Jury convicts Minneapolis Highs gang members in final major racketeering trial

The Minneapolis Highs gang faced significant legal repercussions as a federal jury convicted members Cortez Blakemore and Robert Lesure of racketeering and drug distribution charges. Prosecutors described the pair as key players in the gang's fentanyl trafficking operations in north Minneapolis. Their convictions follow a sweeping indictment of 40 members earlier this year, with only one defendant acquitted. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) was used effectively to target organized crime, with Assistant U. S.

Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez stating that these charges aim to dismantle gangs. Minneapolis police reported a decrease in violent crime, attributing this shift to the successful prosecutions. The Highs gang's violent history, including retaliatory killings, was central to the charges against its members. The last defendant from this series of trials is scheduled for next year, while trials against members of the rival Lows gang continue. This legal strategy represents a significant shift in addressing gang violence in Minneapolis.