St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - A man who was identified as one of the main targets of a federal crackdown on violent crime in Minnesota several years ago was sentenced today to life in prison plus 20 years.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for Minnesota says 34-year-old Desean James Solomon was a member of the Bloods street gang, which—along with other major gangs—was blamed for a wave of violent crimes in the Twin Cities area several years ago. He was the first gang members targeted by federal law enforcement using the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act to be sentenced.

The Evidence at His Trial Tied Him to Two Gang Murders Over a 2 Year Span

“Three years ago—as violent crime raged out of control—the U.S. Attorney’s Office made a decision to use every tool at our disposal to go after the gangs. Together with our federal and state partners, we brought RICO charges against major Minneapolis street gangs. The first of those cases was the Bloods RICO. Defendant Solomon—who committed murder for the benefit of the gang—was the first RICO trial defendant to be sentenced. e hope that today’s sentence—life in prison plus twenty years—sends a message in the strongest possible terms: If you are a Minneapolis gang member, the feds are coming for you. Get out and choose a different path before it is too late.”

According to court documents, Solomon—who used the gang nickname "Black"—was found guilty of numerous violent crimes during a trial held in October of last year. A news release issued by federal prosecutors says the list included two premeditated murders within a two-year span.

The statement says the evidence presented at trial also included Solomon’s involvement in a gun battle outside a North Minneapolis nightclub in June 2020. Prosecutors say Solomon and another Bloods gang member opened fire and murdered a rival gang member.

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The second killing occurred in 2022. The news release says Solomon and other Bloods members shot and killed a rival gang member after initiating a large fight at a bar in the Uptown neighborhood of south Minneapolis.

In issuing the life sentence today, the federal judge presiding over the case stated her belief that Solomon will always be a threat to public safety and said, “My hope is this sentence sends a strong message to the Bloods gang and other thriving gangs that ruthlessly terrorize the city.”