Gang leader sentenced to life in prison for group attack that left woman for dead

KaMaria Braye
·7 min read
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NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY)– Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office said the last of 10 Hampton Roads gang members were sentenced to prison, after pleading guilty to a vicious gang attack that happened three years ago.

Norfolk Police: 10 arrested after woman found shot in the head in a car in April

On Dec. 19, 34-year-old Brandon Winnegan was sentenced to life in prison plus 38 years. He pleaded guilty to a handful of crimes including aggravated malicious wounding, child neglect, and doing a criminal act for a gang.

10 plead guilty in 2020 shooting in Norfolk

Brandon Winnegan
Brandon Winnegan

Authorities say in April 2020, Winnegan and nine members of the Rollin’ 20’s Outlaw Bloods left a then 21-year-old woman for dead.

Authorities said the gang beat, stabbed, strangled, and forced the victim to drink bleach.

WAVY was told Winnegan was the group leader who authorized the attack

“The assault on the victim resumed by Mr. Winnegan striking her in the face with his fists and a firearm,” said in a press release by the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney. “Mr. Winnegan then strangled the victim while the others pinned her to the floor and contributed to her beating. The more the victim drifted in and out of consciousness and showed signs of life, the more severe her beating became. The gang members took turns strangling her, attempted to suffocate her with various items, twisted her head in attempts to snap her neck, stabbed her around her midsection, and poured bleach down her throat as she lay on the floor.”

The group then shot the woman in the face and left her for dead in a car.

“The boy’s mother was found hours after being shot by a concerned neighbor who reported the occupied, yet stagnant vehicle to Norfolk Police. When officers arrived, the victim was severely disfigured to the point that they could not initially tell whether she was alive or how she had been injured,” said the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney.

Authorities said the woman was trying to be initiated into the gang, but then changed her mind, which made the group want to kill her.

The group was also accused of putting her then 2-year-old son in danger.

“The group pushed the boy out of the car and drove away, leaving him to wander the neighborhood in the rain. A garbage truck driver later found the 2-year-old on their morning route and reported the incident,” said the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney.

The victim lost her right eye and hearing in her right ear. She also suffers from lifelong neurological issues. Her son is also traumatized. We’re told he was put in foster care while his mother was getting medical care for her injuries.

Top row, left to right: Toparshia Hodges, Ginger McAfee, Brandan Winnegan, Deondre Watkins & Skylar Webb. Bottom row: Sadia Brown, Asja Smith-Moore, Javonne Watkins, Xavier Walker, Tavarruis Mitchell.
Top row, left to right: Toparshia Hodges, Ginger McAfee, Brandan Winnegan, Deondre Watkins & Skylar Webb. Bottom row: Sadia Brown, Asja Smith-Moore, Javonne Watkins, Xavier Walker, Tavarruis Mitchell.

The outcomes of each case, in order of most recent sentencing date, were the following:

  • Brandon L. “Sayso” Winnegan, 34, of Newport News, pleaded guilty on April 14, 2022, to conspiring to commit malicious wounding, the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, abduction, participating in a criminal act for the benefit of a gang, aggravated malicious wounding, child neglect and the possession of a firearm by a non-violent convicted felon within the past ten years. Judge David W. Lannetti sentenced Mr. Winnegan on Monday to life in prison plus 38 years.

  • Skylar D. “Thump” Webb, 22, of Chesapeake, pleaded guilty on June 22, 2021, to malicious wounding, conspiring to commit malicious wounding, aggravated assault by mob and participating in a criminal act for the benefit of a gang. Judge Lannetti sentenced Ms. Webb on Sept. 9, 2022, to 35 years in prison with 30 years and six months suspended, leaving an active sentence of four years and six months. Ms. Webb’s suspended sentence is conditioned upon her completing 10 years of uniform good behavior and 10 years of supervised probation following her release from prison.

  • Toporshia V. “Lawless” Hodges, 25, of Chesapeake, pleaded guilty on April 5, 2022, to abduction, participating in a criminal act for the benefit of a gang, aggravated malicious wounding, conspiring to commit aggravated malicious wounding, the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, child neglect and hazing of gang member. Judge Michelle J. Atkins sentenced Mrs. Hodges on July 29, 2022, to 51 years in prison with 30 years suspended, leaving an active sentence of 21 years. Ms. Hodges’ suspended sentence is conditioned upon her completing 10 years of uniform good behavior and three years of supervised probation following her release from prison.

