Four members of a violent Brooklyn-based street gang known as the “Bully Gang” have been convicted of racketeering, murder and gang-related crimes. Moeleek Harrell, 34, Derrick Ayers, 32, Franklin Gillespie, 39, and Anthony Kennedy, 35, were found guilty on 21 counts of an eighth superseding indictment charging them with various crimes.
According to the indictment, the defendants were involved in a wide range of crimes including murder, murder conspiracy, robbery, drug offenses, money laundering and bribery of state correction officers. Harrell, who was one of the founders and the leader of the Bully Gang, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 55 years.
Ayers, a high-ranking member of the gang, was convicted of racketeering and murder, and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years. Gillespie, a violent enforcer for the gang, was convicted of racketeering and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years.
Kennedy, a longstanding member of the gang, was convicted of racketeering and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. The conviction is the result of a 13-week trial before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan.
The Bully Gang operated out of a headquarters located at 1625 Fulton Street in Bedford Stuyvesant, and was responsible for a string of crimes including murder, broad daylight shootings, robberies, arsons, drug trafficking and bribery of correction officers at Rikers Island.
The convictions are a major blow to the Bully Gang, which has been terrorizing the community for years. “With today’s convictions, the leadership of the Bully Gang has been taken down and their criminal enterprise is a shell of the violent crew that wreaked havoc on Bedford Stuyvesant, other parts of New York City and the Eastern Seaboard,” said Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
The investigation into the Bully Gang was a multi-year effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies spanning multiple jurisdictions. “These convictions put an end to the reign of terror committed by this gang, shattering the myth that criminals can commit atrocious acts without consequence,” said Bryan Miller, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division.
The NYPD and other law enforcement agencies also commended the efforts of the ATF and the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “The stakes could not have been higher because these gang members were responsible for an assortment of despicable crimes, including murder, robbery, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and bribery,” said Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department.
The verdict is a major victory for justice in the community. “The violence and drug trafficking in which these defendants engaged had far-reaching effects, including compromising the security of the City’s jails through the bribery of correction officers,” said Jocelyn Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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