Oregon’s first federal racketeering trial against street-level gang members got underway Tuesday with jurors hearing starkly different accounts of the Hoover gang.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Bolstad described members as ruthless killers, armed robbers and money-flashing drug dealers who are enemies “with just about everyone else” and have worked to make their gang the most violent and powerful in Memphis.
Records show one of those members, Jaden Young, has ties to Hoover Criminals. Federal prosecutors allege he sold 32 assorted guns to several firearms dealers in New Jersey and New York providing them to “individuals he was associated with from Hoover Criminals.”
Young’s attorney declined to comment.
A year after the mass shooting on East Watkins Street, no other arrests have been made. Police sources said the suspected shooters are linked to the E Bezzal Gang (EBG) faction of Rollin’ 60s Crips, which claims territory in the north portion of the Smokey City neighborhood.
In the weeks leading up to the shooting, police sources said, there was an “emerging conflict” between the Cottonwood-Camelot and E Bezzal Gang.
In an interview with federal investigators, one of Young’s co-defendants said he “believed Young was taking the firearms to New Jersey and selling the firearms on the street,” according to federal court filings.
A search of cellphones belonging to the members allegedly revealed text messages that show the three Hoover Criminal gang members discussed the prices of firearms, how many were to be purchased and from where.
In February 2024, federal prosecutors alleged Young was discussing gun prices with someone with a New York phone number. In one text conversation, Young allegedly asked the person if they wanted accessories and ammunition along with guns.
“I want to talk to u about the price n wat was it again,” the person from New York texted to Young.
Iight and wassup grxxve you said 3 .40s 3 9s and a Ar Pistol I said around 6700-6800,” Young said. “You want sticks and eggs and everything to or u just want pipes I gotta drive 18 hrs gas and ona road taking the risk if not I’ll jus bring the pipes only no rounds or sticks the store go up and down.”
Two months later, prosecutors said Young was texting with another phone number based in Memphis.
“We gotta hold this s— down im still the main killa grxxve I done caught 4 bodies for my gang I ain’t never turning my back on gang whatever yall got going on im behind all bullshit idgaf bout nun on Hxxva,” Young said.
Federal prosecutors charged alleged Cottonwood-Camelot members Jaylen Moering, Jovan Jackson, Jimmy Kent, Mytorio Brown, Kyle Mccaster, Isaiah Friason, Christopher Northcross, Jackie Blue and Antione Johnson. Two other since-deceased members of Cottonwood-Camelot were listed as unindicted co-conspirators.
Federal investigators started looking at the members after a mass shooting left a man dead and seven others hurt on Memphis’s Southwest Side on December 28, 2023.
Several members of Cottonwood-Camelot were gathered in a storefront business in Parkway Village to celebrate the birthday of a fellow gang member who was murdered about two months earlier.
During the celebration, at least two shooters opened fire on the group, leaving one man dead and seven other people wounded. The man who was killed — Jayden Moore — was listed as one of two unindicted co-conspirators.
Memphis police investigators found more than 200 shell casings at the scene of the mass shooting, and several handguns were recovered as well.
The shooters have not been charged, but police sources say investigators believe the attack was carried out by members of the E-Bezzal Gang (EBG) faction of the Rollin 60s Crips.
In the weeks leading up to the mass shooting, police sources said, there was an “emerging conflict” between the Cottonwood-Camelot (Hoover Criminals) and E-Bezzal Gang (Rollin’ 60s Crips).