Two gang members convicted of drug trafficking in Columbus

Two members of a gang that federal prosecutors said operated as a violent organization in Columbus, trafficking drugs and intimidating witnesses, have been found guilty on several counts.

Klegewerges Abate, 35, and Abubakarr Savage, 34, were sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Columbus on drug trafficking and weapons charges. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date to be determined.

Abate, who was known by the street names “Bells,” “Robell” and “Sosa,” and Savage, who was known as “Sav” and “Savdripp,” were members of the Third World Mob gang, federal prosecutors said.

According to court records, Savage, Abate and at least four others have been charged in connection with the gang's activities, which include trafficking marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine in Columbus beginning in 2015 and importing the drugs from other states.

Gang members brought hundreds of pounds of marijuana into Ohio in U-Haul trucks and rental cars and used rental homes or homes owned by other people to store the drugs and the money earned from selling the drugs.

According to court documents, Abate and others had a suitcase containing about $940,000 in cash in a Far East Side home in August 2019. During a search of a home in the same area in November 2022, Abate was found there with two other members of the gang. Investigators also found more than 700 kilograms of marijuana and three guns in the home.

According to court documents, the gang trafficked hundreds of pounds of marijuana each month and attempted to maintain control of their operations by frequently using violence and intimidation.

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During a federal court trial that began earlier this month, jurors watched a video of Abate shooting a man inside a restaurant. Jurors also heard testimony about additional shootings, a beating with a handgun and intimidation attempts aimed at keeping members from giving information about the gang's activities to police or others.

In addition to the drug trafficking and weapons charges, Abate was also convicted at trial of falsely applying for unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal prosecutors said Abate claimed he was a self-employed landscaper when in reality he was selling drugs.

Other gang members have already pleaded guilty to their involvement in the incident, including one person who is scheduled to stand trial with Abate and Savage and who pleaded guilty before the trial even began.

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