Gang members sentenced for assaulting federal officers

HOUSTON, TX -- The final Houston area man charged with the assault and robbery of undercover agents during a drug operation in early 2019 has been ordered to federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Morgan Kanu-Bradley, 20, Spring, pleaded guilty Nov. 18, 2019, as did Avery James, 22, and DeAnthony Doucet, 23, both of Baytown. They were each convicted on two counts of assaulting federal agents, three counts of robbery - including a conspiracy count - and one count of possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence. All are identified members of a gang in Baytown known as the “Gas Gang.”

Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal ordered Kanu-Bradley to serve a total of 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Doucet and James were previously sentenced to respective terms of 130 and 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.

The court heard that Kanu-Bradley was the most violent of the group and had a lack of remorse for his actions. The defense disagreed and asked for a lower sentence. Judge Rosenthal said she could not do that because of the extremely violent nature of the offense, noting that Kanu-Bradley had punched and beat the victim.

“The blatant disregard for human life that was shown when Kanu-Bradley beat and held an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) special agent at gunpoint while robbing him deserves nothing less than the maximum allowable sentence,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski. “While our agent suffered severe injuries, the community is safer with this criminal off the street.”

On Feb. 17, 2019, undercover federal agents had arranged to purchase narcotics from Doucet at a hotel in Houston. There, Kanu-Bradley, James and Doucet held the agents at gunpoint and stole the money they had for the transaction as well as and one of their firearms and phone. The men also beat and stomped on one of agents while he was held at gunpoint.

Afterwards, Kanu-Bradley, James and Doucet all fled the scene. Other authorities on the scene pursued and arrested them.

One of the undercover officers received bruises and a laceration to his face which required stitches.

Kanu-Bradley, James and Doucet have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

ATF conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety and police departments in Baytown and Houston. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Bennett and Jimmy Leo prosecuted the case.