FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Thirty-Two Alleged Members of Brooklyn-Based Gangs Variously Charged With 140 Counts, Including Conspiracy to Commit Murder
12 Shootings, with 13 Victims, Including One Fatality and Three Innocent Bystanders;
Violence Allegedly Driven by 8 Trey Member Michael Williams, a.k.a. Rapper Sheff G;
Rapper Tegan Chambers, a.k.a., Sleepy Hallow, Also Charged as Co-Conspirator
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell, today announced that 32 alleged members of the 8 Trey Crips and its affiliate, the 9 Ways gang, are named in a 140-count indictment for allegedly committing shootings, possessing guns, and using stolen cars during shootings, to eliminate rivals that included members of Folk Nation Gangster Disciples and ICG Babiiez.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “I’m confident that today’s successful takedown will have a positive impact on public safety across several Brooklyn communities as we enter the summer months. The senseless gun violence, allegedly committed by these defendants, terrorized our neighbors for years and left more than a dozen people with serious injuries. It is distressing to know that some of the violence was allegedly fueled by a young man who used money he made from a successful music career to allegedly pay for and encourage acts of violence. Together with the NYPD, my office will continue to target the most violent individuals and to build strong cases against them, as we have in this case.”
Mayor Adams said, “Since day one, our administration has been focused on reducing gun violence and taking aggressive action to address violent gang activity throughout the city. The actions of these 32 people put the lives of New Yorkers in danger — carrying out murder, assault, gun possession, and using stolen cars during shootings. These indictments should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law, and if you commit acts of violence in New York City you will be held accountable.”
Commissioner Sewell said, “For more than two years, NYPD investigators have been working closely with the Brooklyn District Attorney to do what they do better than anyone: keep the people and the communities we serve safe. The gang members indicted today may have thought they could traffic in violence, intimidation, and fear with impunity – but they were wrong. Together with our law enforcement partners, the NYPD is tackling violent crime and violent criminals head-on, and this case is just the latest example of our shared commitment to the public safety of all New Yorkers.”
The defendants are being arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a 140-count indictment in which they are variously charged with second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, second-degree conspiracy, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, first-degree assault, first-degree attempted assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree gang assault, first-degree attempted gang assault, second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, and related charges.
The District Attorney said the indictment is the result of a long-term investigation by the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau and the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division into shootings and gun possession incidents allegedly committed by members of the 8 Trey Crips and its affiliates, the 9 Ways gang, primarily in the 67th and 71st Precincts. The investigation focused on the 8 Trey Crips based out of Flatbush (Caton 8 Trey Crips), East Flatbush (40s 8 Trey Crips) and Canarsie (80z Flossy 8 Trey Crips). The territory of the 9 Ways gang runs from East New York Avenue to Church Avenue and from Remsen Avenue to East 98th Street in East Flatbush.
During the conspiracy period – from March 2019 to the present – the 8 Trey Crips and 9 Ways gangs allegedly possessed guns, committed shootings, and stole cars for use in the shootings, all in furtherance of their goals to maintain geographic control and dominance over their territories, enhance the reputation of the 8 Trey Crips and 9 Ways gangs, and eliminate rival members of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples and ICG Babiiez.
During the conspiracy period covered in the indictments, there were 27 incidents of violence and criminal activity, including 12 shootings with 13 victims, including one fatality. Three shooting victims were innocent bystanders. Approximately 37 different firearms were used or possessed by the defendants and 19 firearms were recovered during the course of the investigation.
It is alleged that many of the acts of violence were captured on surveillance videos. Furthermore, it is alleged that the defendants boasted about their criminal activities on social media and in text messages, discussing acts of violence and taking credit for shootings and an assault.
The most egregious incident charged in the indictment is a mass shooting on Hawthorne Street in Folk Nation territory on October 21, 2020, at approximately 10:15 p.m. It is alleged that defendant Kamondre Dekattu is captured on surveillance video emerging from the sunroof of a white Infiniti and opening fire while other individuals fired guns from the driver’s side and rear driver’s side windows. An alleged Folk Nation rival, Theodore Senior, 23, was killed and five other alleged Folk Nation members were shot and injured. Dekattu is charged with the murder and his co-conspirators, including Michael Williams and his sister, Crystal Williams, are charged with being part of the conspiracy to commit murder, for this incident and others.
In particular, approximately an hour after that mass shooting, Michael Williams allegedly sent a text message seeking confirmation that the 8 Trey Crips and 9 Ways had scored against rivals. In separate messages to his sister, Crystal Williams, Michael Williams sent pictures of the victim and a news article about the incident and shootings that preceded it that day.
