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In one of 11 orchestrated attacks, the crew allegedly robbed this 170th Street barber shop at gunpoint.
By Forum Staff
Seventeen members of a Jamaica-based set of the Bloods street gang have been indicted on charges related to their participation in a robbery crew that used guns and violence to steal property over a nine-month period in 2017 in Queens and on Long Island, federal prosecutors announced Monday.
The superseding indictment was unsealed Monday morning. The 16 newly charged suspects were arrested the same day, and all but three have been arraigned. The remaining defendants, who are incarcerated in State and federal facilities, will be arraigned on a later date, officials noted.
According to charging documents, the Makk Balla Brims set of the Bloods is comprised primarily of members who live in and around the South Jamaica Houses and the nearby American Towers. As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, between May 2017 and December 2017, the suspects, ranging in age from 21 to 38, participated in 11 robberies or attempted robberies, brandishing or using guns during most of the crimes. They targeted individuals they believed would be in possession of large amounts of cash, electronics, jewelry or narcotics. Upon receiving a tip about a promising victim, the Makk Balla Brims would assemble a crew to carry out the robbery, and the participants adopted various roles for the crime, including lookout, getaway driver, and gunman.
“Members of this gang allegedly attacked innocent people in their own homes, believing they could act without consequences,” said FBI New York Assistant Director-in-Charge Bill Sweeney, Jr.
According to the indictment, in at least two robberies, the crew looked for homes where Indian flags were flying because they believed the residents stored gold and cash. In one incident, Avery Mitchell, 24, also known as “Slay,” allegedly posed as a deliveryman wearing a United Parcel Service jacket to enter a house, where he and other co-conspirators then restrained two young girls at gunpoint. Mitchell and company fled with electronics and jewelry. And on Nov. 19, 2017, Mitchell, Antonio Davis, 38, a.k.a. “Big Blood,” Nahjuan Perry, 24, a.k.a. “Nas,” and other co-conspirators allegedly robbed a second residence where Indian flags were flying. Mitchell again donned a UPS jacket as a ruse to gain entry, and shot one resident before fleeing empty-handed.
In another attack, four MBB members and other co-conspirators allegedly robbed the Jevo Barber Shop on 170th Street in Jamaica at gunpoint. Armed with a TEC-9 semiautomatic pistol, the suspects entered the establishment and removed gold chains, cell phones, and cash from the victims, as well as cash from the business.
“This case is a perfect example of how we don’t stop simply by making a few arrests,” Sweeney said. “We will continue to investigate and track down all those involved in their criminal activity and stop them from literally terrorizing a community in their lust for violence.”
City Police Commissioner Jim O’Neill added that “targeting and dismantling criminal groups, and preventing violence that is often associated with their illegal activities, continues to be among the highest priorities for the NYPD and our law enforcement partners.”
If convicted, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least seven years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life behind bars.
