Scarlett Johansson will portray Carol Blevins, an informant whose vital insights helped secure numerous convictions against a notorious Texas gang. The film, titled Featherwood, delves into Blevins’ transformation from a troubled youth to an essential figure in a significant FBI operation.
Scarlett Johansson is set to take on the role of an FBI informant in a film detailing the extensive investigation into the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT).
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Why It Matters
Johansson will play Carol Blevins, a North Texas native whose crucial informant work led to 13 convictions and assisted in at least 16 others over a decade ago.
Blevins’ story was previously covered in a seven-part series by former Dallas Morning News reporter Scott Farwell.
Carol Blevins’ Background
Carol Blevins grew up in Murphy, Texas, and was an athlete at Plano East Senior High School. During an era marked by heroin overdoses in the middle-class suburb, she tried heroin at 15 and eventually dropped out of school.
Blevins later became a sex worker, which introduced her to Micheal “Crash” Bianculli, an ABT member and low-level informant.
Bianculli persuaded Blevins to become his “featherwood,” a term signifying an Aryan Brotherhood member’s girlfriend, often shared among the brothers.
Film Details
The movie, titled “Featherwood,” was first reported by Deadline. The term refers to the role Blevins played within the ABT hierarchy.
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The Investigation
The six-year FBI investigation into the ABT was a multi-agency effort involving federal law enforcement, the Texas Rangers, and several local police departments, including those in Carrollton, Mesquite, and Fort Worth.
Initially a prison gang aimed at protecting white supremacist inmates, the ABT expanded into a broader criminal enterprise.
A key figure in the investigation was James “Skitz” Sampsell, the only ABT general operating outside of prison.
After his arrest, Sampsell ordered other ABT members to capture and kill Blevins, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Sampsell was among 36 individuals charged with racketeering activities as part of the investigation.
Outcome and Current Status
The investigation revealed that the ABT enforced its rules through threats, assaults, and murder. Sampsell was sentenced to nearly 12 years in federal prison and was released in August 2022.
Another key figure, Rusty Eugene Duke of Dallas, remains in federal prison with a release date scheduled for May 2028.
