Yahsier Brown, Gang Stabbing, New Jersey 2020

NEWARK, N.J. – A brutal gang attack on the streets of Jersey City has landed five men in federal prison, following sentencing this spring for their roles in a retaliatory stabbing that nearly killed a rival gang member. The sentences, handed down by U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty, range from 51 to 57 months, a grim reminder of the ongoing gang warfare plaguing the city.

The August 3, 2020 assault saw Yahsier Brown, 21, Jaylen Boone, 22, Jamil Bowens, 22, Divine Abraham, 22, and Jermaine Jennings, 22, all Jersey City residents, ambush the victim as he walked down a Jersey City street. The crew, identified as members and associates of the “Curries Woods” or “Tay Tay Shrimp Gang” (also known as the “Sharks”), arrived in two cars, blocked traffic, and launched a vicious attack, punching, kicking, and ultimately stabbing the victim. The injuries were life-threatening.

Federal prosecutors detailed in court documents that the attack was a direct act of retaliation for a prior gang-related assault. The ‘Sharks’ were settling a score, and the victim paid the price with near-fatal wounds. Yahsier Brown received 51 months. Jaylen Boone was sentenced to 56 months on May 2, 2023. Jamil Bowens received 53 months on April 5, 2023. Divine Abraham got 51 months on March 3, 2023. And Jermaine Jennings, the heaviest sentence, received 57 months on January 4, 2023.

Beyond the prison terms, each defendant will also serve three years of supervised release upon their eventual freedom. The investigation was spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Newark Field Division, with significant support from the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Hudson County Department of Corrections.

This case falls under the umbrella of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), a collaborative effort launched in 2018 between federal, state, and local agencies to aggressively combat violent crime in Jersey City. The VCI brings together a formidable coalition including the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals, Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, and several other law enforcement entities.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew, of the Criminal Division in Trenton, prosecuted the case. The sentencing of these five men represents a small victory in the ongoing battle against gang violence in Jersey City, but authorities acknowledge much work remains to dismantle these criminal organizations and protect the community. The streets of Curries Woods remain a hotspot, and the ‘Sharks’ aren’t the only predators lurking there.

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