Latest news with #SupremeGangsters
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Gangster Larry Hoover's Federal Sentence Is Commuted, But His Time in Prison Isn't Over
1950–present President Donald Trump has commuted the federal life sentence of Larry Hoover, but the 74-year-old notorious gang leader isn't leaving prison anytime soon. The commutation applies to Hoover's federal conviction in 1997 on 40 criminal counts, including conspiracy, extortion, and drug charges. However, Hoover, who founded the Gangster Disciples street gang in Chicago, will remain in prison for his 1973 conviction in Illinois state court for the murder of 19-year-old drug dealer William 'Pooky' Young. He received a sentence of 150 to 200 years in prison for the killing. According to his attorneys, Hoover was incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility—also known as ADX Florence—in Colorado in solitary confinement. He was no longer in federal custody as of May 29, the day after the president issued his commutation. Hoover's son, Larry Hoover Jr., appeared on The Breakfast Club radio show after the commutation and said the family will continue to advocate for his release from state prison. Hoover has a parole hearing later this year. 'I'm not saying that my father wasn't in [gang] leadership at one point and wasn't involved in the streets, but he's had a transformation,' Hoover Jr. said. 'He was an illiterate, dyslexic child when he went to jail. He taught himself how to read, he taught himself how to become a man.' Larry Hoover grew up in Chicago and became the leader of the Supreme Gangsters, which merged with a rival gang to become the Black Gangster Disciple Nation. In 1973, Hoover was sentenced to 150 to 200 years in prison for killing a drug dealer. Despite attempts to portray himself as reformed, he was indicted in 1995 for continuing to orchestrate gang activity from prison and convicted two years later on 40 criminal counts. In May 2025, President Donald Trump commuted Hoover's federal life sentence. FULL NAME: Larry HooverBORN: November 30, 1950BIRTHPLACE: Jackson, MississippiCHILDREN: Larry, Larry Jr., and TyreeASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Sagittarius Larry Hoover, also known as 'King Larry,' was born on November 30, 1950, in Jackson, Mississippi. His parents moved the family north to Chicago when Hoover was 4 years old. By age 13, he was on the streets with a group called the Supreme Gangsters, engaging in petty crimes such as theft and mugging. His criminal activity soon evolved to shootings and assaults. Hoover ascended to a leadership role as the Supreme Gangsters grew, and he later joined forces with rival gang kingpin David Barksdale to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation. In 1969, after Barksdale was wounded in a shooting, Hoover took charge of the Gangster Disciples. The gang assumed control of the South Side drug trade, making more than $1,000 a day in profits. By his early 20s, Hoover had been in and out of prison several times and had endured at least six separate shooting attempts on his life. However, he was unable to escape the reach of the law when he and another Gangster Disciple, Andrew Howard, were charged with murdering drug dealer William Young on February 26, 1973. The two men were convicted and sentenced to 150 to 200 years in prison, with Hoover sent to the maximum-security Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois. But Hoover's power seemed only to grow inside Stateville. He began protecting other inmates, who in turn became devotees and new recruits for the Gangster Disciples. His control over the other prisoners was recognized by the warden's office, which began looking to Hoover as a positive influence to quell riots and uprisings within the prison system. Hoover, inspired by the biography of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, began discouraging violence among his followers. Instead, he made education mandatory for members of the Gangster Disciples and instructed his army to 'go to school, learn trades and develop... talents and skills, so that we will become stronger in society.'Changing the G.D. of 'Gangster Disciple' to 'Growth and Development,' Hoover's move to reform began gaining positive attention from the outside. Growth and Development created nonprofit organizations that registered voters, a music label that helped needy children, a series of peaceful protests to fight the closing of public programs and even a clothing line. Dubious prison officials, however, saw Hoover's good intentions as a ploy to get out of prison and resume his illegal activities. While friends and allies on the outside lobbied to get Hoover paroled for his contributions to society, law enforcement agents insisted that he was finding new ways to expand his criminal ventures. The Gangster Disciples had grown to more than 15,000 members in at least five states. Their drug profits had also risen well into the millions of dollars—all of which gang members attributed to the leadership of Hoover. Transferred