Reputed Street Gang Leader Sentenced

The leader of a notorious street gang with ties to neighborhoods in Jamaica Plain was sentenced to prison last week.

Owens Brown, 34, was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised probation Dec. 20. Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base from March 2007 through May 2011, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press statement.

Brown was the leader of the Academy Homes street gang and used his influence to enlist younger members of the gang to act as runners, distributing drugs and collecting proceeds to and from waiting customers, and running stash houses located throughout Boston, the statement said. He supplied youths with firearms as well.

“Brown’s use of young gang members was strategic as it allowed him to thwart law enforcement for over a decade,” the statement said. Brown’s perceived success gave him almost unbridled influence over younger gang members seeking his approval and sparked years of gun violence between rival gang members in the Roxbury and Jamaica Plain neighborhoods.”

Brown distributed over four kilograms of crack cocaine throughout the South End,

Dorchester and Roxbury from Mach 2007 through May 2011, according to the statement.