A Chicago man has been charged with killing a teenage girl in 2016 to boost his standing in a gang, federal authorities said Friday.
A grand jury indicted Patrick Johnson on a charge of murder in aid of racketeering.
Johnson, 27, is accused of shooting Veronica Lopez, 15, while the girl was riding in a vehicle on Lake Shore Drive during the 2016 Memorial Day weekend. Dozens of people were shot in Chicago and at least six died over that three-day period.
“The indictment alleges that the Milwaukee Kings is a criminal organization whose members and associates engaged in narcotics trafficking and committed acts of violence, including murder and assault, to acquire and preserve the gang’s territory,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Johnson was arrested Friday. No lawyer was listed yet in the federal case file.