4 Chicago street gang members murdered man to boost status: prosecutors

CHICAGO - Four Chicago street gang members are facing federal racketeering charges for allegedly killing a man to maintain and improve their positions within the criminal organization.

Joshua Broughton, 34, Christopher Singleton, 24, Grieg Macon, 27, all from Chicago, and Jaron Davis, 22, of Lansing, have been charged with racketeering and firearm offenses, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

The charges stem from the June 1, 2021 murder of Ogonnia Okeke, 25, who was fatally shot in Princeton Park on Chicago's South Side, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois said in a statement.

According to the indictment, the four men belonged to the Rack City gang, which allegedly engaged in narcotics trafficking and acts of violence to preserve and protect their territory. Gang members are alleged to intimidate rivals, victims, and witnesses through violent acts and boast about their organization on social media.

Eight other alleged members of the Rack City gang were arrested last year and charged with gun or drug offenses as part of the federal investigation.

Davis was taken into custody on Wednesday and entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment that afternoon. The three other men were previously arrested and remain in federal custody.

Prosecutors said the charge of murder in aid of racketeering is punishable by a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison, and the death penalty is also possible.

The U.S. Attorney's Office will petition to keep all four men in custody while they await trial.