New York Gang Members Arrested for Narcotics and Firearms Trafficking
Seven members and associates of the Brooklyn-based Eight Trey Cowboys and Bloods street gangs have been arrested and charged with narcotics distribution and firearms trafficking in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.
The defendants, Rahmel Smith, Michael Martin, Jamel Aldridge, Tiffany Lanier, Shakayna Wheeler, Shakim Carr, and Shawn Taylor, were arrested this morning and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven M. Gold.
The charges against the defendants include narcotics distribution in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn and firearms trafficking relating to the sale of an AK-47 rifle. If convicted, Smith and Carr face up to 20 years in prison, while Aldridge, Martin, Wheeler, and Lanier face up to 20 years in prison. Taylor faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the firearms charge.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and NYPD as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute high-level members of illegal drug and weapons trafficking.
The case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. The charges and arrests were announced by 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).
According to court documents, since early 2017, Smith, Carr, Martin, Aldridge, Lanier, and Wheeler distributed crack, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. Smith, a leader of the Eight Trey Cowboys, directed fellow gang members Martin and Aldridge to sell narcotics on a daily basis, as well as Bloods member Carr, who was one of Smith’s main distributors. Taylor is charged with selling Smith an AK-47 rifle, which was later resold to a confidential informant.
The charges against the defendants are serious and carry significant penalties. If convicted, the defendants could face lengthy prison sentences and fines. The investigation and subsequent arrests demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement to combating gang violence and narcotics trafficking in Brooklyn.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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