to another prison in Vienna, Illinois, Hoover was living a luxurious lifestyle that involved new clothes, expensive jewelry, specially prepared meals, and private visitations from friends and loved ones. Suspicious authorities began wire-tapping Hoover's private meetings and discovered that he was running the Gangster Disciple group from within the prison system. Worse still, informants revealed that Hoover's nonprofit organizations were actually fronts for laundering drug money. According to the testimony of Gangster Disciple members, none of the proceeds for any of the so-called charities actually went to helping anyone in need. On August 31, 1995, after a five-year undercover investigation by the federal government, Hoover was indicted on drug conspiracy charges. He was taken from his prison cell and moved to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago to stand trial. In 1997, Hoover was found guilty on all charges and sentenced to six life sentences. He began serving his sentence at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado. The case received renewed attention decades later in December 2021, when rappers Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Drake hosted a 'Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert' at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to promote prison and sentencing reform. In May 2025, President Donald Trump commuted Hoover's federal sentence amid a series of pardons. However, Hoover remains in prison for his Illinois state sentence for Young's murder. Hoover has been in a long-term relationship with Winndye Jenkins for more than 50 years. In January 2020, the state of Colorado legally recognized the couple as married. They have one son, Larry Hoover Jr. Hoover has two other children, Larry 'Lil Larry' Bernard and Tyree Hoover, from prior relationships. Each has advocated for his release. Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! You Might Also Like Nicole Richie's Surprising Adoption Story The Story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Her Mother Queen Camilla's Life in Photos
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Trump commutes former gang leader's sentence: Who is Larry Hoover?
President Trump on Wednesday commuted a federal sentence for Larry Hoover, who is credited for founding the Gangster Disciples, a Chicago gang known for heinous murders, violent robberies and international narcotic sales. Despite Trump's decision, Hoover will remain in prison unless his legal team succeeds in its push for clemency from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) over a 1973 state murder conviction. Hoover was born in Jackson, Miss. and moved to Chicago at the age of four years old. By the time he became a teenager, he dropped out of school and joined the Supreme Gangsters, where he participated in petty crime, according to At the age of 19 years old, Hoover joined forces with David Barksdale, a rival gang leader, to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation, which became a powerful force in the city's South Side. When Barksdale died in 1970, Hoover took control of the gang, which soon expanded across state lines into other cities. Three years later, Hoover was sentenced to 150-200 years in prison for murdering a 19-year-old drug dealer. He received another life sentence in 1997 on federal charges related to coordinating gang activities from prison, including extortion and federal drug conspiracy. Throughout the past two decades, Hoover has attempted to have both his state and federal sentences commuted by political leaders. In 2021, he hired Jennifer Bonjean, Bill Cosby's former attorney, who unsuccessfully appealed his sentence under the First Step Act, signed by President Trump in 2018. The legislation seeks to reduce lengthy sentences for nonviolent drug offenses. 'The courts have demonstrated a complete unwillingness to consider Mr. Hoover's considerable growth and complete rehabilitation,' Hoover's attorneys said in a statement to Newsweek. 'Thankfully, Mr. Hoover's pleas were heard by President Trump who took action to deliver justice for Mr. Hoover,' they added. Others have opposed his plea for a second chance, including Ron Safer, the former lead federal prosecutor who helped convict Hoover in 1997. 'I believe in redemption. I believe in rehabilitation. I believe in mercy. There are some crimes that are so heinous, so notorious, that they're not deserving of mercy,' he told ABC7. 'If Larry Hoover said there was going to be a killing, there was a killing.' Hoover has spent nearly three decades in solitary confinement at a federal prison in Colorado. His family says he's done his time. 'He deserves redemption,' his son, Larry Hoover Jr., told ABC7. 'He deserves a second chance at being a part of this community, and he can be a benefit to this community if they want him to be a benefit to this community.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Time of India
Who is Larry Hoover, the gangster whose life sentence was just commuted by trump?
