Randy Torres, Walston Owen, Derrick Richardson, Bronx Violent Gang Membership, New York 2022

In a blow to the Rollin’ 30s Crips street gang, three high-ranking members were sentenced to decades in prison for their roles in leading the violent organization in the Bronx, New York.

Randy Torres, a/k/a ‘Rico,’ was sentenced to 39 and 1/2 years in prison for his roles as a leader of the Rollin’ 30s Crips. Torres described himself as ‘four levels from the top’ of the Crips national leadership and oversaw the management of multiple Crips sets and hundreds of Crips members in New York City and elsewhere.

Torres was convicted after trial of racketeering conspiracy offenses in February 2022. He was also found guilty of ordering a shooting in September 2015 that killed Nestor Suazo, a/k/a ‘Smacc.’ The shooting was carried out by Derrick Richardson, a soldier in the Rollin’ 30s who served under Torres.

Walston Owen, a/k/a ‘Purpose,’ was also sentenced to 39 and 1/2 years in prison for his roles as a leader of the Rollin’ 30s Crips. Owen was the leader of the ‘Stratford Avenue Rollin’ 30s,’ a subset of the gang in the Bronx, and was convicted after trial of racketeering conspiracy offenses.

Owen was also convicted of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering, and related firearms offenses. Derrick Richardson, who served under Torres in the Rollin’ 30s Crips, received a sentence of 24 and 1/2 years in prison for shooting and killing Nestor Suazo. Richardson’s sentence was imposed to run concurrently with a previously imposed sentence of 11 years in prison for related Crips offenses.

According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictments, other documents in the public record, and the evidence at trial, the Rollin’ 30s Crips gang committed numerous acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and robbery, in an effort to fund the enterprise and protect and expand its interests.

The sentences were imposed by United States District Judge Victor Marrero, who said that justice requires that those responsible for the defendants’ crimes be held accountable. The defendants’ crimes caused trauma to many innocent victims and their families, and the sentences were a reflection of the severity of their crimes.

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