Gangster Disciples, Sisters of the Struggle Members Sentenced to Prison for Gang-Related Murders

A high-ranking member of the Gangster Disciples and a leader of its parallel female organization, the Sisters of the Struggle, were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a murderous conspiracy stemming from gang-related retribution that resulted in the shooting deaths of three Athens, Georgia, men.

Philmon Deshawn Chambers, aka “Dolla Phil,” 35, of Atlanta was sentenced to serve two consecutive Life terms plus 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Chambers was found guilty of Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) Conspiracy; Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering – Murder (VICAR-Murder); Carry and Use of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Causing the Death of a Person Using a Firearm.

Co-defendant Andrea Paige Browner, aka “Drea,” 29, of Athens, Georgia, was sentenced to serve two concurrent sentences of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Browner was found guilty of Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) Conspiracy; Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering – Murder (VICAR-Murder); and Causing the Death of a Person Using a Firearm. The co-defendants were convicted on all counts by a federal jury on Aug. 17, 2023. Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell is presiding over the case and handed down these sentences on March 20. The defendants are not eligible for parole.

“Philmon Chambers and his co-conspirators’ murderous crimes caused intense pain and suffering for three Georgia families whose loved ones were taken from them in a heinous manner,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “While no court can restore the lives that were lost, we hope these sentences provide some measure of justice and underscore our office’s commitment – working alongside our law enforcement partners – to combatting violent crime.”

“While these sentences won’t ease the pain felt by the victim’s families and friends, this does send a message of hope to our community that we will fight for the rights of those targeted by violent street gangs,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Dismantling violent criminal organizations is a priority for the FBI, and a goal we share with our law enforcement and prosecution partners across the country.”

“While these sentences will never undo the loss of the affected families, it sends a message that justice will prevail,” said Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters. “We are grateful to our officers for their continued support of this case and those involved in the prosecution. Our community is safer because of your efforts.”

Two co-defendants previously entered guilty pleas and will be sentenced on March 27 in Macon:

Robert Maurice Carlisle, aka “Different,” 37, of Lithonia, Georgia, pleaded guilty to Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) conspiracy on June 8, 2023, and is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison; and

Shabazz Larry Guidry, aka “Lil Larry,” 29, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) conspiracy on June 8, 2023, and is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The following co-defendant was sentenced to prison on Feb. 20:

Lesley Chappell Green, aka “Grip,” 35, of Stone Mountain, was sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 20 after he was convicted by a federal jury of Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organization (RICO) conspiracy on Aug. 17, 2023.

According to court documents, Chambers held a “Position of Authority” within the national Gangster Disciples criminal organization, which included overseeing members of the “Enforcement Team.” Enforcement Teams within the Gangster Disciples are directed to discipline gang members for violations of gang rules through physical assault or murder. Co-defendant Green was a member of the Enforcement Team and held the title of “Assistant Chief Enforcer.” Co-defendant Browner was a member of the “Sisters of the Struggle” (SOS), a parallel female component of the Gangster Disciples, and held a leadership position in the gang.

Evidence presented at trial proved that on Dec. 10, 2018, Gangster Disciples member Walter Brown was murdered in Athens, Georgia. Chambers and Browner sought retaliation for Brown’s death and believed three unnamed Athens residents were responsible. On Dec. 14, 2018, Browner met Rodriquez Apollo Rucker, of Athens, at a downtown Athens hotel and learned that Rucker was related to one of the individuals she believed killed Brown. Browner sent text messages directing Chambers to travel to the motel, which he did. Chambers then followed Rucker home and shot and killed him. Browner notified an associate of the Gangster Disciples that she and Chambers would be leaving town because the police would be looking for them.

Browner was taken into custody in Mt. Enterprise, Texas, on Dec. 15, however Chambers, who had been in the vehicle with Browner, fled from law enforcement. Chambers was suspicious that someone was cooperating with law enforcement and focused his suspicions on Derrick Ruff and Joshua Jackson who were, in fact, not cooperating with law enforcement. Chambers incorrectly concluded that Ruff and Jackson were “snitches” and directed Green, who held a subordinate position on the Enforcement Team, to carry out the murders of Ruff and Jackson.

Text messages and intercepted phone calls between Chambers, Green, Carlisle and Guidry revealed that Ruff and Jackson were lured by Green, as directed by Chambers, to drive from Athens to Lawrenceville, Georgia, to break into storage sheds and steal items to send to Chambers as “aid and assistance” as he was hiding out from law enforcement in a Gangster Disciple “safe house” in Killeen, Texas. The ruse worked, and Ruff and Jackson were murdered on Dec. 19 and their bodies concealed in the storage unit until March 17, 2019, when police with the assistance of cadaver sniffing dogs located them. Additional messages between Chambers, Green, Carlisle and Guidry showed that they conspired to dispose of the victims’ bodies, which included potentially burning the bodies or dumping the bodies in a landfill. Law enforcement recovered the bodies and made arrests before these plans could be carried out.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Athens Resident Agency Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Gwinnett County Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison of the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Kenneth Kaplan, formerly of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, are prosecuting the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Walker of the Middle District of Georgia.