Members of “Block Burners” Gang Convicted
Four Lansing gang members have been in the 2010 abduction and murder of a 19-year-old woman. The four men, members of the “Block Burners” gang, were convicted of multiple charges.
Wallee Al-Din, 24, his brother Mustafa Al-Din, 25, Charles Lewis Sr., 35, and Raphael Crenshaw, 23, were all found guilty of participating in a scheme to kidnap Shayla Johnson and hold her hostage until her boyfriend, a known drug dealer, ransomed her with cash and marijuana. It was also believed that Johnson knew the location of a large number of marijuana plants, which the defendants intended to force her to disclose.
However, the plan didn’t quite work out. On July 23rd, 2010, Johnson was dragged from her home in Lansing, kicking and screaming, and forced into the trunk of a car. When she fought back, she was shot numerous times with an assault rifle.
According to the Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey, members of the Block Burners gang “…promoted and were actively involved in acts of violence, often involving firearms, in efforts to obtain drugs and drug proceeds by way of force, threats of force, armed robbery and kidnapping for profit…”
A total of eight people were originally charged in the case. Three pleaded guilty to a charge of murder during the commission of a drug transaction, and are now serving a minimum of 20 years in federal prison. In addition, the son of Charles Lewis Sr., who was 13-years-old at the time, was also involved and was convicted in the Ingham County juvenile court on charges of first-degree murder. He is currently being held at a high-security juvenile facility.
In 2010, the Ingham County Prosecutors Office sought help from the U.S. Attorney’s Office because of serious concerns over obstruction and intimidation by gang members during the investigation. The charges were initially brought at a state level, but were dropped in order to pursue charges at the federal level.
After a two week jury trial in U.S. District court in Grand Rapids, the four men were convicted of drug trafficking, armed robbery and first degree murder. U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker sentenced Mustafa Al-Din to 50 years in prison, and his brother Wallee Al-Din to 60 years. Crenshaw was sentenced to a term of 47½ years, and Lewis to life plus a consecutive seven year term.