Witness against Murder Inc. gang gets freedom

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A former high-ranking member of the Murder Inc. crime syndicate in the District, which was charged in 31 killings, has won a "very unusual" sentence that will keep him out of prison, newly unsealed court records show.

Maurice Andrews, 36, former confidant of D.C. drug kingpin Kevin Gray, faced 30 years to life in prison under federal sentencing guidelines after pleading guilty to racketeering charges related to several murders.

However, in what prosecutors call a "very unusual" request, the U.S. Attorney's Office recently sought a sentence of time served and probation. Authorities cited Andrews' role as a key government witness in the prosecution of the violent street gang.

"He testified in dozens, literally dozens of criminal incidents that he was aware of, ranging from individual drug deals to murder," Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew G. Olsen said at Andrews' Sept. 29 sentencing.

U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth sentenced Andrews, who has been in the federal witness-protection program for five years, to time served and five years' probation, according to a transcript of the hearing.

The proceedings had remained sealed until last week.

Federal authorities have called Murder Inc. the most violent gang in the District's history. It ran much of the city's crack cocaine and heroin trade during the 1990s and killed potential government witnesses, authorities said.

Several leaders of the gang -- including Gray, convicted of 19 murders, and Rodney Moore, convicted of 10 murders -- are serving sentences of life in prison without parole. A jury deadlocked on giving them the death penalty.

The Murder Inc. case resurfaced last month when government witness Bethlehem Ayele was fatally shot after her car was stopped in Alexandria. Police have described the killing of Miss Ayele, a restaurant owner and real-estate agent, as a targeted hit. She was one of several people who cooperated in the case.

Andrews pleaded guilty in July 2000. Among other charges, he admitted to supplying the gun used to kill one man and assisting in plans to kill two others.