Members of north Minneapolis gang guilty of racketeering tied to murders, drug trafficking

The trial of five members of the Highs, one of north Minneapolis’ most prolific street gangs, has ended in guilty verdicts for each man on various charges from racketeering conspiracy to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

The convictions, reached Thursday at the Minneapolis federal courthouse, mark the second jury trial against Highs members since the U.S. Attorney’s Office embarked on a strategy to topple the city’s street gangs using the same federal law that broke up East Coast mob families decades ago.

“The Highs have long terrorized north Minneapolis, bringing drugs, violence, and murder into our community,” acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said in a statement. “This verdict represents yet another step in our fight against gang violence.”

The indictment charging 45 members of the Highs, which has operated in north Minneapolis since 2008, accused the group of a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy tied to five murders between April and September 2021. The operation was also linked to more than 10 attempted murders and robbery and drug trafficking.

On Thursday, jurors found Tyreese Giles, 24, Trevaun Robinson, 29, William Banks, 35, and Gregory Brown, 35, guilty of racketeering conspiracy charges outlined in the indictment. The panel found Josiah Taylor, 31, not guilty of racketeering but guilty of conspiring to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking.

Thursday’s verdicts bring the number of convictions in the RICO case to 37, with eight people awaiting trial, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The Star Tribune left messages for the attorneys of each defendant. Bruce Rivers, Giles’ counsel, said he intends to appeal and said the jury’s decision left the defense “scratching our heads.”

Daniel Adkins, attorney for Gregory Brown, said he and his client were pleased that Brown was acquitted on a drug conspiracy charge.

“Gregory Brown has maintained his innocence from the beginning. We are thankful that the jury agreed,” Adkins said. “As for the RICO conviction, we disagree with that finding but will refrain from further comment due to post-trial motions to set aside that verdict. We hope to see Mr. Brown returned to his family as soon as possible.”

Numerous drug deals and the murder of a rival gang member in September 2021 were at the center of the men’s charges. According to the indictment, Giles is accused of carrying out the fatal shooting of a member of the Lows gang outside a Minneapolis market. The federal jury found him guilty of committing the murder in furtherance of the gang, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Federal prosecutors said the trial proved the men “were members of various ‘cliques’ or subsets of the Highs,” a group with a primary agenda consisting of “gang-related murders, shootings and distribution of narcotics” as they claimed territory north of W. Broadway Avenue in north Minneapolis. The enterprise’s rival gang, the Lows, which operated south of the road, have been separately charged with federal crimes, including racketeering.

Three members of the Highs gang were convicted last month on charges including federal racketeering and using firearms that led to the death of an innocent bystander.

Last year, three alleged members of the Minneapolis Bloods street gang were found guilty on charges including racketeering conspiracy and using firearms to carry out two homicides.

Another RICO trial involving Highs gang members starts Monday.