BY STAN FINGER
The Wichita Eagle

Three men were convicted Wednesday in the first Kansas case to charge gang members under a federal organized crime law.

Tracy Harris, Clinton Knight and Chester Randall Jr. sat next to their attorneys as verdicts were read shortly after noon in U.S. District Court.

Sighs could be heard among the crowd of about 30 people, which included defendants' relatives, detectives and Wichita police officials.

Harris, 34, was convicted of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity as part of the Crips enterprise.

Knight, 29, and Randall, 34, were convicted of participating in a pattern of racketeering activity as a part of the Crips enterprise.

Harris and Knight were found guilty of several other charges. All three men were also found not guilty on several counts.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Marten set sentencing for Jan. 29.

Attorney Kurt Kerns, who represented Harris, said he was disappointed, but said the verdicts show his client was "overcharged" in the indictment. Harris originally faced 14 charges, Kerns said, but seven were dropped, and he was found not guilty on four others.

Still, Harris faces substantial prison time, Kerns said, and he hopes Marten shows mercy when handing down sentences.

The three were tried under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which was first used to prosecute organized crime groups and carries substantially increased penalties.

Some of the other convictions carry maximum sentences of 10 to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 on each count.

James Turner, who represented Randall, could not be reached for comment.

Laura Shaneyfelt represented Knight.

"It's regrettable that the federal government saw fit to spend such a tremendous amount of money pursuing this unnecessary federal prosecution which could have been handled much more simply and economically," Shaneyfelt said by e-mail.

"Our resources could certainly be put to better use eliminating the reasons young people join gangs rather than punishing young men who have gotten out of gangs and turned their lives around."

The jury of eight women and four men delivered the verdicts after nearly four days of deliberation. The trial lasted nearly three weeks and is the first in a series of trials linked to federal charges against gang members.

The defendants were among 28 people charged with participating in a "pattern of racketeering activity" that dates to December 1990. Wichita police said all are Crips gang members.

Another trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 24. Some of those charged under the RICO Act have entered plea agreements in the hope of receiving reduced sentences.