Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Diego Rodriguez, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and William J. Bratton, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the charges against three members of the Sex Money Murder gang (“SMM”), COREY BROWN, a/k/a “CB,” JOSNEL RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “DO,” and CHRISTOPHER CANADA, a/k/a “Brabs,” with racketeering and firearms charges, including the gang-related murder of Vincent Davis on July 15, 2012.The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Denise L. Cote. RODRIGUEZ was presented before Judge Cote yesterday; BROWN was presented before Judge Cote today.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “The Sex, Money, Murder gang has terrorized residents of the Bronx for years with drug dealing, gang violence, and even murder. Today’s charges against three alleged members of this notoriously violent gang – possible only because of the work of the FBI and the NYPD – is another step toward keeping our communities free from drugs and gang violence.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Diego Rodriguez said: “The drugs these inner city gangs push end up on the streets everywhere in our cities and communities, not just in the areas they control. As long as there is a market for their products, these gangs will continue to commit crimes to maintain control. Unfortunately in this case, murder has become the normal course of their business day. The FBI New York Metro Safe Streets Task Force will continue to go after the heads of these gangs in the hope that one day the demand for their drugs will go away.”
As alleged in the Indictment and in other court papers[1]:
SMM is a criminal enterprise that operates mainly in and around several housing developments in the Bronx, New York. From 2011 up to and including 2016, members and associates of SMM enriched themselves by selling drugs, such as crack cocaine, cocaine, and heroin, and engaged in acts of violence, including murder and attempted murder of rival gang members, rival drug traffickers, and fellow gang members.
On July 15, 2012, SMM members BROWN and RODRIGUEZ participated in the murder of Vincent Davis, in the vicinity of 566 Pugsley Avenue, Bronx, New York, in order to maintain and increase their standing within SMM. CANADA later assisted his fellow SMM members avoid arrest by disposing of the murder weapon after Davis was shot.
Count One charges BROWN, RODRIGUEZ, and CANADA with participating in a racketeering conspiracy for their involvement in the SMM gang, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Count Two charges BROWN and RODRIGUEZ with murder in aid of a racketeering conspiracy, in connection with the murder of Davis, which carries a maximum sentence of death, or life in prison.
Count Three charges BROWN and RODRIGUEZ with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of a racketeering conspiracy, in connection with the murder of Davis, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Count Four charges BROWN and RODRIGUEZ with murder through the use of a firearm, in connection with the murder of Davis, which carries a maximum sentence of death, or life in prison.
Count Five charges CANADA with being an accessory after the fact to murder in aid of a racketeering conspiracy, in connection with the murder of Davis, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.
Mr. Bharara thanked the FBI and the NYPD, in particular, the New York Metro Safe Streets Task Force, as well as the Criminal Investigators at the United States Attorney’s Office for their work on the investigation.
RODRIGUEZ, 26, of the Bronx, New York, and BROWN, 37, of the Bronx, New York, were taken into custody yesterday. CANADA, 27, of Bronx, New York, remains at large.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brooke Cucinella, Rebekah Donaleski, and Margaret Graham 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.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
