A two-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Davon Brown and Christian Williams, members of the violent street gang Folk Nation Gangster Disciples, with being felons in possession of a firearm in connection with their involvement in a March 14, 2020 shooting that wounded a man.  The defendants were arrested this morning and will make their initial appearance this afternoon via videoconference before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo.

Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Dermot F. Shea, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges and arrests.

“Preventing gun violence by repeat offenders is a priority of this Office, and we are addressing it aggressively in close coordination with our federal and local law enforcement partners,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme.  “As alleged, a minor dispute escalated to a shooting, underscoring the need to eradicate violent gangs that jeopardize the safety of our communities.”

“It's the random violence alleged here that keeps escalating, and enveloping an entire community of innocent people who are being terrorized by the actions of repeat offenders. We are working hourly with our law enforcement partners to address the recent spate of violence, and doing everything we can to make sure their return to crime is a short-lived exercise in futility,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. 

“The gun violence alleged in this indictment tears at the fabric of life in our city. I applaud the NYPD’s vigorous efforts, along with our federal partners, to stop this kind of violence and work closely with the communities we are sworn to serve,” stated NYPD Commissioner Shea. 

As detailed in the government’s detention letter filed earlier today, Brown and  Williams were involved in the shooting of a victim who was disrespectful toward their gang.  On March 20, 2020, an individual with the victim threw a drink at a woman inside the Gold Room Restaurant and Lounge in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, splashing a person standing with Brown.  An argument ensued, and the victim, a Crips gang member, flashed a gang sign known as “dropping the rake” — a gesture intended to be insulting to the Folk Nation.  The argument continued outside the bar where Brown allegedly displayed a gun and fired a shot into the air.  Brown then handed the gun to Williams who walked behind the victim and shot him in the buttocks at close-range.  Williams fled and discarded the gun a half block away.  The gun was recovered by law enforcement, and DNA from both defendants was found on the weapon.

Brown, who was on federal supervised release at the time of the charged offense, has prior convictions for criminal possession of a loaded firearm, robbery and racketeering conspiracy, among other crimes.  Williams, who was on New York state parole at the time of the charged offense, has prior convictions for, among other crimes, conspiracy and criminal possession of a loaded firearm in connection with an earlier shooting of a Folk Nation gang rival.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, both defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.  If convicted of violating his supervised release, Brown faces an additional sentence of up to two years in prison.

This case is 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 William Barr has enhanced PSN as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ 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.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Siegel is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

DAVON BROWN (also known as “Chico Dinero”)

Age:  26

Brooklyn, New York

CHRISTIAN WILLIAMS (also known as “Zonee Flocks”)

Age:  25

Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-293 (WFK)

Yesterday, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Lenard Barletto, a member of the Outlaw Gangsta Crips (“OGC”) and the Shoota Gang, was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and conspiracy to murder two gang rivals.  Barletto pleaded guilty to the charges in June 2018.  He is the final gang member to be sentenced in this case, in which 23 defendants, including the gangs’ leaders, were charged and convicted of racketeering conspiracy, murder conspiracy, attempted murder, narcotics trafficking conspiracy and bank fraud, among other crimes.  The sentencing proceedings were held before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz II.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentences.

“With Outlaw Gangsta Crips and Shoota Gang leaders and members now serving well-deserved prison terms, the East Flatbush community is a much safer place,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “We warn all violent street gang members, in no uncertain terms, to expect a similar fate for menacing our communities.”

“Violent street gangs, and the crews and subsets that splinter off from them, remain a focus of law enforcement wherever their illegal trade in narcotics and brutal rivalries threaten the safety of our city’s neighborhoods and residents,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill.  “We applaud our federal partners for working together in this case to eradicate a criminal franchise and ensure justice for the East Flatbush community with the culmination of this successful prosecution.”

OGC and the Shoota Gang were based in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.  OGC was a violent set of the nationwide Crips street gang, and the Shoota Gang was a local offshoot of OGC that included members of OGC, the Eight Trey Gangsta Crips, the Bosses in Business (“BIB”) and the Bloods.  Between August 9, 2013 and May 12, 2015, members of OGC and the Shoota Gang committed multiple acts of violence, sold drugs and guns, committed robberies and bank fraud and promoted prostitution.  Among the crimes of conviction were the following:

Attempted Murder

On June 3, 2014, Conell Brogdon, a leader of both OGC and the Shoota Gang, and Malik Campbell, a member of the Bloods and the Shoota Gang, attempted to murder a victim identified as John Doe #1.  Brogdon, Campbell and three other Shoota Gang members surrounded John Doe #1 inside the Big Boy Deli on Nostrand Avenue and attempted to steal his necklace.  During the confrontation, Brogdon handed Campbell a gun, and Campbell shot John Doe #1, who survived.

