Federal prosecutors have sealed their victory with the conviction of Romeo Gonzalez, making him the 53rd and final defendant to be convicted in the crackdown on Brooklyn’s notorious Bully Gang.
The gang, which terrorized the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood for years, has been decimated thanks to a joint effort by federal and local law enforcement. Gonzalez pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess cocaine and heroin with intent to distribute as part of the gang’s Maine drug trafficking plot.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr., ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller, and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stood united in their declaration that these convictions were a testament to their unwavering commitment to dismantling violent street gangs. ‘These prosecutions have decimated a violent gang that engaged in drug trafficking on a massive scale, shootings, murder, bribery of corrections officers, and other crimes,’ Nocella said.
The Bully Gang’s sprawling operations included a multistate drug and money laundering conspiracy with dozens of stash houses in Maine. They also bribed prison guards to smuggle drugs into Rikers Island jail facilities. The proceeds funded more crime, including shootings, arson, and murder, and armed the gang’s members.
Since 2020, 53 defendants have faced charges for their roles in the Bully Gang’s activities. Gonzalez was a fugitive until his capture last June. Two others are participating in the Special Options Services program.
The final tally of convictions includes over a dozen gang members and associates who were found guilty of racketeering, including Derrick Ayers, Bermon Clarke, Franklin Gillespie, Moeleek Harrell, Demetrius Johnson, Latrell Johnson, and Anthony Kennedy. Their sentences are pending, but their roles in the Bully Gang’s violent activities have been sealed by the justice system.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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