Gang Crime and RICO Prosecutions

Florida officials say they have dismantled the state hierarchy of the Bloods‑affiliated 'Sex, Money, Murder' gang after a jury convicted alleged Florida boss Hernando Thompson, known as 'T. Murda,' on 17 felony counts including racketeering, conspiracy and directing gang activity. At a Monday news conference in Winter Haven, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier detailed a multi‑year investigation built on a court‑authorized wiretap that intercepted more than 4,700 communications and led to the seizure of firearms, body armor and roughly $1.5 million in drugs. Prosecutors say Thompson ran the organization like a 'business crime syndicate,' ordering robberies, drug trafficking, shootings and attempted murders while insulating himself from direct acts of violence, including home invasions where guns were allegedly pointed at an 8‑year‑old and a 3‑month‑old infant. Thompson, whose criminal record spans two decades with 14 prior felony charges, 10 misdemeanors and two prison terms, now faces up to five life sentences and is being held at the Polk County Jail pending a Feb. 20 sentencing. Judd blasted the judge who previously granted Thompson bail and state officials said the case has identified additional gang leadership and associates in North and South Carolina, hinting that more prosecutions may follow.