14 Defendants Charged With Racketeering, Murder, Firearms, And Narcotics Offenses

Alexander Arguedas is Charged with the December 2012 Murder of Gary Rodriguez

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Darcel D. Clark, District Attorney for Bronx County, Dermot Shea, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New York (“HSI”), and Cynthia Brann, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction (“NYCDOC”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS, a/k/a “Reckless,” MICHAEL DELAGUILA, a/k/a “Grizz,” STEVEN JUSTO, a/k/a “Riko,” DAVONTE BROWN, a/k/a “Tae,” JACOBB PADIN, a/k/a “Chino,” EDGARDO BARANCO, a/k/a “Slime,” ABBAS OZKURT, a/k/a “AB,” JAHVONNE CHAMBERS, a/k/a “JV,” DENISE BULLOCK, a/k/a “Mocha,” SIMONE CORDERO, a/k/a “Mixy,” MATTHEW NIEVES, a/k/a “WB,” TYERANCE MICKEY, a/k/a “Hoodlum,” and MARK BROCK, a/k/a “Rover,” with racketeering, firearms, and narcotics offenses, in connection with their membership and association with the Black Stone Gorilla Gang (“BSGG”).  ARGUEDAS is also charged with the December 9, 2012, murder of Gary Rodriguez.  ANDRE CURRY, a/k/a “Flex,” is charged with narcotics and firearms offenses. 

Seven defendants were arrested today and will be presented this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.  Three defendants were already in federal or state custody on other charges.  The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Jesse M. Furman.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Today’s indictment charges members and associates of a violent gang that allegedly wreaked havoc in the Bronx for years, committing numerous acts of violence against rival gang members and innocent victims.  These charges are the product of a joint effort between our Office and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, whom we thank for their outstanding partnership, not only in this case, but in our ongoing, shared commitment to keeping the people of the Bronx safe from violence.  Because of that partnership, and thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the NYPD, DEA, Department of Correction, HSI, and Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the defendants now face federal charges for their alleged crimes.”           

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said:  “This gang has allegedly brought violence, guns and illicit narcotics to Bronx streets, and my Office’s partnership with U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman, the NYPD, the DEA, the Department of Correction, and HSI has now brought them to justice. We remain unrelenting in putting such violent criminal enterprises out of business.”

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said:  “The NYPD’s work to identify and dismantle gangs and crews, and prevent the violence so often associated with their activities, continues to be of paramount importance to the NYPD and all our law enforcement partners.  I thank the NYPD detectives involved in this case and our law enforcement partners for their hard work which resulted in these arrests.”

DEA Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan said:  “With deep rooted history of violence both in and outside of prison, the Black Stone Gorilla Gang is a fierce threat to New Yorkers.  Today’s arrests have put an alleged murderer in jail along with 13 other gang associates allegedly embedded in racketeering, fraud, firearms, narcotics trafficking and/or assaults.  I thank our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and partnership.” 

NYCDOC Commissioner Cynthia Brann said:  “Our Correction Intelligence Bureau works tirelessly to reduce violence and increase safety in our facilities, and we are proud of their hard work in this case, which involved many hours of collaboration with our fellow law enforcement partners.  Gang activity drives a disproportionate amount of violence in our city, in both the streets and the jails, and because of these efforts both communities are safer.”

HSI Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh said:  “HSI is always willing to assist our law enforcement partners in any criminal investigation where our resources, capabilities and personnel can be of value.  Bringing these dangerous individuals to face justice is why we invest in the specialized training and equipment we keep at the ready.  HSI and our law enforcement partners will continue to thrive in arresting those most dangerous because of the dedication and teamwork we put forward.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS, a/k/a “Reckless,” MICHAEL DELAGUILA, a/k/a “Grizz,” STEVEN JUSTO, a/k/a “Riko,” DAVONTE BROWN, a/k/a “Tae,” JACOBB PADIN, a/k/a “Chino,” EDGARDO BARANCO, a/k/a “Slime,” ABBAS OZKURT, a/k/a “AB,” JAHVONNE CHAMBERS, a/k/a “JV,” DENISE BULLOCK, a/k/a “Mocha,” SIMONE CORDERO, a/k/a “Mixy,” MATTHEW NIEVES, a/k/a “WB,” TYERANCE MICKEY, a/k/a “Hoodlum,” and MARK BROCK, a/k/a “Rover,” are members and associates of the Black Stone Gorilla Gang, a racketeering enterprise that operates principally in the New York City metropolitan area and in the jails and prisons of New York City and the State of New York.  In order to enrich the enterprise, preserve and protect the power of the enterprise, and enhance its criminal operations, BSGG members and associates committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence, including murder and assaults; distributed and possessed with intent to distribute narcotics; committed robberies; engaged in bank fraud and wire fraud; and obtained, possessed, and used firearms.  BSGG members also evaded prosecution by law enforcement authorities through acts of intimidation and violence against potential witnesses to crimes committed by the gang.

