Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Peter C. Fitzhugh, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Margaret Garnett, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced today the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging MARQUIS YOHANIS, a/k/a “DG,” with murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and a firearms offense in connection with the murder of Nelson Ramos on January 6, 2019, in the Bronx. Robert Wilson, a/k/a “Ro,” Kevin Crosby, a/k/a “Sama,” and Yefrel Brito, a/k/a “Mini,” were previously arrested on charges related to the murder of Nelson Ramos and are already in federal custody.
YOHANIS was arrested yesterday morning and will be presented today in the South Paris District Court in Maine. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged in the indictment, Marquis Yohanis, along with his co-defendants, are responsible for the cold-blooded murder of Nelson Ramos earlier this year. We commend the extraordinary efforts of our law enforcement partners to bring these defendants to justice.”
HSI Special Agent-in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh said: “Mr. Yohanis and his co-defendants would stop at nothing to expand their violent criminal enterprise, including murder, as alleged in court documents. Working hand in hand with our law enforcement partners at the NYPD and DOI along with the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York made today’s arrest possible. We will always be more determined than criminals are to evade us in bringing them to justice. Hopefully the arrest of Mr. Yohanis’s will begin a path to healing for all those impacted by his crimes.”
DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said: “This arrest is another important step in holding accountable those individuals who endanger our City’s neighborhoods and the people who live there. This investigation reflects the strong impact that law enforcement partnership has on protecting all New Yorkers and rooting out violent crime.”
According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment unsealed yesterday in Manhattan federal court[1]:
Wilson and Crosby are members or associates of a racketeering enterprise known as the Stevenson Commons Crew. In order to fund the enterprise, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of the Stevenson Commons Crew committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence against rival gangs, including murder and robbery; conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics; and obtained, possessed and used firearms, including by brandishing and discharging them.
Brito and YOHANIS are members or associates of a racketeering enterprise known as Sex Money Murder, a criminal organization whose members and associates engaged in, among other things, murder, attempted murder, and narcotics trafficking.
On January 6, 2019, Wilson, Crosby, Brito, and Yohanis murdered Nelson Ramos in the vicinity of 800 Soundview Avenue in the Bronx, New York.
YOHANIS, 19, from the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of murder and assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison, and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of HSI, the NYPD, and DOI.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
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