaded guilty to various counts of robbery affecting interstate commerce.
The robberies occurred in 2022, with incidents including a March 18 robbery of a coin and stamp store in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood, a November 12 robbery of a San Pablo jewelry store, and a December 24 robbery of a marijuana business in Oakland. During these robberies, the co-conspirators brandished firearms, assaulted victims, and stole cash, jewelry, and other valuables.
Defendants Jenkins, Barnett, and Joseph were charged with and pleaded guilty to the San Francisco robbery. Jenkins, Barnett, Rabon, Garcia, and Hutchinson were charged with the San Pablo robbery, while Jenkins, Barnett, Rabon, Burrell, Garnett, and Garcia were charged with the Oakland robbery.
The sentences for the defendants ranged from 50 to 114 months, with a total of 709 months of custodial time ordered. Additionally, the court mandated restitution totaling $150,338.00. The case was prosecuted by the Violent Crime Strike Force with assistance from Yenni Weinberg, following an investigation by the FBI and the Oakland Police Department.