15 ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS INDICTED FOR GUN VIOLENCE IN CLAREMONT/MORRISANIA NEIGHBORHOOD

“280 Gangsta Crips” Charged in Ten Attempted Murders; Most of the Shootings Occurred Near A Junior High School

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill today announced that 15 people have been indicted on charges related to numerous shootings in the Concourse neighborhood in a wave of retaliation against rival gangs. Leaders of the “280 Gangsta Crips” face first-degree Conspiracy to commit murder for using boys to carry out shootings. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “This case is the epitome of gang culture - violence, retaliation, the “Don’t Snitch” credo, the recruitment of kids to commit crimes - that turns our neighborhoods into battle zones. Some of the gunfire happened around a Junior High School, even in the playground of the school. One shooting occurred on a Sunday morning, when a family with young children ran down the block and crouched against a building in terror. The shootings have to stop. The cooperation has to start. We will continue to work with our NYPD partners and the community to stem the violence in the 44th Precinct and anywhere in the Bronx where gang members think they hold sway.”

 Commissioner O’Neill said, “With violence and disorder reduced to historically low levels in many New York City neighborhoods, the NYPD and our law-enforcement partners have further strengthened our laser-like focus on gang and crew activity in our highest crime-rate communities. We are relentless in precisely dismantling these groups, particularly in the Bronx, where residents' quality of life has been adversely affected for far too long. Assaults, shootings, and other associated gang behavior will never by tolerated by the people we serve. I thank and commend the members of our Gun Violence Suppression Division, the 44th Precinct Detective Squad, and the Bronx District Attorney's Office for removing these 15 individuals from our streets and bringing forth a very strong conspiracy case.”

 The 60-count indictment includes charges of Conspiracy, Attempted Murder, Assault, Gang Assault, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, and Reckless Endangerment. Nine of the defendants were arrested on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 and arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett. They are due back in court on March 4, 2019. Three other defendants are already incarcerated and three others are not yet apprehended. If convicted of the top count of first-degree Conspiracy, seven defendants face a minimum of 15-25 years to a maximum of life in prison.

 According to the investigation by the NYPD Gun Violence Suppression Unit dubbed “Operation Dead Heat,” the defendants engaged in violent acts in the area from East 167th Street to East 170th Street between Morris and Clay Avenues, from December 2014 to May 2018. Much of the violence was directed toward “6 Wild,” a set of the Bloods gang, after one member murdered Christopher Duran, nicknamed Joppy, a 14-year-old member of 280 Crips. He was shot to death on May 22, 2015 on East 167th Street and Sheridan Avenue as he walked to school in the morning. The conspiracy continued after another 280 member, Joshua Simpson, was fatally stabbed on June 28, 2018.

 The defendants allegedly conspired to commit two non-fatal shootings, seven incidents of shots fired, and one stabbing. Several shootings occurred near Junior High School 22 on Morris Avenue and East 167th Street. In one incident, on Sunday morning, May 27, 2018, shots were fired at a 6 Wild member at East 167th Street and Teller Avenue. Surveillance video of the area shows a family—including a woman pushing a baby in a stroller—fleeing.

 At one point in the summer of 2017, it is alleged that defendant Ashley Ramirez told members of the gang, “280 needs to get better at shooting.” On Facebook, she directed members to “cold crush” their rivals.

 Evidence includes video surveillance of several of the incidents.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Brian Martin, Thomas Woulfe, Adam Landesberg, and Lieutenant Paul Prendergast of the Gun Violence Suppression Unit for their work on the investigation. She also thanked the 42nd Precinct Detective Squad and the 44th Precinct Detective Squad, specifically Detective Brian Hennessey, and the 44th Precinct Patrol Officers for their assistance.

DEFENDANTS ARRESTED 

Quaduan James, 28 

Ashley Ramirez, 26 

Raymond Bello, 20 

Andres Abreu, 19 

Carlos Perez, 20 

Marlon Figueroa, 21 

David Aguero, 17 

Omar Barnes, 17 

ALREADY INCARCERATED 

Kwesi Hosier, 27 

Jamel Greene, 23 

Christopher Hatfield, 27 

NOT YET APPREHENDED 

Kurt Scott, 29 

Jesus Perez, 25 

Anton Pye, 23

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and is not proof of a defendant’s guilt