A member of a Chicago street gang has been sentenced to 34 years in federal prison for the murder of Paul Harris. Diontae Harper, 25, admitted in a plea agreement that he killed Harris on May 13, 2020. The incident occurred when Harper and another man fired multiple shots at Harris while he was seated in a vehicle at a gas station on South Halsted Street in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood.
Harper stated that the murder was committed to maintain and increase his position within the Faceworld street gang, which operates on Chicago's South Side and is involved in violent crimes and narcotics trafficking. While detained earlier this year, Harper also made threatening statements toward a witness.
In January, Harper pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in Harris's death. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah imposed the sentence during a hearing on May 8, 2025, in federal court in Chicago.
The sentencing was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI's Chicago Field Office; and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia Schwartz, Sushma Raju, and Matthew Moyer represented the government.
Two other individuals involved—the second shooter and the getaway driver—have pleaded guilty to committing murder in aid of racketeering and are awaiting sentencing.