Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the indictment of two former members of the BSM gang, PARIS SOTO, a/k/a “P,” and “JOSEPH DENFIELD,” a/k/a “Denfield Joseph,” a/k/a “Denny,” for the gang-related murder of Donnell Harris on August 31, 2010. The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Victor Marrero. DENFIELD was presented yesterday before Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis; SOTO is currently in state custody.
As alleged in the Indictment[1]:
BSM, which stands for “Brim Stone Mafia,” and later “Blood Stone Mafia,” was a criminal enterprise that operated mainly in and around the Bronx, New York, including in the vicinity of East 173rd Street and Topping Avenue. Members and associates of BSM engaged in the sale of narcotics, robberies, credit card fraud, and murder.
On August 31, 2010, BSM members SOTO and DENFIELD participated in the murder of Donnell Harris in order to maintain and increase their standing within BSM.
SOTO and DENFIELD are each charged with one count of murder in aid of a racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of death, or life in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
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