Eight Members And Associates Of The Mount Vernon Goonies Street Gang Charged In Federal Court With Racketeering, Narcotics, And Firearms Offenses

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Anthony A. Scarpino Jr., Westchester County District Attorney, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging MARKEL OVERTON, a/k/a “Kellz,” THOMAS BLANTON, a/k/a “LT,” MARQUIS COLLIER, a/k/a “Keise,” KADEEM DINHAM, a/k/a “Polo,” DONNIE DIXON, a/k/a “Scooter,” RAHEEM JONES, a/k/a “Rah Trigger,” a/k/a “Trigga,” JAMAAL SINCLAIR, a/k/a “Diggz,” and NOEL SMITH, a/k/a “Georgie,” with various crimes relating to racketeering, narcotics, and firearms offenses.  The defendants have been charged as a result of their membership in the “Goonies” street gang that operated in the City of Mount Vernon, New York. OVERTON was arrested on these charges yesterday. COLLIER and DIXON were arrested on these charges today. DINHAM, who was already in custody on state charges, was transferred to federal custody today; BLANTON, SINCLAIR, and SMITH, who were also already in custody on state charges, will be transferred to federal custody as soon as possible; and JONES was already in federal custody on related charges.  The defendants will be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Lisa M. Smith this afternoon in White Plains federal court.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “As alleged, the eight members and associates of a violent Mount Vernon street gang charged today engaged in attempted murder, drug dealing and firearms offenses.  One of our most important missions, as federal prosecutors, is to investigate and prosecute street gangs that threaten our communities through violence and narcotics trafficking, as the Goonies allegedly did in Mount Vernon.”

Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino Jr. said:  “This gang was allegedly engaged in serious criminal activity that included shooting incidents, armed robberies, gun possession and narcotics distribution.  We are pleased that this is now coming to an end.  I want to thank our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District and the New York office of the FBI for their unstinting dedication and determination that led to this indictment and today’s arrests.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “As alleged, the motives of this gang were sinister and criminal, using violence and illegal drugs to intimidate the community.  The FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force works diligently with our law enforcement partners every day to stop these gangs, and keep them from negatively impacting communities.”

According to the Indictment[1] unsealed today in White Plains federal court:

From 2007 to 2017, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, OVERTON, BLANTON, DINHAM, DIXON, JONES, SINCLAIR, and SMITH were members or associates of a racketeering enterprise known as the “Goonies.”  In order to fund the enterprise, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of the Goonies committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence, including attempted murder and robbery; they conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute narcotics; and they obtained, possessed, and used firearms, including by brandishing and firing them.  BLANTON, COLLIER, DINHAM, DIXON, and JONES also conspired with one another, and certain other members of the Goonies, to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and marijuana. 

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided in the attached table for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Kim thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises agents and detectives from the Yonkers Police Department, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Westchester County Police Department, Peekskill Police Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, New York City Police Department, and U.S. Probation.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Anden F. Chow, Christopher J. Clore, Sarah Krissoff, Olga Zverovich, and Special Assistant United States Attorneys John O’Rourke and Lauren Abinanti are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

United States v. Markel Overton, et al.

CHARGE	DEFENDANTS	MAXIMUM PENALTIES
Count One Racketeering Conspiracy	MARKEL OVERTON   a/k/a “Kellz” THOMAS BLANTON   a/k/a “LT” MARQUIS COLLIER   a/k/a “Keise” KADEEM DINHAM   a/k/a “Polo” DONNIE DIXON   a/k/a “Scooter” RAHEEM JONES   a/k/a “Rah Trigger”   a/k/a “Trigga” JAMAAL SINCLAIR   a/k/a “Diggz” NOEL SMITH   a/k/a “Georgie”	20 years in prison
Count Two Firearms Offense	MARKEL OVERTON THOMAS BLANTON MARQUIS COLLIER KADEEM DINHAM DONNIE DIXON RAHEEM JONES JAMAAL SINCLAIR	Life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
Count Three Firearms Offense	NOEL SMITH	Life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 7 years in prison
Count Four Narcotics Conspiracy	THOMAS BLANTON MARQUIS COLLIER KADEEM DINHAM DONNIE DIXON RAHEEM JONES	Life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison

DEFENDANT	AGE
MARKEL OVERTON	27
THOMAS BLANTON	24
MARQUIS COLLIER	33
KADEEM DINHAM	25
DONNIE DIXON	28
RAHEEM JONES	28
JAMAAL SINCLAIR	29
NOEL SMITH	24

 

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[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.