An alleged member of the Soldiers of the Aryan Culture was sentenced this past week in U.S. District Court to serve more than 12 years in federal prison on a felony racketeering charge.
Prosecutors say Steve Mark Swena was considered a "general" in SAC, an organization formed at the Utah State Prison in 1997 that included inmates, fugitives and parolees. According to prosecutors, the group carried out various crimes, including conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, extortion and conspiracy to distribute narcotics. Membership, which is considered for life, requires an initiate to carry out a "hit" on another inmate, which is some form of violent stabbing or some other activity to show dominance among inmates.
Swena pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed two other racketeering counts.
Swena and 11 other men, including his brother, Tracy Swena, were charged under the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
As a condition of his sentence, U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart ordered Swena to refrain from contact with known gang members and not to possess any firearms or drugs.
Swena filed a motion to see his children before being sent to prison in either Colorado or Pennsylvania. Stewart said he would hear the matter in a separate hearing.