Month: November 2022

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JALEEL SHAKOOR with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, murder with a firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition.  The charges relate to SHAKOOR’s murder of Gerry Mazzella on June 3, 2021, in the Bronx, New York.  As alleged in the Indictment, SHAKOOR shot Mazzella in the back of the neck from point-blank range.

SHAKOOR, who was already in federal custody, will be presented today before Magistrate Judge Barbara C. Moses.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendant committed a murder as part of his gang membership: he shot Gerry Mazzella from point-blank range, killing him.  With these charges, we continue our daily work of investigating and prosecuting those who perpetrate these senseless acts.  We hope this prosecution brings some measure of comfort to the victim’s loved ones.”

NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “This case is an outstanding example of what the NYPD and our law enforcement partners can accomplish when we strike back at the relatively few people responsible for spreading violence and fear in New York City.  Together, we remain committed to thwarting gang activity in all its forms, and to reinforcing the severe consequences that await anyone who dares to jeopardize safety in our neighborhoods.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]

From at least 2020 to 2022, JALEEL SHAKOOR, a/k/a “Midnight,” was a member of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation (“Gorilla Stone”), which is a set of the national Bloods gang.  Gorilla Stone operated primarily in the northeast United States, including in the Bronx, and in the jails and prisons of New York City and the State of New York.

Members of Gorilla Stone committed robberies and distributed controlled substances in order to enrich themselves.  They also murdered and assaulted members of rival gangs and members of Gorilla Stone in order to resolve disputes within the gang.  Gorilla Stone members promoted and celebrated the gang’s criminal conduct — including drug distribution, acts of violence, and firearms usage — on social media.

On June 3, 2021, in the vicinity of West 165th Street and Woodycrest Avenue in the Bronx, SHAKOOR shot Mazzella in the back of the neck, causing Mazzella’s death.  SHAKOOR committed this murder to maintain and increase his position in Gorilla Stone.

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SHAKOOR, 27, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of possessing ammunition after a felony conviction, which carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison.

The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.  He also thanked the Bronx District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher D. Brumwell, Emily A. Johnson, and Patrick R. Moroney are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

SAVANNAH, GA:  A Douglas County man and his company are named in a 16-count federal indictment alleging a scheme to ship stolen cars to another country.

Prince Bedaiko, 40, of Douglasville, Ga., and his Atlanta company, Fastlane Logistix LLC, are charged with four counts of Submitting False or Misleading Export Information; four counts of Smuggling; and eight counts of Interstate Transport of Stolen Property, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and substantial financial penalties, and up to three years of supervised release following completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The vigilant staff at the Port of Savannah perform a tremendous duty in protecting our country from dangerous imports, and identifying those who use the ports for illegal export activity,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “These charges should send a warning to those intent on circumventing our nation’s import and export controls.”

As described in the indictment, in early 2020, Bedaiko and Fastlane are alleged to have transported eight stolen vehicles to Georgia from Florida, North Carolina, Mississippi, Missouri, and New Hampshire. They are then alleged to have provided false and fraudulent information to a freight company in an attempt to ship the vehicles to another country.

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Savannah Ports Police, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenna G. Solari and Darron J. Hubbard.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Jackson, TN – Bridget Nicole Bickings, 31, of Hardin County, Tennessee, has been sentenced to over 12 years in federal prison for conspiring with others to possess with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on April 18, 2021, at approximately 1:45 a.m., officers with the Savannah Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a silver vehicle for failing to stop at a stop sign. Bickings was driving the vehicle and a male subject in the front passenger seat. Officers immediately smelled the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Bickings gave the officers a small marijuana joint and stated that she had smoked marijuana approximately 45 minutes ago.

After both occupants were removed from the vehicle, Bickings handed the officers a Ruger .380 pistol, and the male passenger told the police that there was a 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat. Officers found $4,000 in cash on her person along with a small white envelope containing multiple small blue Xanax pills. As officers attempted to place Bickings in custody, she ran away but was eventually captured and arrested. A further search of the vehicle revealed over 12 ounces of methamphetamine, a box of baggies, a digital scale, and multiple rounds of 9mm and .22 caliber ammunition.

During a post-arrest Mirandized interview, Bickings admitted to buying and selling over 200 pounds of methamphetamine during the past few years.

On November 3, 2022, United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Bickings to 151 months imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department, FBI, DEA, and ATF.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow, who prosecuted this case.

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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at 901- 544-4231 or cherri.green@usdoj.gov. Follow@WDTNNews on Twitter for office news and updates.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 3, 2022, United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Douglas Richard Spencer, age 40, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, to 132 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, on June 9, 2021, in Lackawanna County, Spencer possessed with intent to distribute approximately 190 grams of actual methamphetamine.  Additionally, Spencer, a previously convicted felon, unlawfully possessed five firearms, including an un-serialized 9mm “ghost gun,” all of which were seized pursuant to a residential search warrant.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP).  Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun

violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON — A Florida man has been arrested on felony charges, including assaulting a law enforcement officer, for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

            Raymund Joseph Cholod, 52, of Tallahassee, Florida, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon, and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon. He was arrested yesterday in Miami. He is expected to make his initial appearance later today in the Southern District of Florida.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Cholod was among a mob illegally massed on the Lower West Terrace and in an Archway and tunnel that leads into the Capitol Building. At approximately 2:41 p.m., he entered the tunnel. Law enforcement officers had formed a protective line with riot shields behind a set of glass doors in efforts to keep the rioters outside. Cholod advanced until he was positioned immediately in front of the police line. He pointed and shook his finger at officers and shouted, among other things, “This is our house … This is our f—— house.”

            At approximately 2:45 p.m., Cholod pushed his arm and elbow into a police officer’s face and neck. Less than a minute later, he pushed against a police riot shield, then grabbed it, and attempted to pull it away from officers. Later in the day, Cholod was positioned on the steps of the Lower West Terrace, holding what appears to be a baton or stick. He threw the item towards the entrance to the tunnel, where a line of police officers was positioned.

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

            The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Tampa Field Office and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Cholod as #260 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 21 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 880 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 270 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. 

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

            A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.