Former Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover ’s federal prison sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump , sparking widespread discussion and renewed attention to his decades-long incarceration.
Hoover, who co-founded one of Chicago’s most notorious gangs—the Gangster Disciples—had been serving multiple life sentences for both state and federal convictions over nearly 50 years. Although his federal sentence was commuted, he remains behind bars serving a separate state sentence.
Is Larry Hoover free now?
Despite the commutation of his federal sentence, Hoover is not yet free. He remains incarcerated under his 200-year Illinois state sentence for murder. The state has not announced any plans to transfer Hoover or alter his state sentence. In the past, Illinois officials expressed concerns about his security risk if moved to a less secure facility.
Hoover’s criminal record spans both state and federal charges. In 1973, he was convicted in Illinois state court for the murder of 19-year-old drug dealer William “Pooky” Young and sentenced to 200 years in prison—a sentence he continues to serve.
In 1997, Hoover was convicted in federal court on charges of drug conspiracy, extortion, and running a criminal enterprise while incarcerated. For these federal convictions, he was sent to ADX Florence, the federal supermax prison in Colorado, where he spent nearly 30 years in solitary confinement.
Who is Larry Hoover?
Hoover, also known as “King Larry,” was born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1950. When he was just four years old, his parents moved the family to Chicago, Illinois. By the time he turned 13, Larry was already running the streets with a gang called the Supreme Gangsters, which started off with local muggings and thefts but eventually grew into a group known for assaults and shootings.
Hoover quickly rose through the ranks. By the late 1960s, he had taken full control of the gang and rebranded them as the Gangster Disciples . Even in his early twenties, he had established himself as one of the most powerful figures in the streets.
In 1973, Hoover was sentenced to a staggering 150 to 200 years in prison for ordering the murder of William Young, a drug dealer. Despite being behind bars, Hoover continued to exert his influence over the gang from within the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois.
In 1997, he was convicted again for running a continuing criminal enterprise from state prison, earning him another life sentence. Hoover has been with Winndye Jenkins for 54 years, and the two have been married for the past two years. He is father to three sons.
Hoover and his family have been advocating for his release for several years, insisting that he has cut ties with the Gangster Disciples and is no longer involved with the organization.
His son, Larry Hoover Jr., has been especially vocal about his father’s imprisonment. In 2021, he appeared on the Kanye West song “Jesus Lord,” which touched on his father’s case. That same year, Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Drake even held a benefit concert aimed at drawing attention to Hoover’s incarceration. Ye also took the case to the highest office, speaking with then-President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in 2018 to push for Hoover’s release and highlight his positive work while in prison.
Hoover, who co-founded one of Chicago’s most notorious gangs—the Gangster Disciples—had been serving multiple life sentences for both state and federal convictions over nearly 50 years. Although his federal sentence was commuted, he remains behind bars serving a separate state sentence.
Is Larry Hoover free now?
Despite the commutation of his federal sentence, Hoover is not yet free. He remains incarcerated under his 200-year Illinois state sentence for murder. The state has not announced any plans to transfer Hoover or alter his state sentence. In the past, Illinois officials expressed concerns about his security risk if moved to a less secure facility.
Hoover’s criminal record spans both state and federal charges. In 1973, he was convicted in Illinois state court for the murder of 19-year-old drug dealer William “Pooky” Young and sentenced to 200 years in prison—a sentence he continues to serve.
In 1997, Hoover was convicted in federal court on charges of drug conspiracy, extortion, and running a criminal enterprise while incarcerated. For these federal convictions, he was sent to ADX Florence, the federal supermax prison in Colorado, where he spent nearly 30 years in solitary confinement.
Who is Larry Hoover?
Hoover, also known as “King Larry,” was born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1950. When he was just four years old, his parents moved the family to Chicago, Illinois. By the time he turned 13, Larry was already running the streets with a gang called the Supreme Gangsters, which started off with local muggings and thefts but eventually grew into a group known for assaults and shootings.
Hoover quickly rose through the ranks. By the late 1960s, he had taken full control of the gang and rebranded them as the Gangster Disciples . Even in his early twenties, he had established himself as one of the most powerful figures in the streets.
In 1973, Hoover was sentenced to a staggering 150 to 200 years in prison for ordering the murder of William Young, a drug dealer. Despite being behind bars, Hoover continued to exert his influence over the gang from within the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois.
In 1997, he was convicted again for running a continuing criminal enterprise from state prison, earning him another life sentence. Hoover has been with Winndye Jenkins for 54 years, and the two have been married for the past two years. He is father to three sons.
Hoover and his family have been advocating for his release for several years, insisting that he has cut ties with the Gangster Disciples and is no longer involved with the organization.
His son, Larry Hoover Jr., has been especially vocal about his father’s imprisonment. In 2021, he appeared on the Kanye West song “Jesus Lord,” which touched on his father’s case. That same year, Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Drake even held a benefit concert aimed at drawing attention to Hoover’s incarceration. Ye also took the case to the highest office, speaking with then-President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in 2018 to push for Hoover’s release and highlight his positive work while in prison.
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