“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
