Dozens indicted in crackdown on warring Brooklyn, Queens gangs

Dozens of alleged gang members were indicted this weekon murder, attempted murder and other connected charges in parts of Brooklyn and Queens.

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN

Twenty-five alleged members of two Brooklyn gangs, the Lincoln Family and the Bergen Family, that authorities said were involved in a turf war were arrested, Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson and New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton said on Wednesday.

The Lincoln Family’s turf is bordered by Classon Avenue, Prospect Place, Bedford Avenue and Eastern Parkway. The Bergen Family’s turf is bordered by Bergen Street, Kingston Avenue, Park Place and Rogers Avenue. There is a one block buffer between the two. The Brooklyn DA said the Crown Heights gangs used Facebook to plan and take credit for their violence as well as taunt each other.

“This indictment underscores the continuing commitment of this office and the NYPD to take back the streets of Brooklyn from mindless gang and gun violence that puts so many people at risk, including in this case, an innocent 13-year-old girl,” Thompson said.

Most of the defendants were arraigned on Tuesday and are being held without bail. As of Wednesday afternon, three are still at large: Scott Hunter, 19; Elyejah Orr, 19, from Kane Place; and Ebony Brown, 21, of North Elliott Walk.

ROCKAWAY, QUEENS

In connection with the Crown Heights takedown, the Queens district attorney’s office also arrested 18 alleged members of the Far Rockaway street gang known as Pop On Site, which is also known as Fully Loaded Outta Control Crips and Young Flocc Boys, on murder, assault and gun charges. The alleged gang members — 16 from Far Rockaway, one from Astoria and another from the Bronx — were collectively indicted on 90 counts.

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said the gang, with members ranging in age from 16 to 22, controlled a section of Rockaway Beach between Beach 81st Street and Beach 86th Street and sought revenge on rival gangs who allegedly shot Pop On Site members.

“The defendants are variously accused of turning neighborhood streets into a war zone by acting in concert with one or more of their co-defendants to shoot and wound eight individuals over a one-year-period between 2014 and 2015,” Brown said. “Their alleged criminal and violent and reckless acts have no place in a civilized society.”

The investigation uncovered telephone calls and social media posts, including photos and videos, “bragging” about the gang’s exploits, the Queens DA said. Code words like “drill,” “touched” and “its litt” were used to refer to shootings and “hammer,” “bitch” and “whoopity” were used for guns.

FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN

Thompson also announced that 18 alleged members of No Love City, a subset of the violent Folk Nation street gang, have been charged in a 76-count indictment with conspiracy to commit murder, weapons possession and other charges for multiple shootings throughout Brooklyn, including one that left a 25-year-old man dead and another that left a 60-year-old innocent woman paralyzed.

“These defendants are not just crew members but part of a criminal enterprise that has been responsible for a significant amount of the violence which has plagued the Flatbush and Canarsie sections of Brooklyn over the last two years,” Bratton said. “I commend the investigators and prosecutors who developed a substantial case against this group.”

The DA said the gang members, ranging in age from 18 to 27, would go “hunting” for rival gang members in Canarsie, Flatbush and DUMBO. No Love City would also plan and share their crimes on social media, the DA said.

Fifteen defendants were arraigned on Wednesday and are being held without bail. Extradition is pending on an alleged gang member in New Jersey and two others are still at large: Jarmel Blake, 24,St. Marks Place, and Jerome Myrie, age unknown,E. 104th Street.