FBI: All 30 defendants in Sex Money Murder gang RICO case now in custody, including Quinn Howard

Federal officials confirmed Thursday all 30 suspects in the Sex Money Murder RICO case are in custody. The case spans multiple states and includes violent and financial crimes.

UPDATE: The FBI says all 30 people in the  SSM Gang Rico case announced earlier Thursday are now in custody, including Quinn Howard.

He was taken into custody in the Savannah area Thursday afternoon.

SAVANNAH, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)- A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Quinn Jermaine Howard, also known by aliases “DB Que” and “Q,” in connection with his alleged involvement in a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) conspiracy. The indictment says Howard is linked to the Sex Money Murder gang, an offshoot of the Bloods, which is accused of organizing drug distribution and murder activities, both on the street and behind bars.

Howard, 27, who is described as 5’11” tall, weighing 182 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, is wanted by authorities following the issuance of a federal arrest warrant on last Friday, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia in Savannah. The indictment also includes arrests across multiple states, including Georgia, New York, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, and New Jersey.

Howard has ties to the Coastal Georgia area, including Savannah, and authorities say he should be considered armed and dangerous. The FBI’s Atlanta Field Office is urging anyone with information about Howard’s whereabouts to contact them at (770) 216-3000 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Thirty indicted in RICO conspiracy and violent crimes linked to Sex Money Murder gang

Federal authorities unsealed an eight-count indictment charging 30 alleged members and associates of the Sex Money Murder (SMM) gang with a range of crimes, including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, drug trafficking, murder, and wire fraud. The indictment alleges that SMM, an offshoot of the Bloods gang, engaged in violent acts to enforce gang rules, including murders of members who violated gang directives.

Court documents reveal disturbing examples of the gang’s violence, such as the 2020 murder of a 19-year-old gang member who wanted to leave the group. The victim was lured to his death under the guise of attending a gang meeting.

According to court documents, on February 24, 2020, Byron Hopkins and other SMM members intercepted a young victim a few hours after he stepped off his school bus. They drove him to a rural residential neighborhood where Hopkins shot him to death. The victim had reportedly expressed a desire to leave the gang after accusing Hopkins of having sexual relations with a minor female who became pregnant. To lure the victim, his, “big brother” in the gang – a person he trusted – sent him a text message claiming there was an important gang meeting he needed to attend. Believing this, the victim willingly got into the vehicle, unaware he was being taken to the site of his execution. This is just one example of SMM’s deadly violence against a member that questioned authority or violated gang rules.

In addition to murder, the SMM gang members trafficked drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, throughout the Savannah metropolitan area.

Further criminal activity detailed in the indictment includes participation in fraud schemes targeting federal COVID-19 relief and unemployment benefit programs, resulting in over $850,000 in intended losses.

According to a news release, the indictment alleges an extensive criminal enterprise in which SMM members, including inmates within the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDOC), orchestrated numerous crimes, including murders, attempted murders, attempted robberies, drug trafficking within and outside of GDOC facilities, and wire and bank fraud. Seven of the defendants allegedly committed or ordered the charged crimes from prison.

“The use of contraband cell phones as a tool to carry out gang activity and other crimes from behind prison walls will not be tolerated and we are proud of our Agents for their role in assisting our law enforcement partners in stopping these individuals from jeopardizing the safety of the public and the operations of our facilities,” said GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver.