COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A federal jury has convicted two members of a violent criminal organization based in Columbus, who conspired to traffic more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Ohio, Klegewerges Abate and Abubakarr Savage, both of Columbus, were found guilty on all charges after a jury deliberated for less than six hours in federal court.
Abate, also known as “Bells”, “Robell”, and “Sosa”, was convicted on conspiring to traffic at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, firearms offenses and wire fraud related to illegally obtaining COVID-19 pandemic relief funds. Savage, or “Sav” or “Savdripp”, was convicted of conspiring to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana.
While Ohio legalized recreational cannabis in 2023 and recently launched sales, there remains a prohibition at the federal level, where the pair were prosecuted. The amount investigators found them holding also vastly exceeds the legal possession limit set in state law.
The two are members of the Third World Mob, according to court documents. Members associated with the gang brought hundreds of pounds of marijuana from across the country to sell in central Ohio. Conspirators used U-Haul trucks and rental cars to move drugs and used stash or trap houses, owned or leased in other individuals’ names to facilitate drug trafficking and cash storage.
Authorities state that in Aug. 2019 Abate and others possessed a suitcase with approximately $940,000 in cash at a house on Phlox Avenue in Blacklick. During a search of another Blacklick home, on Chapel Stone Road, officials found two co-conspirators and seized more than 700 kilograms of marijuana and three firearms.
Surveillance video shown at Abate’s trial showed him shooting a man at a restaurant in Columbus and the jury heard testimony of other examples of violence, including shootings and pistol-whipping.
In total, the United States Attorney’s Office states that seven members of the Third World Mob have been charged federally since 2021, including Menelik Solomon, who was sentenced to over 15 years in prison. Teddy Asefa pleaded guilty to similar charges that Abate faced.
Sentencing hearing information was not made available in the release.
