'Rocco' Hankerson belonged to Grape Street Crips
NEWARK -- A 25-year-old city man was sentenced Wednesday to five years behind bars for his involvement in a gang that controlled the drug trade near Branch Brook Park and elsewhere in the city, the office of U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman said in a statement.
Rakeem "Rocco" Hankerson was a member of the Grape Street Crips, a gang that ran criminal operations around North 5th Street and 6th Avenue. He had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distributing 28 grams or more of crack cocaine.
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Hankerson bought quantities of the drug from higher-ranking members of the gang and sold it on the street to individual users. The gang protected its turf with so-called "community guns," weapons stashed in hiding places on the street known to gang members. During the investigation authorities seized several of the firearms, including a .410-caliber assault rifle, a Thompson semi-automatic carbine, an assault rifle and several semi-automatic handguns.
On Tuesday, another Newark man, Christopher "Brazil" Coehlo, 27, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.
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