Peoria Standard

Today, the Peoria County Grand Jury indicted two juveniles, Chavez L. Allen and Marshawn L. Smith, following their transfer to adult court under the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) statute. The two are allegedly associated with a street gang in Peoria, known as the "Snakes." A Peoria County Judge approved the transfer of Smith on April 4 and Allen on April 23.

Allen faces additional charges of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, with his detention hearing resulting in the State’s Petition to Detain being granted. This means Allen will remain in custody until his trial. Smith is also facing charges of Attempt First Degree Murder and Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm. He is currently serving a seven-year sentence for a previous case, where he pled guilty to Unlawful Use of Weapons for possessing a fully automatic firearm after being transferred to adult felony court.

In a previous indictment last October, the Grand Jury charged four adults and six juveniles, including Allen and Smith. The authorities filed petitions to transfer the juveniles involved in the case to adult court. Detectives have linked these individuals to at least three homicides and 12 shootings, recovering a total of 18 firearms, with four of those firearms equipped with devices turning them into fully automatic weapons.

The investigation by the Peoria Police Department continues, and the authorities encourage anyone with information to contact them at 309-673-4521.