Gangster Disciples founder should remain in prison, federal prosecutors say

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The man who founded the Gangster Disciples street gang in Chicago in the late 1960s is trying to get an early release from federal prison, but objecting prosecutors say Larry Hoover has communicated with gang members through a secret code.

Federal prosecutors filed court documents this week, quoting a coded message that they say a gang “board member” sent to Larry Hoover while both were in prison.

The deciphered message, in part, was this: “Chief, this code is very important… Whenever we see a word with a small dash in front, we do not count that word. We only count the whole word that is the farthest over to the left…”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago said the coded messages show Hoover, 70, “remains an inspirational figure within the Gangster Disciples” and that Hoover should remain in prison for life.

Prosecutors say gang members use titles of respect to refer to Hoover, such as “Dad” and “the Old Man and that they celebrate his birthday.

At the time of Hoover’s federal conviction for drug conspiracy, he was serving multiple life sentences in an Illinois state prison for murder. Hoover is incarcerated at the maximum security ADX Florence in Colorado.