POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Hernando Thompson Jr., the 36-year-old architect behind a sprawling criminal enterprise, is headed to prison for the rest of his life.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Friday that the Office of Statewide Prosecution secured five consecutive life sentences for the Orlando man, effectively dismantling the leadership of the Blood-affiliated “Sex Money Murder” gang.
The sentence follows a January 2026 trial in Polk County where a jury took only an hour to deliberate before returning guilty verdicts on every count. Thompson was convicted of racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, and three counts of directing criminal gang activities.
Evidence brought forward during the trial painted a picture of a man who ran a violent organization with cold, calculated precision.
While Thompson oversaw gang operations across the entire state of Florida—including drug sales, robberies, and coordinated hits—he went to great lengths to keep his own hands clean. Prosecutors noted he intentionally avoided direct involvement in the street-level crimes in a failed attempt to shield himself from law enforcement.
“This criminal led a violent, Bloods-affiliated gang that treated crime like a business—a business of robberies, drive-by shootings, and violence against children,” Attorney General Uthmeier said. “This dangerous criminal deserved every minute of his sentence, and our prosecutors delivered.”
The investigation into the “Sex Money Murder” set began in 2022, involving a massive collaboration between the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Corrections, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Investigators uncovered a web of illegal activity that extended even behind bars, involving the smuggling of contraband into state prisons and conspiracy to commit murder.
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Uthmeier credited Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Gary Malak and local law enforcement partners for the successful outcome, noting that Thompson was the final outstanding member of the gang to be brought to justice in this specific case.
“Thanks to our law enforcement partners and Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Gary Malak for ensuring this violent criminal orchestrator will spend the rest of his life and any other life he may come across behind bars,” Uthmeier added.
Thompson will serve his time within the Florida Department of Corrections, where he is expected to remain for the duration of his five consecutive life terms.
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