Not Guilty Plea in Alleged Gang Status Killing

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A man has pleaded not guilty to a federal murder in aid of racketeering charge in the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old man in Portland allegedly to increase his status in the Hoover gang.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports 23-year-old Javier Fernando Hernandez entered the plea Thursday. He is also is charged with using a firearm in a crime of violence in the death of Kyle Polk.

Polk was headed home from his job when he was shot and killed outside a convenience store Dec. 16, 2015.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says a four-week jury trial was tentatively set for November.

The federal indictment describes the Hoovers as a criminal street gang that started in Los Angeles in the 1960s, but established a presence in the 1980s. The indictment alleges the gang has been involved in murders, sex trafficking and drug distribution.
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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com