  • Tavarrius D. “Flash” Mitchell, 21, of Portsmouth, pleaded guilty on June 15, 2021, to abduction, participating in a criminal act for the benefit of a gang, aggravated malicious wounding, conspiring to commit aggravated malicious wounding, the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, child neglect and the possession of a firearm by a previously convicted violent felon. Judge Lannetti sentenced Mr. Mitchell on July 18, 2022, to 70 years in prison with 36 years suspended, leaving an active prison sentence of 34 years. Mr. Walker’s suspended sentence is conditioned upon him completing 20 years of uniform good behavior and 20 years of supervised probation following his release from prison.

  • Deondre T. “Killa” Watkins, 26, of Portsmouth, pleaded guilty on April 14, 2022, to abduction, participating in a criminal act for the benefit of a gang, aggravated malicious wounding, conspiring to commit aggravated malicious wounding, the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, child neglect and the possession of a firearm by a previously convicted violent felon. Judge Lannetti sentenced Mr. Watkins on July 15, 2022, to 68 years in prison with 32 years suspended, leaving an active sentence of 36 years. Mr. Watkins’ suspended sentence is conditioned upon him completing 30 years of uniform good behavior and 30 years of supervised probation following his release from prison.

  • Asja D. “Ruby Red” Smith-Moore, 23, of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty on July 26, 2021, to malicious wounding, conspiring to commit malicious wounding, aggravated assault by mob, participating in a criminal act for the benefit of a gang, concealing or destroying physical evidence of a felony offense and child neglect. Judge Jerrauld C. Jones sentenced Ms. Smith-Moore on July 1, 2022, to 38 years in prison with 31 years suspended, leaving an active sentence of seven years. Ms. Smith-Moore’s suspended sentence is conditioned upon her completing 20 years of uniform good behavior and 20 years of supervised probation following her release from prison.

  • Javonne D. “Shamurda” Hodges (husband of Toporshia Hodges), 25, of Chesapeake, pleaded guilty on April 7, 2022, to abduction, participating in a criminal act for the benefit of a gang, conspiring to commit aggravated malicious wounding, grand larceny and concealing or destroying physical evidence of a felony offense. Judge Mary Jane Hall sentenced Mr. Hodges on June 10, 2022, to 13 years in prison with six years and six months suspended, leaving an active sentence of six years and six months. Mr. Hodges’ suspended sentence is conditioned upon him completing 10 years of uniform good behavior and 10 years of supervised probation following his release from prison.

  • Sadia M. “Murk” Brown, 27, of Norfolk, pleaded guilty on July 1, 2021, to malicious wounding, participating in a criminal act for the benefit of a gang, aggravated assault by mob, conspiring to commit malicious wounding and child neglect. Judge Hall sentenced Ms. Brown on June 10, 2022, to 16 years in prison with 11 years suspended, leaving an active sentence of five years. Ms. Brown’s suspended sentence is conditioned upon her completing 10 years of uniform good behavior and 10 years of supervised probation following her release from prison.

  • Ginger A. “Gin” McAfee, 21, of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2021, to participating in a criminal act for the benefit of a gang, malicious wounding, conspiring to commit malicious wounding and aggravated assault by mob. Judge Hall sentenced Ms. McAfee on May 13, 2022, to 21 years in prison with 15 years and six months suspended, leaving an active sentence of five years and six months. Ms. McAfee’s suspended sentence is conditioned upon her completing five years of uniform good behavior and five years of supervised probation following her release from prison.

  • Xavier A. “Too Much” Walker, 26, of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty on April 14, 2022, to conspiring to commit malicious wounding and participating in a criminal act for the benefit of a gang. Judge Lannetti sentenced Mr. Walker the same day to 10 years in prison with six years suspended, leaving an active sentence of four years. Mr. Walker’s suspended sentence is conditioned upon his completing 10 years of uniform good behavior and 10 years of supervised probation following his release from prison.

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