Ronald Yandell, 62, of Pinole, and William Sylvester, 56, of Norco, were each sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for murder in aid of racketeering and other RICO-related crimes, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced Wednesday.
According to court documents, between 2011 and 2016, Aryan Brotherhood members and associates engaged in racketeering activities, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and drug trafficking, the DEA said.
Evidence at trial revealed that Aryan Brotherhood members oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine operation from California prison cells, using contraband cellphones to coordinate drug trafficking, order murders, and manage other criminal activities inside and outside the prisons, the DEA reported.
The DEA said evidence presented at trial showed that on August 15, 2015, two inmates at California State Prison-Sacramento murdered another inmate on Yandell’s orders.
Yandell allegedly promised the attackers membership in the Aryan Brotherhood if they carried out the killing, the DEA stated.