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IRS Investigation Leads to Life In Prison For Oakland Assassin

IRS Investigation Leads to Life In Prison For Oakland Assassin

A case led by the IRS Criminal Investigation division has led to life in prison for an Oakland, California assassin. 

Burte Gucci Rhodes (AKA Moeshawn) was sentenced today to life in prison plus 78 months for conspiring to commit a murder for hire, committing a murder for hire, and possession with intent to distribute heroin. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge William H. Alsup.

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Credit: Natnan Srisuwan/Getty Images

Oakland resident Rhodes was convicted of the charges following a week-long jury trial surrounding the March 22, 2016 murder of Louisiana native Trince Thibodeaux. According to an official release from the IRS, the prosecution presented evidence that Marcus Etienne (AKA Hitler), also of Louisiana, was the leader of a racketeering enterprise based near his home in St. Martin Parish.

The criminal syndicate engaged in a number of illegal activities, such as narcotics distribution, assault, extortion, robbery, murder for hire, murder, money laundering, illegal firearms possession, gambling on illegal dogfighting, and obstruction of justice. Etienne's operation was active as early as 2009, per court documents.

Although Etienne was the ringleader, Thibodeaux and five others ultimately formed a group of seven influential members of the syndicate. Earlier in 2016, Etienne ordered Thibodeaux to oversee the transport of several thousand dollars and drugs from Louisiana to California. Upon determining that Thibodeaux had stolen drugs and money from the criminal organization, Etienne put out a hit on his former right-hand man.

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Photographer: Jeffrey Coolidge/Getty Images

This is where Rhodes comes into play. Etienne contacted an associate, Mario Robinson, of both Louisiana and Oakland, CA, offering him $5,000 to murder Thibodeaux. Robinson accepted and went on to contract Rhodes, his longtime friend, to complete the hit.

On the night of the murder, Robinson and another associate lured Thibodeaux to 90th Avenue and International Boulevard in Oakland. Rhodes was already in position, killing Thibodeux with nine shots to the back.

Seven days after the murder, Robinson sent Rhodes a wire transfer of $1,250. Additional wire transfers, totally $5,000, were sent in the ensuing months.

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Credit: William Whitehurst/Getty Images

Court documents, including plea agreements signed by Etienne and Robinson, detail the wide range of criminal activity the syndicate was engaged in at the time of Thibodeaux's murder. For instance, the group bought marijuana in California and used the United States Postal Service to ship the drugs to Louisiana and Texas. Robinson confirmed he received packages containing between one and ten pounds of marijuana every month or two. Both Etienne and Robinson used proceeds from their narcotics business to purchase additional drugs in California. The duo also admitted to conducting financial transactions specifically intended to conceal their narcotics distribution.

Furthermore, Etienne acknowledged illegally purchasing dogs used for fighting in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. Etienne and other members of his criminal organization hosted dog-fighting events at which participants would pay a cover fee -- pocketed by the syndicate -- for the ability and gamble on the dogfights. Per the prosecution, dogs were seriously injured and killed as a direct result of Etienne's cruelty toward animals.

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Credit: Luis Argerich/Getty Images

The sentencing in Rhodes's case has been a long time coming following a federal grand jury's indictment in December 2018. 

The conviction was the result of work done by IRS Criminal Investigation and numerous other law enforcement agencies, including the FBI.

What do you think about this case?

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Rebekah Barton

Rebekah Barton

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