20 Members And Associates Of Bronx Gang Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Racketeering, Robbery, Narcotics, And Firearms Offenses

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York (“NYPD”), and James J. Hunt, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced the unsealing today of a Superseding Indictment charging a total of 20 members and associates of a branch of the MacBallas street gang operating primarily in and around the Andrew Jackson and Melrose Houses in the Bronx with racketeering, narcotics, robbery, and firearms offenses.  Two defendants are charged with the 2011 murder of Daniel Delgado.

A total of 12 defendants were taken into custody today; three other defendants were already in federal custody; and three are in state custody.  Fourteen of the 20 defendants will be presented and arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox later today.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote.   

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged in the Indictment, the defendants brought violence, fear, and drugs to the streets of New York.  The people of this city will not stand for it, and neither will we.  Thanks to the extraordinary work of the NYPD and DEA, the defendants will now face justice for their alleged crimes.” 

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said:  “Gang and crew activity, particularly in the Bronx as we’ve seen of late, is responsible for much of the violence in our city.  This behavior will never be tolerated by New Yorkers, and I thank our federal partners at the DEA and the Southern District for strengthening the NYPD’s relentless efforts to rid our streets of these criminals.”

DEA Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt said:  “Gang violence begets violence and turns neighborhoods into battlegrounds.  Law enforcement knows that shutting down gangs’ drug and gun networks lays a foundation for safer communities.  Today’s arrests demonstrate that we are proactively safeguarding our communities by dismantling one gang at a time.”

As alleged in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and in other court papers[1]:

From 2011 through June 2018, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, TOSHNELLE FOSTER, a/k/a “Tosh,” CHRISTOPHER ASHE, a/k/a “Chips,” DAWAYNE BELL, JASON CHRISTIAN, a/k/a “Hungry,” NAVONE DOZIER, a/k/a “Dollaz,” KEVON GAITHER, a/k/a “KK,” CLARENCE GLASGO, a/k/a “Chuck,” XAVIER HOLMAN, a/k/a “Rico,” JAFARI JONES, a/k/a “JJ,” SEAN JONES, a/k/a “S Dot,” KEENAN MCFARLAND, AUSTIN MORRISHOW, a/k/a “Chuckey,” DEANDRE MORRISON, a/k/a “D Nice,” DEONTE MORRISON, a/k/a “Suki,” KEITH OUTLAW, a/k/a “Keefy,” LASYAH PALMER, a/k/a “Timbo,” JASON RAMOS, a/k/a “Chico,” FRANCISCO TORRES, a/k/a “Baby,” and BO WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Boski,” were all members and associates of the MacBallas street gang, whose territory was centered in and around the Andrew Jackson and Melrose housing projects in the Bronx, New York.  In order to fund the gang, protect its territory, and promote its standing, members of the MacBallas engaged in, among other things, narcotics trafficking, robbery, and other acts of violence, including murder.  MacBallas members sold heroin, crack cocaine, and marijuana in the gang’s territory, promoted their gang affiliation on social media sites like Facebook, possessed shared firearms, and engaged in shootings as part of their gang membership.

In particular, on August 1, 2011, DEANDRE MORRISON and NATHANIEL FLUDD murdered Daniel Delgado in order to maintain and increase their status in the MacBallas gang.

Members of the MacBallas gang also participated in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics in and around the MacBallas territory in the Bronx.  In particular, CHRISTIAN, ASHE, DOZIER, GAITHER, JAFARI JONES, SEAN JONES, McFARLAND, MORRISHOW, DEONTE MORRISON, OUTLAW, PALMER, RAMOS, TORRES, and WILLIAMS participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, marijuana, and more than 280 grams of crack cocaine.

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Charts containing the names, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants are set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD’s Bronx Violent Crimes Squad and the New York Field Division of the DEA.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Estes, Maurene Comey, and Christopher Clore are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.