Murder Conspiracy

In January 2014, OGC member Kareem Mitchell, also known as “Pop,” was murdered, and OGC and the Shoota Gang believed BIB was responsible.  In a series of phone calls intercepted pursuant to judicially authorized wiretaps, Parris Desuze, a leader of both OGC and the Shoota Gang, and Lenard Barletto and Courtney Coy, both members of OGC and the Shoota Gang, confirmed that they had firearms and would meet at the location identified by Solomon Artis, another OGC member, to attack two BIB members.  The plan was thwarted by FBI agents and NYPD detectives monitoring the wiretaps, and Artis, Barleto, Coy and Desuze were arrested.  Subsequently, co-conspirator Andre Holman, a member of the Eight Trey Gangsta Crips, was also arrested.

Assault

On July 19, 2014, Cordero Passley, a member of the Eight Trey Gangsta Crips and associate of OGC, assaulted and stabbed a victim on Lenox Road.  The confrontation began when Passley ordered a woman to stop playing a song recorded by an alleged rival gang member and rapper.  When the victim defended the woman, Passley and others attacked him.

Drug Trafficking

Between August 9, 2013 and May 12, 2015, members of OGC and the Shoota gang conspired to sell crack cocaine in Brooklyn, Connecticut, West Virginia and elsewhere.

Bank Fraud Conspiracy

Between January 6, 2014 and January 20, 2015, members and associates of OGC, and members of the Eight Trey Gangsta Crips, conspired to defraud Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citibank and TD Bank.  The conspirators obtained paychecks issued to others and used the information on the checks to create fraudulent checks that appeared to be written by business entities.  Those checks were then deposited into bank accounts, and the deposits were promptly withdrawn.

Convictions and Sentences

Conell Brogdon, a leader of both OGC and the Shoota Gang, was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, including predicate acts of attempted murder and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

 

Parris Desuze, a leader of both OGC and the Shoota Gang, was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, including predicate acts of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

 

Lenard Barletto, a member of both OGC and the Shoota Gang, was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, including predicate acts of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

 

Malik Campbell, a member of the Bloods and the Shoota Gang, was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, including predicate acts of attempted murder and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

 

Courtney Coy, a high-ranking member of both OGC and the Shoota Gang, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, including predicate acts of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

 

Solomon Artis, a member of OGC, was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy, including predicate acts of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.

 

Steven Cherenfant, Stanley Cherenfant and Stephon Rene, brothers and members of the Eight Trey Gangsta Crips and the Shoota Gang, were sentenced to 135, 121 and 121 months’ imprisonment, respectively, for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine with OGC.

 

Aikiam Floyd, a member of the Bloods and the Shoota Gang, was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine with OGC.

 

Andre Holman, a member of the Eight Trey Gangsta Crips and associate of OGC, was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to murder.

 

Cordero Passley, a member of the Eight Trey Gangsta Crips and an associate of OGC, was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment for assault in aid of racketeering.

The government’s case was handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Allon Lifshitz is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant Sentenced Yesterday:

LENARD BARLETTO

Age:  31

Brooklyn, New York

Defendants Previously Sentenced:

SOLOMON ARTIS

Age: 30

Brooklyn, New York

DERRICK BIENAIME

Age: 24

Brooklyn, New York

CONELL BROGDON

Age: 32

Brooklyn, New York

DAVON BROWN

Age: 21

Brooklyn, New York

MALIK CAMPBELL

Age: 32

Brooklyn, New York

STANLEY CHERENFANT

Age: 24

Brooklyn, New York

STEVEN CHERENFANT

Age: 28

Brooklyn, New York

COURTNEY COY

Age: 32

Brooklyn, New York

PARRIS DESUZE

Age: 31

Brooklyn, New York

BRANDON GREENIDGE

Age: 34

Brooklyn, New York

CORY HARRIS

Age: 41

Brooklyn, New York

JAMAR HARRY

Age: 30

Brooklyn, New York

ANDRE HOLMAN

Age: 31

Brooklyn, New York

JEFFREY JOSEPH

Age: 34

Brooklyn, New York

SILBERT NICHOLSON

Age: 27

Brooklyn, New York

CORDERO PASSLEY

Age: 25

Brooklyn, New York

GABRIEL PATTERSON

Age: 24

Brooklyn, New York

STEPHON RENE

Age: 23

Brooklyn, New York

AKEEM WATSON

Age: 27

Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-287 (S-1) (WFK)