Waterbury crime boss Malik Bayon, known as ‘Pop’ and ‘Dirt,’ has been handed a life sentence, with an additional five years consecutively, by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport. The 29-year-old gang member’s brutal reign of terror within the 960 street gang has finally met its end.
Bayon was at the center of a federal investigation into drug trafficking and related violence that targeted multiple Waterbury-based groups. The investigation led to a 36-count indictment, charging Bayon and 15 others with offenses ranging from racketeering and murder to firearm possession and obstruction of justice.
Court documents and trial statements revealed Bayon’s direct involvement in several chilling incidents. On October 31, 2017, he participated in a drive-by shooting aimed at rival gang members, resulting in a shooting victim. Eleven months later, Bayon and two other gang members opened fire on two men, leading to their deaths in a tragic car crash.
Even more shockingly, Bayon and his crew were caught on video minutes before shooting a rival gang member’s father while he was taking out the trash. Their sickening actions were further fueled by rap videos they produced that glorified their violent lifestyle.
Bayon’s arrest in September 2021 turned up a stash of drugs and weapons, including a firearm and ammunition. The jury found him guilty of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, murder, causing death through the use of a firearm, and various drug trafficking offenses. His co-defendants, Zaekwon McDaniel and Tahjay Love, also faced extensive convictions.
This landmark conviction and sentencing are a result of a collaborative effort by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service. Bayon’s life sentence sends a stark warning to other gang members considering a similar path: there is no escaping justice for your crimes.
RELATED: ‘Gap’ McDaniel Gets Life for 960 Gang Violence
Related Federal Cases
- Waterbury Predator Eastman Admits Skype Sex Abuse · Connecticut
- Waterbury Dealer Pleads Guilty in Heroin Overdose Death · Connecticut
- “Tall Man” Admits to 4 Murders, Racketeering · Maine
- Waterbury Store Worker Guilty of $3.2M Food Stamp Fraud · Connecticut
- Waterbury Store Worker Gets 30 Months for Food Stamp Fraud · Connecticut
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News