Gang member sentenced to more than 20 years

Jace Radke

Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004 | 9:40 a.m.

A federal judge on Monday sentenced a gang member to more than 20 years in prison for his part in numerous violent and drug-related crimes committed by the Rolling 60s over the last decade.

Antonio "Riddler" Givens, 34, told U.S. District Judge James Mahan that he wanted to apologize for his selfish behavior that resulted in the prison term.

"Everybody is gonna pretty much be dead and gone when I get out," Givens said of his family. "I never thought I'd be sitting in here on a RICO (federal anti-racketeering) charge when I was on the streets.

"All I can do is keep my head up and accept this. I'm just angry with myself."

Givens is one of 21 alleged gang members who were indicted in August 2003 on federal racketeering charges. The 88-count indictment alleging violent crime and drug trafficking was later amended to include charges against a 22nd alleged gang member.

In May Givens pleaded guilty to one conspiracy count filed under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Mahan sentenced Givens to 165 months in prison and added another seven-year sentence to run consecutively to the first. The additional seven years is mandated by statute because Givens used a firearm as part of a violent crime.

Six other defendants in the case have also pleaded guilty, and the rest are tentatively scheduled to go to trial next summer.

Authorities allege that the gang members, as a group, terrorized a Las Vegas neighborhood by running drug houses, selling crack cocaine, prostituting children and participating in a violent gang war with a rival group. Charges against the defendants date back to 1992 robberies of grocery stores.

Givens also apologized to Mahan for his part in an attempted robbery of the Gold Strike casino in downtown Las Vegas in July 2002. While brandishing guns, gang members attempted to force their way into the cashier's cage, but only got $5 from a worker, according to the indictment.

Some of the specific criminal activities that the defendants have been charged with include: