Three people were sentenced to death, one with a two-year reprieve, for gang-related crimes by a local in southeast China's Fujian Province, according to the verdict released Sunday.

The sentence was handed down at the Zhangzhou Municipal Intermediate People's Court.

Ke Yinlai got the death penalty on charges of organizing and leading a 20-strong criminal gang, intentional injury and operating underground casino. Ke was also fined 40,000 yuan (5856 U.S.dollars) and was deprived of his political right for life.

Ke Zhiyi, a core member of the gang, was sentenced to death after being convicted of murder, intentional injury, running illegal gambling dens. Ke was deprived of his political right for life and fined 10,000 yuan, according to the court verdict.

Xu Weichao received a suspended death penalty for murder, running illegal gambling dens and causing disturbances, and was fined 3,000 yuan, the verdict said. Xu was also deprived of his political right for life.

Other 16 gang members convicted received jail terms, the verdict said.

The court found that Ke began to organize the criminal gang at the end of 2005, and the gang had since then commited crimes including running illegal gambling dens, lending usury and demanding repayment of debts via illegal measures to gain profits, and commited murder, intentional injuries, and causing disturbances to disrupt local economic and social order in Shancheng Township, Nanjing County which is under the administration of Zhangzhou.