In a recent judgment in Norfolk, Virginia, Malik Trevonte Newsome, 31, from Ivor, has been sentenced to nearly 23 years in prison, marking the end of a series of sentencings related to a violent crime spree by members of a Blood-affiliated gang. This group was involved in multiple shootings targeting rival gang members around Franklin, Virginia, resulting in severe injuries to several individuals.
Newsome, known by nicknames such as “Red,” “Redd,” and “Hitman Red,” was convicted alongside other key members of this gang, which included Ronald Damone Jenkins, Jr., and Japree Lortez Brooks. These incidents, occurring between late 2017 and early 2019, were in retaliation for the murder of a high-ranking gang member by a rival Crip-affiliated gang, leading to a brutal cycle of violence.
The federal court handed down varying sentences to the involved parties, reflecting their roles in these acts. Jenkins received a 25-year sentence on April 16, 2024, while Brooks was sentenced to 35 years on April 18, 2024. Montrail Je’Quan Manley and Deon Dominick Sykes received 12 and 10 years, respectively, after both pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.
These sentences underline the severity of gang-related violence and the judicial system’s commitment to curbing such activities, which have long affected the communities around Franklin and the wider region.