Houston’s Most Brazen Gang Finally CRUSHED

Person assembling a black rifle with gloves on.

Federal prosecutors just dropped the hammer on 20 alleged members of Houston’s “Free Money” gang with RICO charges that could put these violent criminals away for life—finally delivering justice after years of brazen shootings in shopping centers that put innocent families at risk.

Story Snapshot

Twenty alleged “Free Money” gang members face RICO conspiracy, murder, drug trafficking, and firearms charges in federal indictment
Gang accused of drive-by shootings in public spaces including a fatal 2022 grocery store parking lot murder
Charges include robbery of pawn shop to fund weapons and incarcerated members, trafficking crack cocaine and methamphetamine
Two brothers face potential death penalty for murder in aid of racketeering; ten arrested, ten already in custody

Brazen Violence in Public Spaces Shocks Houston Communities

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas unsealed an 18-count superseding indictment charging 20 alleged members and associates of the Houston-based “Free Money” street gang with racketeering conspiracy under RICO statutes. The indictment details a pattern of violence that placed everyday Houstonians in danger, including a June 24, 2022 incident where Terry Ardoin and Travonte Ardoin allegedly followed a Chevrolet Equinox into a shopping center parking lot and opened fire, killing a passenger in broad daylight. This kind of indiscriminate violence in places where families shop represents exactly the lawlessness hardworking Americans are tired of seeing go unpunished.

Drug Trafficking and Armed Robberies Fund Criminal Enterprise

The gang allegedly financed its operations through systematic drug trafficking and armed robberies, with Orlando Calloway accused of cooking crack cocaine for distribution while Walter Tolbert and accomplices robbed a pawn shop at gunpoint on June 3, 2024. The robbery netted jewelry, Sony PlayStations, and cash specifically intended to purchase weapons and support gang members behind bars. According to the indictment, the gang trafficked crack cocaine, powder cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana throughout Houston while using Hobbs Act robbery to intimidate rivals and fund their criminal enterprise. This is the kind of organized criminal activity that destroys neighborhoods and makes communities unsafe for law-abiding citizens.

Federal Task Force Disrupts Planned Stash House Massacre

Law enforcement intercepted what could have been Houston’s deadliest gang incident when multiple defendants planned a “kill everything” assault on a rival gang’s drug stash house on August 14, 2022. The planned attack involved 12 alleged gang members including Joci Barley, Terrel Davis, Walter Tolbert, and both Ardoin brothers, who coordinated to rob and murder occupants of the location. Federal agents stopped the operation before it could be executed, with Travonte Ardoin allegedly discarding a firearm while fleeing from pursuing officers. Just weeks earlier, on August 3, 2022, Shakeil Anderson and others fired multiple rounds into the home of a perceived rival gang member’s grandmother, showing the gang’s willingness to target innocent family members.

Maximum Penalties Send Clear Message on Gang Violence

U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei declared the gang’s “campaign of robbery, drug trafficking, and armed violence ends now,” emphasizing that federal prosecutors would seek maximum penalties to protect Houston communities. The Ardoin brothers face potential life sentences or the death penalty for murder in aid of racketeering, while all defendants face RICO conspiracy charges carrying maximum life imprisonment. Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of FBI Houston stated that “residents can rest easier” knowing these alleged criminals are off the streets. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva affirmed the Justice Department’s commitment to dismantling gangs that “terrorized streets” and promised to “restore communities” through aggressive prosecution—exactly the kind of law-and-order approach Americans have been demanding.

20 Alleged 'Free Money' Gang Members Indicted in Houston on RICO, Murder, and Drug Charges https://t.co/T8sStjqt6Z

— ConservativeLibrarian (@ConserLibrarian) February 13, 2026

The multi-agency investigation involved FBI Houston, Houston Police Department, ATF, and Texas Department of Public Safety, demonstrating the coordinated federal response necessary to combat organized gang violence. Ten defendants were arrested following the indictment’s unsealing, while ten others were already in custody on related charges. This case represents part of the broader DOJ violent crime initiative using RICO statutes to dismantle street gangs nationwide, providing a blueprint for how federal resources can effectively restore safety to communities plagued by gang violence when local efforts prove insufficient.