Credit: X Former Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover's federal prison sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump , sparking widespread discussion and renewed attention to his decades-long incarceration. Hoover, who co-founded one of Chicago's most notorious gangs—the Gangster Disciples—had been serving multiple life sentences for both state and federal convictions over nearly 50 years. Although his federal sentence was commuted, he remains behind bars serving a separate state sentence. Is Larry Hoover free now? Despite the commutation of his federal sentence, Hoover is not yet free. He remains incarcerated under his 200-year Illinois state sentence for murder. The state has not announced any plans to transfer Hoover or alter his state sentence. In the past, Illinois officials expressed concerns about his security risk if moved to a less secure facility. Hoover's criminal record spans both state and federal charges. In 1973, he was convicted in Illinois state court for the murder of 19-year-old drug dealer William 'Pooky' Young and sentenced to 200 years in prison—a sentence he continues to serve. In 1997, Hoover was convicted in federal court on charges of drug conspiracy, extortion, and running a criminal enterprise while incarcerated. For these federal convictions, he was sent to ADX Florence, the federal supermax prison in Colorado, where he spent nearly 30 years in solitary confinement. Who is Larry Hoover? Hoover, also known as 'King Larry,' was born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1950. When he was just four years old, his parents moved the family to Chicago, Illinois. By the time he turned 13, Larry was already running the streets with a gang called the Supreme Gangsters, which started off with local muggings and thefts but eventually grew into a group known for assaults and shootings. Hoover quickly rose through the ranks. By the late 1960s, he had taken full control of the gang and rebranded them as the Gangster Disciples. Even in his early twenties, he had established himself as one of the most powerful figures in the streets. In 1973, Hoover was sentenced to a staggering 150 to 200 years in prison for ordering the murder of William Young, a drug dealer. Despite being behind bars, Hoover continued to exert his influence over the gang from within the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois. In 1997, he was convicted again for running a continuing criminal enterprise from state prison, earning him another life sentence. Hoover has been with Winndye Jenkins for 54 years, and the two have been married for the past two years. He is father to three sons. Hoover and his family have been advocating for his release for several years, insisting that he has cut ties with the Gangster Disciples and is no longer involved with the organization. His son, Larry Hoover Jr., has been especially vocal about his father's imprisonment. In 2021, he appeared on the Kanye West song 'Jesus Lord,' which touched on his father's case. That same year, Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Drake even held a benefit concert aimed at drawing attention to Hoover's incarceration. Ye also took the case to the highest office, speaking with then-President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in 2018 to push for Hoover's release and highlight his positive work while in prison.
The Hill
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump commutes former gang leader's sentence: Who is Larry Hoover?
President Trump on Wednesday commuted a federal sentence for Larry Hoover, who is credited for founding the Gangster Disciples, a Chicago gang known for heinous murders, violent robberies and international narcotic sales. Despite Trump's decision, Hoover will remain in prison unless his legal team succeeds in its push for clemency from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) over a 1973 state murder conviction. Hoover was born in Jackson, Miss. and moved to Chicago at the age of four years old. By the time he became a teenager, he dropped out of school and joined the Supreme Gangsters, where he participated in petty crime, according to At the age of 19 years old, Hoover joined forces with David Barksdale, a rival gang leader, to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation, which became a powerful force in the city's South Side. When Barksdale died in 1970, Hoover took control of the gang, which soon expanded across state lines into other cities. Three years later, Hoover was sentenced to 150-200 years in prison for murdering a 19-year-old drug dealer. He received another life sentence in 1997 on federal charges related to coordinating gang activities from prison, including extortion and federal drug conspiracy. Throughout the past two decades, Hoover has attempted to have both his state and federal sentences commuted by political leaders. In 2021, he hired Jennifer Bonjean, Bill Cosby's former attorney, who unsuccessfully appealed his sentence under the First Step Act, signed by President Trump in 2018. The legislation seeks to reduce lengthy sentences for nonviolent drug offenses. 'The courts have demonstrated a complete unwillingness to consider Mr. Hoover's considerable growth and complete rehabilitation,' Hoover's attorneys said in a statement to Newsweek. 'Thankfully, Mr. Hoover's pleas were heard by President Trump who took action to deliver justice for Mr. Hoover,' they added. Others have opposed his plea for a second chance, including Ron Safer, the former lead federal prosecutor who helped convict Hoover in 1997. 'I believe in redemption. I believe in rehabilitation. I believe in mercy. There are some crimes that are so heinous, so notorious, that they're not deserving of mercy,' he told ABC7. 'If Larry Hoover said there was going to be a killing, there was a killing.' Hoover has spent nearly three decades in solitary confinement at a federal prison in Colorado. His family says he's done his time. 'He deserves redemption,' his son, Larry Hoover Jr., told ABC7. 'He deserves a second chance at being a part of this community, and he can be a benefit to this community if they want him to be a benefit to this community.'
