Gang Member Gets Decades In Prison For Murder, Weapon Charges

On Friday, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Rudy Montour, a Crips street gang member, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 15 years in prison following his April 2017 guilty plea to participating in violence and gun trafficking as a member of the Rollin’ 60s set of the Crips, a street gang based in Roosevelt. The sentence was imposed to run consecutive to a 13-year New York State prison term that Montour is currently serving, thereby requiring him to serve a total of 28 years.

“Rudy Montour chose to kill for the Crips, and now he can serve time for the gang,” stated United States Attorney Richard Donoghue. “This conduct will not be tolerated and today’s sentence should send a message that this office, together with our law enforcement partners, will pursue and prosecute members of violent street gangs who seek to inflict violence and fear on our communities.”

Donoghue extended his gratitude to the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation, in particular the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force and the Gang Investigations Squad of the Nassau County Police Department.

Montour, 30, also known as “Sus-1,” pleaded guilty to the June 13, 2010 murder of 27-year-old Jason Crafton.
Montour shot and killed Crafton outside of a house party in Uniondale for disrespecting a fellow Crips gang member. In addition to the murder of Jason Crafton, Montour was responsible for several robberies committed on behalf of the Crips, including the robbery of an aspiring rapper in Roosevelt, as well as trafficking several firearms from Alabama to New York for the gang to use in its war against the rival Bloods street gang. Montour, who competed with fellow Crips member Eric Smith for the title of “top shooter” within the gang, is currently serving a 13-year state prison sentence for attempted murder for his involvement in a 2011 shooting directed at the home of a rival gang member in Freeport.

The government’s investigation has led to the arrest and conviction of more than 20 members and associates of the Rollin’ 60s Crips, including its founder Raphael Osborne, who was sentenced in January 2017 to three life sentences plus 145 years. Eric Smith, the gang’s most violent member, was convicted of racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering, among other charges and faces a mandatory life sentence.

“Montour is a known gang member and will face severe consequences for his role in the death of Jason Crafton,” Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. “The Crips and other violent gangs are committing heinous crimes, thus destroying the fabric of our communities and is not acceptable. The Nassau County Police Department has zero tolerance for these gangs and will continue to work cohesively with our law enforcement partners to eliminate them from our communities in order to keep our families and children safe. A job well done by all of our investigative partners.”

Photo: US Attorney's Office