Defendant in LSP gang RICO case sentenced

Staff report

CLEVELAND

One of 23 defendants in a 42-count federal indictment targeting the LSP gang on Youngstown’s South Side has been sentenced to 28 months in prison.

Trevon Mason, of Youngstown, drew the sentence Tuesday from U.S. District Court Judge Donald C. Nugent.

Mason had pleaded guilty in March to participating in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act conspiracy.

LSP stands for LaClede, Sherwood, Parkview and Princeton avenues, where the U.S. Attorney said gang members sold crack, heroin and marijuana to support themselves between 2003 and 2011.

When a federal grand jury returned the indictment in March 2011, U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach said the prosecution of LSP members and associates under the RICO Act was a continuous effort by federal and local law enforcement to go after the “worst of the worst” criminals.

Some of the crimes he attributed to LSP members were shootings in 2008 and 2009 and a beating and pistol-whipping in 2010.