Shreveport Gang Due in Court for Federal Trial

Five of nine original members of Shreveport's Block Boyz gang are due in court today to face federal charges. The RICO trial will take place at the US Court House in Shreveport and will feature beefed up security to protect against any attempted intimidation or violence.

The five members are accused of running a criminal enterprise in Shreveport between 2012 and 2017 powered by drug deals, armed robbery, intimidation and extreme violence. The Block Boyz allegedly ran their "loosely organized" crime syndicate out of Shreveport's Queensborough and Ingleside neighborhoods.

On trial on charges of racketeering and drug and firearm conspiracies are DeMarcus Morris, 29, aka G.G. and Gezzy; Jimmie Durden Jr., 28; Lonnie Johnson, 24, aka D-Money; Gary McCain, 23, aka RoRo; Larshanda Davenport, 45, aka Shonda Morris. All have pleaded not guilty.

Several other members of the gang who previously plead guilty to charges have agreed to cooperate with the Feds case against the five members facing charges.

The trial is expected to last 3 to 5 weeks.