Member Of Russia's 'FSB Killers' Gang Sentenced To 24 Years In Prison

YEKATERINBURG, Russia -- A member of an organized crime group that terrorized residents of the Siberian city of Tyumen for years has been sentenced to 24 years in prison.

The Urals Regional Military Court in Yekaterinburg on December 20 found Aleksei Korotkov, a former lieutenant of the Federal Security Service (FSB), guilty of seven counts of murder and several other crimes.

Korotkov, 34, avoided life in prison by pleading guilty and cooperating with the investigation into the criminal group dubbed by local media as the "FSB killers" gang.

He provided investigators with detailed information on the gang’s criminal activities and testified against other members of the group, which included other officers of the FSB and police.

The gang, which was used by local businesses to protect their interests, was involved in robberies, thefts, extortion, and murders.

Police apprehend the gang members in January 2017 after a series of murders of migrant workers from Central Asia and taxi drivers in Tyumen.

Other members of the group will be tried separately.