Seven Members and Associates of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples Charged in Connection with Drive-By Shooting Committed on Father's Day 2022 and Related Firearms Offenses

 

Charges Part of Ongoing Effort to Dismantle the Gang in Brooklyn

A four-count indictment was unsealed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York charging Kwyme Waddell, Paolo Alfarobarber, Rahim Frank, Mikey Jemison, Sebastian Jocelyn, Joel Myrie and Jahi Nimmons with violent crimes in-aid-of racketeering — including murder conspiracy and attempted murder — and related firearms offenses.  As alleged, the defendants are members and associates of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples (GD), and specifically of GD subset No Love City (NLC).    

Defendants Alfarobarber, Frank, Jemison, Jocelyn, and Nimmons were arrested in Brooklyn and Bridgeport, Connecticut and were arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.  Defendant Waddell was already in federal custody on a prior charge of being a felon-in-possession of ammunition after a March 2022 shooting and will be arraigned at a later date.  Myrie is still at large.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the charges and arrests.

“We allege that, rather than celebrating families on Father’s Day, the defendants terrorized Brooklyn residents by spraying bullets onto a residential street with total disregard for human life,” stated U.S. Attorney Peace. “My Office will continue to use all tools available to dismantle violent gangs, like the Folk National Gangster Disciples, and hold their members accountable for the havoc they cause to our communities.”

Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division for their work and assistance in this investigation and prosecution.

“Seven members and associates of Folk Nation Gangster Disciples allegedly conspired to orchestrate the attempted murder of a rival member by firing two firearms into a crowded neighborhood street. Their alleged actions fueled a decade-long rivalry and posed an extreme threat to the innocent bystanders celebrating Father’s Day. With our law enforcement partners, the FBI remains dedicated to investigating and apprehending all gangs who utilize gun violence to satisfy territorial disputes and threaten the safety of our communities,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Curtis.

“Targeting and tearing down gangs, as well as preventing the violence associated with their illegal activities, remains a top priority for the NYPD,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “I commend the tireless efforts of our Gun Violence Suppression Division and express gratitude to all of our law enforcement partners for their unwavering dedication to our shared mission of public safety.”

As alleged in the indictment and other court documents, on June 19, 2022 – which was Father’s Day – the defendants engaged in a drive-by shooting during which a 28-year-old victim was shot and injured.  NLC leaders Waddell and Alfarobarber jumped into a stolen Dodge Charger with younger gang members Jocelyn and Myrie.  The foursome drove to Canarsie in a three-car convoy with Frank, Jemison and Nimmons to continue a decade’s long feud with rivals in the area.  After identifying a group of people on residential East 94th Street between Avenues L and K, the defendants shot multiple times into the group on the sidewalk using two firearms, striking the victim, who survived his injuries after being hospitalized.

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This indictment is part of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York’s focus on dismantling the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples (GD), under which the Office has brought numerous prosecutions against members and associates of GD in coordination with federal and state law enforcement partners, including United States v. Britton, No. 23-CR-406 (LDH) (GD leader charged with false statements and obstruction); United States v. Zeigler, No. 23-CR-114 (MKB) (GD member charged with firearm possession in connection with a shooting); United States v. Oluwagbenga Agoro, No. 21-CR-166 (WFK) (relating to a March 14, 2021 use of threatened use of force in furtherance of a plan to commit extortion); United States v. Powell, No. 21-CR-205 (LDH) (GD member charged with firearm possession in connection with a shooting); United States v. Cummings, No. 21-CR-406 (CBA) (GD associate charged with possessing multiple firearms on multiple separate occasions); United States v. Apollon, No. 21-CR-636 (DG) (GD member charged with robbery of vehicles from parking garage where parking attendant was permanently injured); and United States v. Brown, No. 20-CR-293 (WFK) (eleven GD defendants charged with racketeering offenses for seven gang-related shootings in 2020).

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Merrick Garland has enhanced PSN as part of the Department’s focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.