On or about December 9, 2012, ARGUEDAS shot and killed Gary Rodriguez in the vicinity of 3089 Decatur Avenue in the Bronx, New York.

In or around 2018, ARGUEDAS and others conspired to murder a fellow BSGG member who had fallen out of ARGUEDAS’s favor.  At ARGUEDAS’s direction, another gang member shot at that individual.

On or about August 27, 2018, at ARGUEDAS’s direction, CHAMBERS attempted to slash a rival gang member with a scalpel in the Bronx, New York.

On or about November 12, 2019, ARGUEDAS and MICKEY assaulted a fellow BSGG member with a chair in the vicinity of 3063 Hull Avenue in the Bronx, New York.

On or about November 12, 2019, BROCK slashed an individual across the face in Manhattan, New York.

The defendants are also charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, oxycodone, and marijuana from in or about 2011 through in or about March 2020.                

A chart containing the names, charges, and maximum and minimum penalties for the defendants is set forth below.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division and Financial Crimes Task Force, the DEA, the NYCDOC Correction Intelligence Bureau, HSI, and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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

COUNT	CHARGE	DEFENDANTS	MAX. PENALTY
Count One	Racketeering Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d)	ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS MICHAEL DELAGUILA STEVEN JUSTO DAVONTE BROWN JACOBB PADIN EDGARDO BARANCO ABBAS OZKURT DENISE BULLOCK SIMONE CORDERO MATTHEW NIEVES	Life imprisonment
		JAHVONNE CHAMBERS	20 years’ imprisonment
Count Two	Murder in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959 and 2	ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS	Death or life Imprisonment; Mandatory minimum of life imprisonment
Count Three	Murder through the Use of a Firearm 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(j) and 2	ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS	Death or life imprisonment; Mandatory minimum of five years’ imprisonment
Count Four	Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering	ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS	10 years’ imprisonment
Court Five	Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959 and 2	ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS	20 years’ imprisonment
Count Six	Firearms offense 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2	ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS	Life imprisonment Mandatory minimum of ten years’ imprisonment
Count Seven	Attempted Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959 and 2	ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS JAHVONNE CHAMBERS	3 years’ imprisonment
Count Eight	Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959 and 2	ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS TYERANCE MICKEY	20 years’ imprisonment
Count Nine	Maiming, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Aid of Racketeering 18 U.S.C. §§ 1959 and 2	MARK BROCK	20 years’ imprisonment
Count Ten	Narcotics Conspiracy 21 U.S.C. § 846	ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS MICHAEL DELAGUILA STEVEN JUSTO DAVONTE BROWN JACOBB PADIN EDGARDO BARANCO ABBAS OZKURT DENISE BULLOCK SIMONE CORDERO MATTHEW NIEVES ANDRE CURRY	Life Mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment
Count Eleven	Firearms Offense 18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c) and 2	ALEXANDER ARGUEDAS MICHAEL DELAGUILA STEVEN JUSTO JACOBB PADIN EDGARDO BARANCO ABBAS OZKURT MATTHEW NIEVES ANDRE CURRY	Life Mandatory minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment

 [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.

Fifteen Alleged Members of Peoria Street Gang Charged in Federal RICO Indictment for Gang Violence, Murder, Attempted Murder

  PEORIA, Ill. – A federal indictment unsealed today charges 15 alleged members of the Peoria street gang Bomb Squad with organized violent gang activity including murder and attempted murder. The indictment alleges that those charged are participants in a racketeering conspiracy that has committed numerous shootings and acts of violence, including the April 8, 2018, murder of a rival gang member and a bystander, a Bradley University student.

U.S. Attorney John E. Childress; ATF Resident Agent in Charge Tom Dart, Springfield Field Office; Peoria Interim Chief of Police Loren Marion III; DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Glenn Haas, Chicago Field Division; Peoria County State’s Attorney Jerry Brady; and Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis made the announcement.

