V-Not gang: Aaren Dexter, Brandon Whiteside

Aaren Dexter, 21, of Akron, was sentenced to four years in prison for the drive-by shooting of a crime witness.
He was found guilty of felonious assault, intimidation of a crime victim and being a felon with a gun.
On Aug. 22, Dexter shot a man in retaliation for the conviction of Brandon Whiteside, 18. Whiteside was convicted on July 19 of attempted murder and criminal gang activity. He is serving 15 years in prison.
Dexter and Whiteside were in the V-Not gang, prosecutors said.
The man Dexter shot is the father of the victim of another shooting carried out by the V-Not gang, prosecutors said.
"This case is a prime example of the threats posed by gangs and gang violence in our community," Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh said.
"This sentence hopefully sends two messages; first, we will not tolerate the intimidation tactics of street thugs who think they are above the law. Second, we will do everything we can to protect citizens who do the right thing by reporting crimes and participating in the
judicial process."