Two Iowa men were given lengthy federal sentences after a racketeering case tied to a violent gang in the Quad Cities resulted in convictions for murder, attempted murder, and related crimes spanning years.
Federal prosecutors say the sentences resolve a racketeering conspiracy that prosecutors tied to a long-running pattern of violence, including multiple shootings and homicides in the Davenport and Rock Island area. The case centers on members of a group identified in court papers by several names, who operated as a criminal enterprise involved in drugs and deadly force.
Court records identify the group as Fifth Street gang, also known by aliases including the “Arsenal Courts Posse,” “Zone Fifth,” “Fifth Street Mafia,” “Rock Town Money Getters (RTMG),” and “Money Team.” Investigators say the enterprise was linked to dozens of shooting probes and at least seven homicides over roughly two decades. The federal case brought charges covering conduct from April 2006 through February 2024.
Rasheem Damonte Bogan, 34, received a 27-year federal sentence on October 9, 2025, after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy and being a felon in possession of ammunition; he will serve three years of supervised release afterward. Court filings describe an incident on June 1, 2020, when Bogan and seven others went to Necker’s Jewelers intending a burglary and instead encountered a man they mistakenly believed was a rival. The group fired 33 rounds from four firearms, seriously wounding the victim.
Kylea Dapri Cartwright, Jr., 29, was sentenced on November 6, 2025, to 30 years in federal prison for racketeering conspiracy and felon-in-possession-of-ammunition charges, with three years of supervised release to follow, and was ordered to pay $29,732.23 in restitution. After a six-day jury trial, Cartwright was found guilty of those charges based on evidence that he fired four rounds from a .40 caliber pistol on July 5, 2020, striking and killing a man on West Third Street in Davenport. Prosecutors say Cartwright used the same pistol another gang member had fired during the Necker’s Jewelers shooting the month before.
In total, 14 defendants were convicted in the federal prosecutions related to Fifth Street’s activities. Below are the sentences imposed on the 12 co-defendants named in the announcement:
- Don Christopher White, Jr. was sentenced to 480 months’ imprisonment.
- Raheem Jacques Houston was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment.
- Deaguise Ramont Hall was sentenced to 400 months’ imprisonment.
- Brandon Deshane Branigan was sentenced to 226 months’ imprisonment.
- Michael Linn Cross was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment.
- Devell Carl Lewis was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment.
- LaShawn D. James Hensley was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment.
- Simmeon Terrell Hall was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment.
- Ricky Lee Childs, Jr. was sentenced to 160 months’ imprisonment.
- Timothy Justin Beaver was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment.
- Devante Atwell French was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment.
- Cortez Deangelo Cooper, Jr. was sentenced to 162 months’ imprisonment.
“This was a thorough and relentless investigation. Our officers stayed committed, and prosecutors were steadfast in seeking justice,” said Davenport Police Chief Jeffery Bladel. “Gun violence will never be tolerated in our community. These dangerous individuals showed no regard for human life and are now being held accountable. I’m incredibly thankful for our investigators, officers, and partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office whose dedication has made our city safer. The message is clear: if you commit violent acts, you will be held accountable.”
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement and highlighted the cooperative nature of the probe. The investigation included the Davenport and Rock Island Police Departments, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, all of which assisted in dismantling the enterprise.
“This case represents years of tireless investigative work and close collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies to dismantle one of the most violent criminal organizations operating in the Quad Cities,” said United States Attorney David C. Waterman for the Southern District of Iowa. “The sentences imposed send an unequivocal message: those who bring violence, guns, and drugs into our communities will be held fully accountable under federal law. And let me be clear—anyone who threatens or attempts to harm our law enforcement partners will face the full force of the federal government. Our office will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the men and women who safeguard our communities every day, working together to restore safety, stability, and peace to our neighborhoods.”
