Arlington gang members sentenced for violent crimes and racketeering | North Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas — Twenty-one members and associates of the Kiccdoe street gang in Arlington have pled guilty to federal charges, including racketeering and violent crimes, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

Chauncey Ross, a 22-year-old from Arlington, was sentenced to life in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman for his involvement in the RICO conspiracy. “I will not tolerate gang-related violence in our district,” stated U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Through his conduct, defendant Ross earned the life sentence he received.”

FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock emphasized the severity of Ross’s actions, stating, “This defendant’s role in the commission of a murder and his involvement in a violent gang that terrorized the Arlington community warrants the life sentence imposed in this case.”

Arlington Police Chief Al Jones expressed relief, saying, “In Arlington alone, we documented more than 180 criminal incidents, many of them violent in nature, involving the members of this street gang.”

During the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented showing Ross’s involvement in a murder and an attempted murder, as well as his subsequent recording of a rap song bragging about the incidents.

In addition to Ross, seven other defendants have been sentenced for their roles in the racketeering conspiracy:

Kyron Oates, 22, of Grand Prairie, Texas, received 188 months for a RICO conspiracy.Cortez Atkinson, 19, of Fort Worth, Texas, received 176 months for a RICO conspiracy.KeyShawn Burton, 21, of Arlington, Texas, received 127 months for a RICO conspiracy.Jaylen Jeshawn Franklin, 23, of Arlington, Texas, received 122 months for a RICO conspiracy.Sir James Mack Williams, 22, of Arlington, Texas, received 92 months for a RICO conspiracy.Raphael Opare, 19, of Arlington, Texas, received 41 months for a RICO conspiracy.JaMarion Manogin, 20, of Forney, Texas, received 12 months for drug trafficking.

The remaining 13 defendants are scheduled for sentencing in the coming weeks, with dates set in June, July, and September 2026.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Arlington Police Department, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura G. Montes and Eric B. Chen, assisted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Capoccia.