Brockway shooting victim former member of Maryland Bloods gang subset

Erin Cleavenger, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.
·3 min read
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Nov. 25—The victim of a deadly shooting on Brockway Avenue in Morgantown early Nov. 20 had previously been federally convicted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act for conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity.

According to court records from the United States District Court of Maryland, Richard Demoan Hall Jr., 39, was one of 35 people charged in a 71-page indictment in September 2011 related to alleged gang activity by a Maryland-based subset of the Bloods gang called the South Side Brims (SSB).

Hall, aka "Ransom, " was said to be a member or associate of the SSBs operating in and around Cumberland, Md. The group also had operations in and around New York City, New Jersey, Virginia, South Carolina and California.

At the time of the 2011 indictment, SSB members were engaging in criminal activity, including attempted murder, murder, aggravated assaults, robberies, burglaries, home invasions, drug trafficking, counterfeiting, fraud and conspiracy to commit the aforementioned crimes.

Hall was listed on four counts of the 18-count indictment, including conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime.

The indictment outlined several instances in which Hall delivered directives related to SSB activities as well as the purchase and sale of firearms and drugs. He was also said to have been found in possession of counterfeit money in 2009 and assisted with a prisoner escape in 2011.

Upon indictment, Hall was also forced to forfeit a.40 caliber Taurus semi-automatic pistol that had an "obliterated serial number."

Hall ultimately took a plea agreement, pleading guilty to two of the four counts — conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity and use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime.

As part of the guilty plea, Hall admitted to being associated with or employed by the SSB enterprise, engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity and knowingly and willfully conspiring with two or more persons to conduct and participate in the affairs of the SSB enterprise through that pattern of racketeering.

He was sentenced to seven years in prison and was sent to the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Maryland.

Though few details are being released about the Brockway Avenue shooting, police believe it was an isolated incident.

MPD Lt. Chad Reyes previously told The Dominion Post, "It appears that (the shooting) was targeted. This wasn't a random act."

Police officers responded to the 500 block of Brockway Avenue—between Overdale and Kingwood streets—at about 3 a.m. Nov. 20, after several 911 calls were made regarding shots fired in the area.

Responding officers found Hall lying in the street, but he had already died from his gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

MPD has not released any information regarding a suspect in Hall's death and it is unknown if the shooting was gang related.

Anyone who may have information or security camera footage regarding the shooting is encouraged to contact the Morgantown Police Department at 304-284-7522.