The Brief
- Sixteen alleged YNS gang members and affiliates in Houston face federal charges, including drug trafficking conspiracy and firearms offenses.
- Court testimony linked the gang to violent crimes in the Greenspoint area, including a armed carjacking of a former Houston Texans player.
- Authorities thwarted planned armed robberies involving large-scale cocaine transactions and seized firearms, zip ties, and masks.
HOUSTON – Sixteen alleged members and affiliates of a violent Houston gang are facing several federal charges, including drug trafficking conspiracy and firearms offenses.
Accused Houston gang members face federal charges
A federal grand jury indicted six alleged members and affiliates of the YNS gang, while 10 others face charges in federal criminal complaints. All 16 defendants appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Palermo.
The alleged members named by the U.S. Attorney’s Office are:
- Jocquez Frye, 18
- Darrell Sampson, 18
- Jacob Barrett, 18
- Kristian Winters, 18
- Jaquan McClendon, 19
- Ledanyan Bennett, 19
- Triwayne Davison, 20
- Donfarius Holmes, 24
- Javonte Hoyle, 28
- Will Clark, 28
- Xzaveon Francis, 28
- Haven Duncan, 29
- Monterio Whitfield, 30
- Alex Davison, 32
- Jason Pittman, 34
- William Nolan-Waddell, 34
Alleged operations and armed robberies
The backstory:
During detention hearings, prosecutors claimed YNS operates as a violent gang in Houston’s Greenspoint area. The group was reportedly involved in homicides, assaults, home invasions, burglaries, and drug and firearm trafficking. One of the alleged members, Frye, was said to have been linked to the carjacking of a former Houston Texans player at his home, according to officials.…