U.S. Attorney’s Office – Western District of Tennessee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Memphis, TN – A federal jury in Memphis has convicted Vincent Grant, also known as “V-Slash,” a high-ranking member of the Unknown Vice Lords (UVL), for his role in a gang-related murder. The jury reached its verdict in under an hour following a one-week trial.
Background on the Case
Grant, 41, was part of UVL, also known as “The Ghost Mob,” a violent criminal enterprise that operated throughout Memphis and extended into Arkansas and Mississippi. UVL members engaged in a range of criminal activities, including murder, assault, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and firearms offenses.
On January 10, 2019, UVL’s Supreme Elite Chief—the gang’s leader for the state of Tennessee—and his girlfriend were fatally shot in broad daylight in a residential neighborhood. Believing the rival Traveling Vice Lords (TVL) were responsible, UVL members launched a retaliatory gunfight at a known TVL hangout later that same evening.
In the days that followed, UVL conducted its own internal investigation and determined that one of its own members might have been involved in the murder of the Supreme Elite Chief.
The Murder
On January 14, 2019, Grant—who was responsible for storing firearms for the gang—distributed weapons to fellow UVL members in preparation for a “demo,” the gang’s term for a violent mission. In the early hours of January 15, 2019, Grant and three other UVL members transported the suspected member to an apartment complex. Two of the gang members used the guns supplied by Grant to execute the victim.
“This violent gang brutally executed one of their own and left the body on display as a warning that betrayal would not be tolerated,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their blatant disregard for human life underscores the urgent need to dismantle these violent criminal networks. This case, once cold, is now a conviction — and a warning to others.”
“Gang violence threatens entire communities,” said Acting ATF Director Daniel Driscoll. “This case sends a clear message: fear and violence will not prevail. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, we uncovered the truth and ensured justice was served. We remain committed to dismantling gangs and protecting the public.”
Conviction and Sentencing
The jury convicted Grant of causing death through the use of a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime, specifically murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for September 19, 2025, before a U.S. District Court judge, who will determine the final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Investigation and Prosecution
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Memphis Police Department, and the United States Secret Service.
Trial Attorneys Lisa Thelwell and Christopher Usher of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case, with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis, aimed at reducing violent crime by targeting gang members and criminal organizations through federal enforcement strategies and partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement.