Two days after the homicide, it is alleged that Michael Williams hosted a lavish dinner with his fellow 8 Trey Crips and 9 Ways members, including Tegan Chambers, at a Manhattan steakhouse to celebrate the death of Theodore Senior and the injuries of the five other shooting victims.
Furthermore, it is alleged that Williams, who rented a large house in Short Hills, New Jersey during the conspiracy period, used the earnings from his music career to fuel gun violence in Brooklyn, by offering money and giving expensive jewelry to those who commit acts of violence. Williams’ involvement went beyond merely offering money to commit acts of violence. It is alleged that in one shooting incident Williams coordinated a group of three shooters, drove those shooters to the crime scene, and then acted as the getaway driver.
Other significant incidents that are charged as part of the conspiracies include:
On April 5, 2021, it is alleged, members of the ICG Babiiez gang shot at Williams’ mansion in Short Hills, where he and his closest 8 Trey allies lived. Over the next several months, Williams and some of the other defendants allegedly embarked on a campaign to seek revenge against the rival Babiiez gang and an 8 Trey member who they believed betrayed Williams by giving the rivals his address in New Jersey.
On April 6, 2021, it is alleged, video surveillance captured a black Jeep Trackhawk, which is registered to Michael Williams, driving on Caton Avenue toward East 18th Street, and eventually parking on St. Paul’s Street. Defendants Olivel Martinez, Tony Darden and Kenrick Austrie exited the vehicle, walked to Caton Avenue and East 18th Street and allegedly opened fire in the direction of a rival, and struck two innocent bystanders, a 53-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman. They allegedly fled the location and entered the Trackhawk, where Williams was the alleged getaway driver. The following day, Darden allegedly shared a news article about the shooting in a group text message between himself, Williams, Martinez and Austrie.
On June 20, 2021, into the early morning hours of the following day, it is alleged, defendants Donald Audouin, Joseph Crick-Best, Victor Davis, Najma James, Ricardo Johnson, Marcov Joseph, Imani Maxwell, Celaya Phillip, Shatike Robinson and Tailynn Williamson, conducted a coordinated and violent attack, using a caravan of three cars, on the fellow 8 Trey member who they believed betrayed Michael Williams. The group located the individual at Flatbush Avenue and Albemarle Road, where they allegedly took turns punching and kicking him, then shoved him into a car and all 10 defendants drove to the vicinity of Holy Cross Cemetery, where they dragged the victim out of the car and continued to beat, kick and stomp him. The assault was ultimately interrupted by police responding to 911 calls reporting the beating.
This investigation was conducted by New York City Police Department Sergeant Joseph Calabrese and Detective Christopher Kelley of the Gun Violence Suppression Division, under the supervision of Sergeant David Zayas, Sergeant Calvin Fergus, Lieutenant Salvatore Sciove, Captain Ryan Gillis, all of the Gun Violence Suppression Division, and Deputy Chief Jason Savino, the Commanding Officer of the Gun Violence Suppression Division, along with the Detective Squads of the 67th, 70th, 71st, and 73rd Precincts and the Brooklyn South Homicide Squad, all under the overall supervision of Chief of Detectives James W. Essig.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorneys Edward Kerins and Roman Galper, and Assistant District Attorney Amel Spahija, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Gillian DiPietro and Kathryn Spota, VCE Deputy Bureau Chiefs, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Cilia, VCE First Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Alfred DeIngeniis, VCE Bureau Chief.
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An indictment is merely an accusation and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
Exhibits shown at the press conference are available here
DEFENDANT ADDENDUM:
- Donald Audouin, 31
- Kenrick Austrie, 23
- Alex Brown, 21
- Jaquan Brown, 21
- Shamar Brown, 24
- Tegan Chambers, 23
- Jovanie Chouloutte, 22
- Joseph Crick-Best, 40
- Tony Darden, 19
- Victor Davis, 21
- Kamondre Dekattu, 22
- Nicholas Heaven, 25
- Shariff Hill, 25
- Shomari Hudson, 21
- Najma James, 27
- Ricardo Johnson, 26
- Marcov Joseph, 22
- Dean Jean Louis, 25
- Olivel Martinez, 23
- Imani Maxwell, 26
- Robert Muschett, 21
- Celaya Phillip, 23
- Shatike Robinson, 23
- Jaheim Samuels, 21
- Quran Thomas, 24
- Tremain Weekes, 25
- Garron Whyte, 20
- Akeem Williams, 22
- Crystal Williams, 22
- Michael Williams, 24
- Tailynn Williamson, 22
- Marc Wright, 21
