7 convicted in Fort Worth meth trial affiliated with prison gang

Seven members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas prison gang were convicted this week for their roles in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, the U.S. attorney’s office announced Friday.

The defendants, including four from Fort Worth, were convicted by a federal jury on Thursday of one count each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

One defendant, James Marcus Laxson, was acquitted, the release said.

Those convicted face a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison and must pay a $5 million fine, the release said. They are scheduled be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John McBryde in February, according to the release.

Those convicted are Charles Ben Bounds, alias “Pretty Boy,” 31; Billy Fred Gentry, alias “Fred Gentry,” 30; Kevin Kyle Killough, alias “Kilo,” 29; and Michael Clay Heaslet, alias “Whisper,” 38, all of Fort Worth. The others are Nicole Cynthia Herrera, alias “Nikki Single,” 21, and Trae Short, alias “Twig,” 31, both of Dallas; and Billy Ray Skaggs, 48, of Brownwood.

The ring operated in North Texas from approximately January 2014 to April 2016, a news release said.

In addition to these convictions at trial, between April and August 2016, 80 defendants charged in cases related to this one pleaded guilty, the news release said.

Prosecutors presented evidence that some of the defendants were members, including ranking members, or associates, of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. Text messages from some defendants’ phones, and recordings of phone calls from jail were introduced to detail their methamphetamine trafficking, the release said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the Fort Worth Police Department investigated the case, the release said. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Smith and Frank Gatto were the prosecutors.

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This story was originally published September 3, 2016 at 9:35 AM with the headline "7 convicted in Fort Worth meth trial affiliated with prison gang."