Judge sets trial date in 4-Nation Erie gang case. How many defendants have pleaded guilty?

A trial date has been set for early next year in the 4-Nation gang case, Erie's largest-ever criminal prosecution.

But how many of the 58 defendants will go to trial in the end?

A total of 17 of the defendants — about 30% — have pleaded guilty or arranged to plead guilty in U.S. District Court in Erie to racketeering or other charges as of the end of March, according to court records. Three of those defendants have been sentenced.

Several other defendants are in negotiations with the U.S. Attorney's Office to reach plea deals, their lawyers said on Thursday, at the most recent status conferences in the sprawling case.

U.S. District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter opened the status conferences, held via videoconference, by stating that she had scheduled the trial for January 2025. Then she heard from a number of lawyers as they explained the positions of their clients.

Several of the lawyers said they were in talks with the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Sellers, to have their clients plea guilty and avoid a trial.

"We are negotiating to see if we can come up with a plea that is acceptable to both sides," one of the lawyers said.

Sellers "has provided us an opportunity to resolve this without going to trial," another lawyer said.

Baxter set a new deadline of June 28 for the filing of pretrial motions. The extended deadline gives the defendants and their lawyers more time to decide whether they want to fight the prosecution in court or agree to plea deals.

What is the 4-Nation case about?

A federal grand jury indicted the 58 defendants on May 30 in a case unsealed on June 8. They were charged in connection with 4-Nation, an Erie street gang accused in the indictment of engaging in violence and dealing drugs including cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl as early as 2012.

The 58 defendants fall into two categories. The first 22 are charged with participating in illegal activity as members of 4-Nation. The 36 other defendants are not accused of being part of 4-Nation. They are charged with conspiring with the accused gang members to sell drugs.

The 22 accused members of 4-Nation are charged with participating in a criminal conspiracy in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO — the federal law designed to fight organized crime organizations, such as the mob. The 22 are also charged with other offenses, such as conspiracy to deal drugs.

The case is the largest in Erie based on the number of defendants. It is also the first time the U.S. Attorney's Office has used the RICO statute to target an Erie gang.

The FBI and other law enforcement agencies used wiretaps and cooperating witnesses to develop the case.

Who is the accused leader of 4-Nation?

The U.S. Attorney's Office is alleging the gang had three top leaders, with other ranking members acting as lieutenants. The accused head of 4-Nation is the defendant listed first in the indictment — Davante Q. Jones, 30, known as Smoov.

Baxter in October ordered Jones to remain in prison while he awaits prosecution. He has pleaded not guilty.

Jones faces a maximum sentence of life if convicted.

At Thursday's status conference, Jones' lawyer, Michael Waltman, of Pittsburgh, told Baxter that he is is continuing to review evidence with Jones. Waltman made no mention of plea negotiations.

Who has been sentenced in the 4-Nation case?

All of the defendants in the 4-Nation case have been arraigned, except two. They have not been arrested and remain at large.

They are Dajean D. Williams, 29, known as Spank, accused of ranking second-highest in the 4-Nation hierarchy, and Dazerion J. Hinton, 25, known as Bobby. Hinton is listed 36th in the indictment and is not accused of being a member of 4-Nation.

The three defendants who pleaded guilty and have been sentenced are:

• Marius L. Russell, 32, known as Gifted, the eighth-highest member of 4-Nation, according to the indictment. Baxter sentenced him to 10 years in federal prison November.

• Rayshawn M. Woodard, 23, known as RDollaz, the 10-highest member of 4-Nation, according to the indictment. Baxter sentenced him to five years in federal prison in December.

• David L. Hall, 48, listed 45th on the indictment and not accused of being a member of 4-Nation. Baxter sentenced him to six years in prison on March 26. Baxter ordered Hall to serve the federal sentence at the same time he serves an unrelated state prison sentence.

Five other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, according to court records. The records show nine others have arranged to plead guilty at hearings that are coming up.

Several other defendants are almost certain to arrange to plead guilty soon, according to the comments at the status conferences.

After Baxter said she had set the trial date for January 2025, one lawyer responded: "If you see me in January 2025, something went wrong."

"I anticipate a plea," the lawyer said.

Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNpalattella.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Trial date set in 4-Nation Erie gang case as more plea deals develop