State’s Attorney Hoos Files First Ever RICO Charges in Peoria County

October 30, 2024, Peoria, IL- State's Attorney Jodi Hoos has filed RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) charges against ten individuals belonging to a violent street gang known as the "Snakes." This is the first time the Peoria County State's Attorney's Office has filed this type of charge. These ten individuals are all linked to a rash of violence that has plagued the area for the past two years. The individuals involved include four adults and six minors. Through this investigation, detectives have linked these individuals to at least three murders and 12 shootings. Police also recovered 18 guns. Four of those guns were equipped with a "switch" that converts the gun into a fully automatic weapon. This was all possible thanks to the countless hours spent on the coordinated investigation between the State's Attorney's Office, the Peoria Police Department, and the Peoria County Sheriff's Office.

The adults involved, Korion Hopkins, 18, Keon Patterson, 20, Messiah Carpenter, 20, and Quandarius Jones, 22, were indicted yesterday by a Peoria County Grand Jury. The juveniles involved, two sixteen-year-old males and four seventeen-year-old males, were also charged in juvenile court, and a Petition to Transfer them all to adult court was filed along with the charges.

All of these individuals are currently in custody. Nine of them are in custody at the Peoria County Jail or the Juvenile Detention Center, and one is in custody in another state.

This investigation is ongoing. If you have information regarding these individuals, please contact the Peoria Police Department at 309-673-4521 or the Peoria County Sheriff's Office at 309-697-8515.

"This violent group joined together to terrorize our community. The sheer volume of violent crimes committed by the group is exactly what the RICO statute was designed for, so today they can join in the charges," Jodi M. Hoos, Peoria County State's Attorney.

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