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May 2, 2003
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California announced that five members and one associate of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang were sentenced on April 28, 2003 after pleading guilty to various RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) and drug charges.
The sentences imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco ranged from seven to 14 years imprisonment.
• James Pendleton, 57, of Crescent City, California, was sentenced to 150 months imprisonment after being convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit murder in furtherance of racketeering activity in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1959(a)(5) and (2).
•Reuben Pappan, 58, of Corcoran, California, was sentenced to 168 months imprisonment after being convicted of two separate counts of conspiracy to murder in furtherance of racketeering activity, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1959(a)(5) and (2).
•John Harper, 50, of Tehachapi, California, was sentenced to 96 months imprisonment after being convicted of one count of attempted murder in furtherance of racketeering activity, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1959(a)(5) and (2).
•Mark Glass, 46, of Crescent City, California, was sentenced to 135 months imprisonment after being convicted of two counts of attempted murder in furtherance of racketeering activity, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1959(a)(5) and (2).
•Robert Shields, 45, of Corcoran, California, was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment after being convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit murder in furtherance of racketeering activity in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1959(a)(5) and (2).
•Brenda Moore, 46, of Chowchilla, California, was sentenced to 87 months imprisonment after being convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Pelican Bay State Prison, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), and one count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery in furtherance of racketeering activity, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1959(a)(6) and (2). Noting violence and other aggravating factors, Judge Illston ordered that the sentence run consecutive to the 14-year state sentence Brenda Moore is already serving for crimes she committed in connection with the 1995 murder of Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputy Frank Trejo. Moore was convicted for her role in a conspiracy to commit an armed home-invasion robbery in Eureka, California, in order to increase her position with the Aryan Brotherhood and make money for the organization. During the robbery, one of Moore's coconspirators brandished a firearm and restrained the occupants of the house with duct tape before leaving with money and a suitcase containing marijuana. She was also convicted of smuggling methamphetamine into Pelican Bay for distribution to members of the Aryan Brotherhood.
Most of the defendants are currently serving state criminal sentences in California prisons, including Pelican Bay State Prison and other California Department of Corrections facilities. In order to disband and disperse members of the enterprise who are located in California state prison facilities, Judge Illston ordered that they serve their federal sentences in a federal facility chosen by the United States Bureau of Prisons before serving the remainder of their state sentences.
The final defendant, Paul "Cornfed" Schneider is awaiting trial. A trial date has not yet been scheduled.
The prosecutions are the result of a multi-year investigation by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Santa Rosa Police Department and the California Department of Corrections. Hannah Horsley and Rebecca Hardie are the Assistant United States Attorneys prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the U.S. Attorney's Office's website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can. Related court documents and information may be found on the District Court website at www.cand.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.cand.uscourts/gov.
All press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Jacobs at (415) 436-7181.
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