Suffolk DA Announces 31 Arrests and 103 Indictments of Street Gang Members

February 15, 2024 admin Long Island News 0
(Photo: Hank Russell) Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney is joined at the podium by Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly at a press conference at the Suffolk County Police Academy in Brentwood on February 15. Also pictured behind Tierney are Suffolk County Acting Police Commissioner Robert Waring (left) and Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon (right).

Charges Include Murder, Conspiracy, Robbery and Gun Possession

Tierney: If You Commit a Crime in Suffolk, “We’re Coming for You”

By Hank Russell

Joined by Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, U.S. Marshal Vincent DeMarco and investigators from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Gang Violence Task Force, Suffolk DA Ray Tierney announced that, after years of investigation, they were able to arrest 31 gang members and indict them on 103 charges, including murder, conspiracy, robbery and gun possession.

At a press conference held February 15 at the Suffolk County Police Academy, Tierney said 31 members and associates of the “Bloodhound Brim” (BHB) Street Gang were indicted after a long-term investigation which included the efforts of the Nassau and Suffolk district attorneys’ offices, U.S. Marshals and various local law enforcement agencies, including the Riverhead Town Police Department.

One of the more egregious acts committed by this gang, Tierney said, was the murder of Kimberley Midgette, a 44-year-old schoolteacher. According to Tierney, Midgette was parked on a street, inside her car with her friend and 10-year-old son on April 1, 2023 in Hempstead, when BHB members Joel Badger, Reymon Rodriguez and a juvenile defendant drove up to Midgette in a stolen car and shot Midgette in the head, killing her instantly; her passenger was shot n the arm, but survived. Her son was untouched.

Tierney said Midgette was the unintended target and was shot “in a case of mistaken identity” because her car was similar to one driven by a rival gang member who had a prior dispute with Barry.

“Unfortunately, the violence that these alleged gang members and associates inflicted upon our community ended up taking the life of Kimberly Midgette,” Tierney said. “We will continue to prioritize our focus on gang violence using every law enforcement tool we possess and take a coordinated approach to ending violent gang activity. If you are committing violent crime in Suffolk County, we are coming for you.”

“Kimberly Midgette was a beloved elementary school teacher who was senselessly shot and killed in her car,” Donnelly added. “Gang prosecutions are extremely tough work. They require cooperation and seamless intelligence sharing between agencies.”

Those who spoke at the press conference emphasized that the capture of these gang members was the result of federal, state and local law enforcement working together and intelligence gathering and sharing. “We will continue to work together to target gangs and their illegal activities,” Suffolk County Police Acting Commissioner Robert Waring said.

(Photo: Hank Russell) Pictured are some of the handguns that were used by members of the Bloodhouse Brim gang in shootings and robberies.

About the BHB
The BHB is a Long Island-based subset of the national Bloods gang and a faction of the New York State-based New York Blood Brim Army. Their goal is to achieve dominance in the Long Island area over their rival gangs, even if they have to resort to violence.

“The Bloods are the largest gang in jail in Suffolk County, Nassau County and New York City,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon. “They have become very sophisticated in terms of leadership, intimidating other people to make sure they continue with their mission or their edict. They are very dangerous because they are very large and they are spread out [across the country] very quickly.”

The gang has its own hierarchy, its roles and responsibilities and its own set of rules that are “ruthlessly enforced,” Tierney said. 

The national leader is Latique “La Brim” Johnson, who, according to Tierney, has issued orders to lower-level members from his jail cell in Victorville, California, where he is awaiting trial on a RICO conviction. In addition, he demanded cash from the gang members which was deposited into his prison commissary account through cash transfer apps like Zelle. 

With assistance from the U.S. Marshals and members of the Federal Bureau of Prison’s National Gang Unit, the Suffolk DA’s Forfeiture Unit intercepted $31,000 from Johnson’s commissary account, with the money coming from the Long Island subset and other national subsets. 

