JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The founder of a violent gang in Jacksonville has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Thursday.
Maurice Phillip Mitchell, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan, who was found guilty on Feb. 7 for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
On Feb. 29, 2016, an officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office tried pulling Mitchell over while he was driving in the Lackawanna area. The officer said Mitchell showed signs of intoxication while driving. The officer tried to pull him over, but Mitchell let the officer on a high-speed chase, which ended when he crashed into a tree, court documents read. Mitchell tried to flee on foot, but a second JSO officer was able to apprehend him nearby.
Court documents said officers found a firearm on the dashboard of his vehicle, which is prohibited for convicted felons.
During his sentencing, Mitchell was identified as the founder of the gang "Cut Throat Committee," which operates throughout Florida's prison system.