The indictment charges the defendants with federal racketeering conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Under the RICO statute, the indictment alleges that from 2013 to the present, the defendants functioned as a criminal enterprise to achieve its objectives, including activities that affect interstate commerce. Members and associates of Bomb Squad allegedly engaged in acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, arson, and drug trafficking. The enterprise used violence to protect itself, its members and associates from rival gangs and to protect the standing and reputation of Bomb Squad.

All of the 15 defendants named in the indictment are charged with one count of RICO conspiracy, an offense which carries a statutory penalty of up to life in prison, if convicted. Those charged include: Eugene Haywood, aka “Nunu,” 24; Raevaughn Rogers, aka “Lil Poppi,” 18; Kenwan Crowe, 19; Terry Moss, aka “Lil Man,” 23; Ezra Johnson, aka “Lil Wody,” 22; Jovan McCree, aka “Vano,” 36; Jahlin Wilson, aka “BD,” 21; Andre Neal-Ford, aka “Monkey Man,” 20; Lance Washington, 22; Torieuanno White, aka “T.A.,” 24; Sherman Williams, aka “Shady,” 26; Lloyd Dotson, 27; Keith Gregory, aka “Kilo,” 19; Mytrez Flora, aka “Trez,” 24; and Kentrevion Watkins, aka “Tutu,” 19.   

Twelve of the defendants are also charged with one or more counts of Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) that include assault with a dangerous weapon and attempted murder, and with using firearms during the commission of a violent crime. In addition, the indictment includes charges of drug trafficking in marijuana, crack cocaine, and heroin, and possession of firearms by felons.

To further the conspiracy and achieve its objectives, the indictment alleges 46 overt acts in which gang members and associates engaged in murder, drug trafficking, witness tampering, arson, and robbery. Included among the overt acts alleged are the following:

• June 23, 2013, Haywood murdered Eric “Greedy” Brown, who he believed to be a rival gang member;
• July 15, 2013, Haywood, Flora, Dotson and deceased Bomb Squad leader Raheem Wilson, aka “Boosie,” conspired to shoot and murder Tyrann Chester, whom they believed to be supplying drugs to a dealer operating independently of Bomb Squad in Bomb Squad territory;
• May 12, 2016, Wilson robbed and shot unnamed victim during a dice game because he believed the victim was dealing drugs in Bomb Squad territory and not sharing the proceeds;
• June 13, 2016, McCree shot a .308 caliber rifle at a car he believed was occupied by rival gang members driving on Arago Street, in Bomb Squad territory. One of the bullets passed through the wall of a residence and struck an 11-year-old girl in the leg as she slept on a couch;
• Feb. 12, 2017, Moss attempted to set fire to the home of an individual he believed to be a rival gang member, in retaliation for the murder of deceased Bomb Squad leader Raheem Wilson, aka “Boosie;”
• Aug. 9, 2017, Williams, Crowe and other Bomb Squad members burglarized a house and stole a safe containing 12 guns which were then distributed to other Bomb Squad members;
• April 4, 2018, Johnson attempted to persuade a witness from testifying in a trial wherein Haywood is charged with shooting an individual with a firearm. When the witness refused to accept a bribe, Johnson threatened the witness;
• April 8, 2018, Watkins provided a juvenile Bomb Squad member with Crowe’s handgun which the juvenile then allegedly used to shoot and kill Anthony Polnitz and Nasjay Murry.

The indictment was returned by the grand jury on June 20, and sealed pending today’s arrests. ATF agents were assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service to make the arrests. Those arrested this morning are expected to make their respective initial appearances in federal court this afternoon. Five of the defendants already in state custody, in Peoria county for state cases or serving a sentence at the Illinois Department of Corrections, are expected to appear in federal court for their initial appearances later this week and early next week.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The charges are the result of an ongoing investigation by an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies working together to identify, disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and violent street gangs.

Law enforcement agencies conducting the investigation include ATF, the Peoria Police Department, and DEA, in coordination with the Office of Peoria County State’s Attorney Jerry Brady. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Hanna is coordinating the investigation and prosecuting the case on behalf of the government in the Peoria Division, Central District of Illinois.

In addition, this case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program designed to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The program was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’s renewed focus on targeting each community’s most violent criminals.