U.S. Attorney Announces Gang Indictments For Murder, Racketeering In Brooklyn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - They have street names like "Tiger," "Gunner," "Dancer," "Swerve," and "Bones."
WCBS 880's Irene Cornell On The Case
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Now, they're facing new charges for multiple murders and robberies as part of a Brooklyn street gang known as the Six Tre Outlaw Gangsta Disciples Folk Nation or, for short, Folk Nation.
Federal prosecutors charge they are as reckless as they are ruthless in their turf wars.
As U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch put it, "Their violence spread beyond the gang world to the streets and playgrounds of Brooklyn."
The U.S. Attorney's office said in a release Tuesday that a two-year joint investigation by the FBI and the NYPD revealed that since 2008, a violent set of the Folk Nation gang committed numerous crimes of violence including four murders, three attempted murders, two assaults and six robberies.
Among their victims, a 10-year-old girl shot in the neck by gang members trying to kill a rival in the Ebbetts Field Houses, where they operate.
That girl did survive.
One of the murders took place at a teenager's birthday party. Gang members admitted they killed the wrong person.
Their robbery victims included businesses and people who were lured to secluded areas by ads on Craigslist and then held up at gunpoint.
Those charged are:
Yassa Ashburn, also known as "Indio," "Swirls" and "Swerve" - Age: 28
Haile Cummings, also known as "Ruger" and "Rugah" - Age: 20
Geraldo Elainor, also known as "Gunny" and "Geraldo Casimir" - Age: 21
Daniel Harrison, also known as "Bones" - Age: 24
Ricky Hollenquest, also known as "Dancer" - Age: 20
Jamal Laurent, also known as "Tails" and "Gunner" - Age: 22
Trevelle Merritt, also known as "Tiger" - Age: 19
