PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — More federal charges have been lodged against defendants charged with the murder of Philadelphia Police Sergeant James O’Connor nearly three years ago.
Hassan Elliott, 25, Khalif Sears, 21, as well as two additional defendants, Kelvin Jiminez, 32, and Dominique Parker, 31, are facing more than 30 federal charges, including three additional counts of murder, a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations conspiracy, and nine other nonfatal shootings.
In an announcement from the United States Attorney’s Office, officials say the defendants were members of a violent drug trafficking group, known as 1700 Scattergood, which operated in a home in the Frankford neighborhood – the same home where O’Connor was shot and killed while serving a warrant for Elliott, related to a 2019 murder, in March 2020.
Elliott allegedly fired more than a dozen shots at officers, striking and killing O’Connor, a 23-year-veteran of the force.
Officials believe Elliott and Sears are the ringleaders of the group, which allegedly sold large amounts of drugs, including crack and fentanyl, using violence and threats to protect their reputation and territory.
If convicted, each defendant could face life in prison. However, officials say the findings make Elliott eligible for the death penalty.
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