Local gang leader sentenced to life

Louis Antonio Bryant was sentenced to life in prison during an August 18 hearing in U.S. District Court, following last-minute arguments by his attorney Jonathan Katz trying to convince the judge that the jury verdict was flawed. Judge Norman K. Moon, however, upheld the verdict and imposed the mandatory sentence of life in prison—with no chance for parole.
    Bryant, dressed in a black and white striped prison jumpsuit, chose not to speak before the sentencing. He took the verdict without noticeable emotion, though before being re-handcuffed and led away, he acknowledged several members of the audience and blew a kiss to one.
    The most serious of Bryant’s multiple counts concerned racketeering and attempted murder. As the ringleader of the Westside Crew (also known as Project Crud), Bryant was involved in selling marijuana and cocaine in the 10th and Page neighborhood for the better part of the 1990s. Nearly 30 other Project Crud members have entered plea deals—several testified against Bryant during his trial—in what has been the largest drug distribution bust in the area.
    Katz asked that Bryant, 30, at least be imprisoned as close to home as possible to allow his family to visit, listing federal prisons in Cumberland, Petersburg and Fort Dix as options. “This is not a wealthy family,” said Katz. Moon acquiesced and requested those prisons as preferences in his sentence.
        Bryant will appeal the ruling, according to Katz.