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‘Beat Down Posse’ Leader Found Guilty Of Racketeering

January 20, 2012 5:43 PM
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Jail Bars, generic, prison, arrested

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Hennepin County jury found a 56-year-old man guilty of racketeering on Monday.

Joseph Robert Gustafson of Minneapolis was using his bail bond business as a front, but was really the leader of the “Beat Down Posse” gang, which is based in north Minneapolis.

To be found guilty of racketeering, Gustafson also had to be found guilty of kidnapping, second-degree assault, first-degree arson and accessory after the fact after an aggravated assault. He was found not guilty of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

According to a criminal complaint, Gustafson was known to be the leader of the “Beat Down Posse,” a gang that would assault drug dealers and steal their money. Gang members would also burned one property owned by Gustafson for insurance money, and gang members would be assaulted if they didn’t obey orders.

Gustafson will be held in the Hennepin County Jail without bail until his sentencing, which is set for March 1. He could face up to 20 years in prison just for racketeering.

Gustafson’s son, Joseph Robert Gustafson, Jr., is set to go on trial March 5.

View Comments
  • Wheels of Justice

    Good riddance, Big Joe. God willing, your son will be joining you.

    http://www.citypages.com/2010-02-17/news/joe-gustafson-lives-above-the-law-in-north-minneapolis/

    • truefact

      Wheels of Justice huh ? More like Weasel of Jerkk-off Ville. Ur an asssswhole

      • Wheels of Justice

        That’s right. I’m the Wheels of Justice, and I just rolled over Joe Gustafson. I’m getting ready to roll over another Joe Gustafson in March. What does that make you? One of his cronies on the rat squad who testified against him? You’ve got some major stones sticking up for this POS.

  • alligator

    these two dirtballs will soon be serving hard time in prison where they belong….the father was never really out of the hells angels , they just said that so he could obtain a license to operate his bail bond business…..both have been scrubs their whole lives, the son is as much a scrub as the father is and one would be hard pressed to find a couple of people more dirty, filthy, immoral, degenerate, or disgusting than these two. These two clowns will not see freedom for a very very long time and hopefully the father dies of old age before he ever even stands a chance at parole.

  • @truefact

    Truefact must be a Gustafson worshipper..Maybe you can join him in prison & give him nightly backrubs..

  • Whiffle Dust

    Alligator, Brother Don’t Hold Your Breath! You would be hard pressed in your life time to find one so faithful to one’s own personal oath, commitments, obligations, or family. And HELL YES I am a worshiper and send much Love, Respect and Loyalty to mine!

    • Sequestered

      Yeah right. The Gustafson’s whole defense was centered around BLAMING HIS SON for the gang’s activities. According to him, he knew nothing about what was going on. Nice guy. “Hey son, you know how I’ve been a lying, stealing, drug-dealing, assaultive wart on the ass of society the past 35 years? Well guess what? I’m gonna try to frame YOU for the whole thing and get off scott free.” Yeah, that shows a real sense of commitment and obligation to family.

  • J Gus

    Long live BDP
    He’s innocent
    You all lie and you know it.

  • meet and greet in cell

    God shall punish him …… maybe 20 bro’s in a row or say 200″ of stuffing. let the dude bleed out

  • just sayin

    WHO??????????

    Never heard of him.

    Sounds like a loser to me!

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