Houston Robbery Crew Members Indicted for Murder and Drug Conspiracy

Thirteen men face federal charges, including three accused of murder under the RICO Act, tied to a violent robbery and drug trafficking ring.

A superseding indictment charges 13 Houston men with robbery and drug distribution conspiracies, with penalties ranging from 10 years to life in prison.
Three defendants—Derrick Dewayne Butler, Christian Xavier Rucker, and Jermar Ballard Jones—are also charged with two counts of murder in aid of racketeering for a July 2023 double homicide.
The murders occurred during a robbery at a suspected illicit smoke shop in southeast Houston, where gunfire erupted between the suspects and the victims.
The Justice Department's new guidelines encourage the use of the RICO Act to seek the death penalty in drug-related cases; the murder charges could result in life imprisonment or execution if convicted.
The case is part of a broader federal initiative targeting violent crime and organized drug trafficking, involving multiple agencies including the FBI and Houston Police Department.