They have been a significant criminal activity, criminal organization here in the state of Utah.
SALT LAKE CITY — A federal judge on Wednesday handed down tough prison sentences for two members of a violent street gang.
"I hope it is sending a message not only to these individual defendants, but generally to the community and to people who might be associating with a gang," said assistant U.S. attorney William Kendall.
Eric Kamahele, 24, and Daniel Maumau, 25, are members of the Tongan Crip Gang. Federal prosecutors hope their punishment will have a big impact on this gang, making the streets safer.
"They have been a significant criminal activity, criminal organization here in the state of Utah," Kendall said.
Maumau will serve 10 years in a federal prison.
He was only 10 years old when he began associating with the gang and living a life of crime.
His attorney, Fred Metos, said that changed a few years ago when Maumau moved to Logan, got a job and became a father. Metos says Maumau hopes to get a college degree in prison.
"In 2008, he did basically everything he could to extricate himself from that lifestyle," Metos said.
Judge Tena Campbell considered that when she sentenced Maumau for aggravated assault in aid of racketeering.
In a rare move, U.S. marshals also allowed Maumau to have an intimate moment with his toddler daughter before escorting him out of the courtroom.
"He hasn't been able to have any physical contact with his daughter since May of 2010 and it was very nice of the marshals to allow him to kiss her goodbye," Metos said.
Kamahele got a harsher sentence. He'll go to prison for 32 years.
In October, a jury found Kamahele, Maumau and four other TCG members guilty of various crimes committed as part of a racketeering conspiracy. Their crimes included robberies, assaults and use of firearms. The government said they were violent crimes in support of a criminal enterprise.
The defendants had also been convicted of offenses in state court.
Campbell said that if today's sentences don't serve as a deterrent, she doesn't know what will, and federal prosecutors want it to make an impact.
"That's our hope — by prosecuting a number of these gang members and taking them off the streets and sending them to prisons across the country — to dismantle them and disrupt their activities," Kendall said.
According to the FBI, there are fewer than 100 TCG members in Utah. But because of their violent nature, they're considered a significant threat.
Sentencing hearings for the other men found guilty of the federal charges will continue through January.
E-mail: syi@ksl.com