Penza, 4 July 2014. PenzaNews. Sentence to the participants of criminal group “Olympia” pronounced in Penza regional court on Friday, July 4. Eleven of the thirteen defendants in the criminal case were found guilty of grave and especially grave crimes on the territory of Penza and the region. One defendant was acquitted by the jury, and another one was released from criminal responsibility for the lapse of time of the crime.

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“It was established that at the beginning of the 1990s a criminal group was formed in the sports complex “Olympia” in Penza, which shared a common goal to regularly receive money by knocking debts out of people and providing informal security to commercial structures, defending their interests during conflicts with other participants of criminal groups. In 1998, the most active participants united in a stable armed group — a gang, and since 2000 — into a criminal community, comprised of three business units. It had been working until April 26, 2011,” the press secretary of the regional court Natalia Bychenkova told news agency “PenzaNews.”

According to her, in the course of the hearing, it was established that the defendants committed a series of crimes, including murders, grievous bodily harm, including fatalities, vandalism and illegal purchases, possession and carrying of weapons and ammunition.

“When sentencing, the court took into consideration the presence of mitigating and absence of aggravating circumstances, the opinion of the jury that the three defendants deserve leniency, and the rest do not deserve it,” the agency interlocutor explained.

Natalia Bychenkova clarified that Sergei Maksimenko recognized as the organizer and leader of the gang and criminal association, was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment.

The press secretary of the regional court added that nine persons were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment — from 4 to 21 years of imprisonment in a penal colony.

“Another convict was sentenced to three years probation. The verdict has not entered into force yet,” Natalia Bychenkova summarized.

As news agency PenzaNews reported earlier, hearing of the criminal case against 13 members of the organized criminal group “Olympia” began in Penza regional court with jury on April 23, 2014.

Case materials accounted for more than 80 volumes.