The Long Island leaders are Barry, who operated in Nassau County, and Jussiah Herbet, known as “Lokko,” who operated in Suffolk County. The BHB allegedly operated on Long Island between August 2021 and February 2024. Johnson, Herbert and Barry usually ordered low-level members to shoot and commit acts of violence against rival gang members; if they completed the task, they would be promoted. To do this, Johnson used proxies to post on social media ordering its members to commit — and complete — these violent acts.

“If you committed acts of violence, you were promoted,” Tierney said. “If you refused or didn’t commit the act, you were drummed out of the gang.”

In addition, the lower-level members were ordered to commit robberies and burglaries and sell narcotics. Proceeds from these illicit activities would be sent to high-ranking Brims members who are currently incarcerated. 

 

The First Act

These were some of the acts of violence committed by BHB. Tierney said there were too many to list.

The first act of violence occurred on August 23, 2021. After a prominent BHB gang member was shot and killed, Herbert allegedly ordered BHB members to go to a rival gang member’s house in Amityville who was the suspected shooter. Jamell Johnson and several other BHB members arrived at the alleged shooter’s house and fired seven shots into the residence. Nobody was injured.

Since then, there have been “a myriad of shootings” throughout Long Island, Tierney said. “There’s retaliation, then there’s disrespecting the gang on social media,then there’s retaliation upon retaliation.”

 

The Indicted

The following have been indicted:

  1. Latique Johnson, 44, of Victorville, California, faces a top count of Conspiracy in theSecond Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 12 1⁄2 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Jussiah Herbert, 26, of Copiague, faces a top count Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 12 1⁄2 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Oumar Barry, 27, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Jayvonte Nash, 23, of Riverhead, faces a top count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  1. Octavious Rose, 22, of Riverhead, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 12 1⁄2 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Janell Johnson, 21, of Bellport, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Donovan Cannon, 25, of Wyandanch, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Raymond Villegas, 19, of Coram, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Kariem Harrell, 21 of Medford, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Jermaine Jackson, 19, of North Amityville, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Isaiah Beauford, 18, of North Amityville, faces a top count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  1. Kamar Addison, 17, of Central Islip, faces a top count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  1. Khamari Elie, 19, of Hempstead, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Jaidan Beaubrun, 20, of Port Jefferson Station, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Keysean Meade, 17, of Wyandanch, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Joel Badger, 18, of Medford, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  1. Reymon Rodriguez, 18, of Hauppauge, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second

Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.

  1. Omarian Francis, 19, of Coram, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Amis Bonner, 22, of Shirley, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Javon Holliday, 21, of Riverhead, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Eric Roman, 17, of East Setauket, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  1. Andrew Little, 16, of Brightwaters, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  1. Marwan Ghanem, 18, of East Setauket, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  1. Acorey Hobbs, 18, of Riverhead, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony, and up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
  1. Jaheim Woodson, 22, of Riverhead, faces a top count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  1. Horace Hibbert, 18, of Massapequa, faces a top count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  1. Shanecke Tinch, 36, of Amityville, faces a top count of Hindering Prosecution in the Second Degree, a Class E felony, and up to 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison.
  1. Aaron Beatty, 19, of Mastic, faces a top count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony, and up to 15 years in prison.
  1. Makhi Taylor, 25, of Ridge, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  1. Tanaya Love, 21, of Riverhead, faces a top count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and up to 25 years in prison.
  2. Giavanna Pergola, 20, of Port Jefferson Station, faces a top count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony, and up to 15 years in prison.

On February 14, ten of the defendants were arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Judge Anthony S. Senft, Jr. The remaining defendants’ arraignments are pending.

“The shootings are and the gun charges are [bail-eligible],” Tierney said. “We’re fortunate in that regard.”

For the next steps, Tierney said, “We’re continuing to work the case. We’re ready for trial and we’re continuing to investigate the myriad of shootings that are happening, unfortunately, on Long Island.”