Memphis Gang Leaders Found Guilty in Cold-Blooded Execution of Fellow Member
Two high-ranking members of the Unknown Vice Lords gang were convicted by a federal jury in Memphis for the calculated murder of a fellow gang member they suspected of betrayal — a killing deliberately staged to send a message to others contemplating disloyalty.
Edward Allen, 42, known on the streets as “E-Money,” and Deandre Rodgers, 29, called “Dre,” now face potential life sentences for the January 2019 execution-style killing. The pair were found guilty of racketeering murder after a trial that exposed the inner workings of one of Memphis’s most violent criminal organizations, according to a Justice Department announcement.
A Brutal Response to Suspected Betrayal
The murder came just five days after the UVL’s Supreme Elite Chief and his girlfriend were gunned down in broad daylight on January 10, 2019. Prosecutors revealed that Allen, Rodgers, and others carried out their retaliatory killing on January 15, using firearms provided by another gang member, Vincent Grant, known as “V-Slash.”
“Members of this gang carried out a calculated and merciless killing, leaving the victim in public to send a chilling message about the consequences of disloyalty,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
What makes the Unknown Vice Lords particularly concerning to law enforcement? The gang has established a sprawling criminal network across Memphis, Arkansas, and Mississippi, engaging in a range of violent activities including murders, robberies, assaults, human trafficking, and drug distribution.
Years of Violence Finally Addressed
The case represents a significant blow to the UVL’s leadership structure. Vincent Grant, who supplied the murder weapons, had previously been convicted and sentenced to more than 24 years in prison for his role in the killing.
“This successful federal prosecution has significantly disrupted the leadership of the UVL street gang here in Memphis, and E-Money, Dre, and V-Slash are no longer unknown,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee, adding a touch of irony to the gang’s chosen name.
The superseding indictment detailed how the defendants committed murder specifically “to increase their status” within the UVL–Ghost Mob, which operates as a subset of the larger Almighty Vice Lord Nation. Such status-seeking through violence has been a hallmark of the organization’s internal structure, prosecutors maintained.
Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet of the ATF’s Nashville Field Division didn’t mince words about the significance of the convictions. “Violent street gangs such as these that show a blatant disregard for public safety must be held accountable,” he stated.
What Comes Next
Allen and Rodgers are scheduled for sentencing on May 11. Given the nature of their convictions, both men could spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
The successful prosecution comes amid ongoing efforts by federal, state, and local law enforcement to dismantle gang networks that have terrorized Memphis neighborhoods for years. But the work continues — as this case demonstrates, gang violence often creates cycles of retaliation that can escalate quickly and claim multiple lives.
“The Unknown Vice Lords street gang engages in violent criminal activity in Memphis and throughout the Western District of Tennessee,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri. With these convictions, at least three of its leaders will no longer be free to continue that legacy of violence.
