Marcus Etienne, 38, of St. Martin Parish, La., and co-defendant Mario Robinson, 36, of Opelousas, La., and Oakland, who pleaded guilty to similar charges, admitted in their plea agreements accepted by U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup that they were involved in an enterprise based in
Louisiana consisting of more than seven members who conducted a continuing and extensive narcotics distribution conspiracy, prosecutors said.
Etienne admitted that he was the leader of the enterprise, beginning as early as 2009, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said Etienne and Robinson acknowledged that the enterprise engaged in murder, murder-for-hire, narcotics distribution, assault, robbery, extortion, money laundering, illegal firearms possession, gambling on dogfighting and obstruction of justice.
The men also admitted their roles in the murder of 28-year-old Trince Thibodeaux of Los Gatos in the 8900 block of International Boulevard at about 10:15 p.m. on March 22, 2016.
Prosecutors said Etienne ordered the murder of Thibodeaux because he believed Thibodeaux had stolen money and narcotics from the enterprise.
Etienne offered Robinson $5,000 to murder Thibodeaux, Robinson accepted the offer and then paid $1,250 to a third man to complete the murder.
An indictment returned by a federal grand jury in December 2018 alleges that Burte Gucci Rhodes was the person who shot and killed Thibodeaux.
Rhodes is being prosecuted separately and his trial is scheduled to begin next June 15.
The plea agreements for Etienne and Robinson say the enterprise bought marijuana in California and used the U.S. Postal Service to ship the drugs to Louisiana and Texas. Read more at CBS SF
Read DOJ press release below:
Three Defendants Indicted For Conspiracy To Commit Murder, Drug Trafficking, And Related Crimes
SAN FRANCISCO – DOJ 12/18/19 – A federal grand jury in San Francisco returned a superseding indictment charging Marcus Etienne, a.k.a. Hitler, Mario Robinson, and Burte Gucci Rhodes, a.k.a. Moeshawn, with murder-for-hire, a number of firearms and drug distribution offenses, and related crimes, announced United States Attorney Alex G. Tse, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett and Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Tara Sullivan. Etienne and Robinson also are charged with racketeering conspiracy. The superseding indictment, filed today, amends racketeering, murder, and conspiracy charges originally filed February 16, 2017, and updated August 3, 2017, against Etienne, Robinson, and other defendants.
The charges stem from a multi-state marijuana trafficking organization and the murder of Trince Thibodeaux on March 22, 2016, at 90th Ave. and International Boulevard in Oakland, Calif. The superseding indictment alleges that Etienne, 37, of Opelousas, La., ran an enterprise consisting of more than five members who conducted a continuing and extensive narcotics conspiracy and criminal organization. The criminal organization and conspiracy distributed marijuana from California to Louisiana and Texas.
The superseding indictment filed today makes clear that Etienne conspired with, Robinson, 35, of Oakland, and Rhodes, 37, of Oakland, to murder Thibodeaux on March 22, 2016, in Oakland. According to the indictment, Rhodes shot and killed Thibodeaux and $5000 was promised in exchange for the murder.
Etienne and Robinson also are charged with racketeering conspiracy and being part of an enterprise referred to in the indictment as the “Etienne Enterprise,” based in St. Martin Parish La. The Etienne Enterprise engaged in narcotics distribution, assault, robbery, extortion, extortionate collection of extensions of credit, murder for hire, murder, money laundering, illegal firearms possession, and obstruction of justice. Among the activities of the racketeering conspiracy was a gambling operation through a large-scale dogfighting ring. The racketeering conspiracy existed since January 7, 2013, and its members operated in Louisiana, in the Northern District of California, in Texas, and elsewhere.
The defendants are charged in the superseding indictment as follows:
| DEFENDANT | CHARGES | STATUTE | MAXIMUM STATUTORY PENALTY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus Etienne a/k/a Hitler | Conspiracy to Distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana | 21 U.S.C. § 846, 841, and (b)(1)(A) | Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison
$10,000,000 fine
After filing of prior conviction, if applicable, not less than 20 years or more than life in prison and $20,000,000 fine |
| Murder during a narcotics offense | 21 U.S.C. § 848(e)(1)(A) | Not less than 20 years and not more than live in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Use or possession of a firearm in murder | 18 U.S.C. § 924(j) | Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison.
$250,000 fine |
|
| Conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity | 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) | Life in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Murder in aid of racketeering | 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1) | Mandatory life in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Conspiracy to commit murder in aid or racketeering | 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) | Ten years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Murder for hire | 18 U.S.C. § 1958 | Mandatory life in prison
$250,000 |
|
| Conspiracy | 18 U.S.C. § 371 | Five years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering | 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(3) | 20 years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Conspiracy to commit money laundering | 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) | 20 years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Money laundering
(2 counts) |
18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and (a)(1)(B)(i) | (each count)
20 years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Mario Robinson | Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana | 21 U.S.C. § 846, 841, and (b)(1)(A) | Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison
$10,000,000 fine
After filing of prior conviction, if applicable, not less than 20 years or more than life in prison and $20,000,000 fine |
| Murder during a narcotics offense | 21 U.S.C. § 848(e)(1)(A) | Not less than 20 years and not more than live in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Use or possession of firearm in murder | 18 U.S.C. § 924(j) | Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison.
$250,000 fine |
|
| Conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity | 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) | Life in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Murder in aid of racketeering | 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1) | Mandatory life in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Murder for hire | 18 U.S.C. § 1958 | Mandatory life in prison
$250,000 |
|
| Conspiracy | 18 U.S.C. § 371 | Five years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Conspiracy to commit money laundering | 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) | 20 years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Money laundering
(3 counts) |
18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and (a)(1)(B)(i) | (each count)
20 years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Burte Gucci Rhodes
a/k/a Moeshawn |
Murder for hire | 18 U.S.C. § 1958 | Mandatory life in prison
$250,000 |
| Use or possession of a firearm to commit murder | 18 U.S.C. § 924(j) | Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison.
$250,000 fine |
|
| Conspiracy | 18 U.S.C. § 371 | Five years in prison
$250,000 fine |
|
| Possession with intent to distribute heroin | 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(i) | Not less than 5 years or more than 40 years in prison
$5,000,000 fine |
|
| Possession of firearms in connection with drug trafficking offenses | 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A) & (B) | Not less than 5 and 10 years consecutive in prison
$250,000 fine |
Additional fines, forfeitures, restitution, and special assessments also may be imposed. However, any sentence after conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Etienne remains in custody based on the February 16, 2017, indictment. Robinson was arrested in Louisiana on August 4, 2017, and appeared on August 7, in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana. Rhodes was arrested December 5, 2018, on a federal arrest warrant. The case is assigned to the Honorable William Alsup, United States District Judge, for the Northern District of California.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith Osborn and William Frentzen with the assistance of Jessica Meegan and Bridget Kilkenny. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s San Francisco, New Orleans, Houston Divisions; IRS-CI; Oakland Police Department; with the assistance from the St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, Opelousas, Louisiana Police Department.