PEORIA Ill. – Four adults facing RICO charges after Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos said they belonged to a violent street gang — had their first day in court Thursday morning.
Three of the suspects, 18-year-old Korion Hopkins, 20-year-old Keon Patterson, and 20-year-old Messiah Carpenter, pleaded not guilty to several charges in court.
Hopkins and Carpenter faced additional charges connected to a pair of high-profile violent crimes, including the shooting death of Peoria High School basketball standout Mikequese Taylor.
Both suspects pleaded not guilty to one count of violating the RICO Act.
The fourth adult in the RICO case, 22-year-old Quandarius Jones, did not appear in court Thursday morning, as he was being held on a warrant at another jail.
