More than 100 suspected gang members were arrested overnight in New York in what is being called the biggest gang bust in New York history. Those arrested are members of two rival gangs, the Big Money Bosses and 2Fly Ygz. We have obtained the federal press release and list of charges.
The gangs’ alleged victims include not only a 15 year-old child stabbed and left to die in the street, as well as a 92 year-old woman shot by a stray bullet in her own home, but also extend to the thousands of residents of Eastchester Gardens and its surrounding neighborhoods terrorized for years by the gangs’ open-air drug dealing and senseless violence.
The press release reads in part. The names and ages of most of those arrested are listed as well.
The Indictments arise from a joint investigation by the NYPD’s Bronx Gang Squad, HSI’s Violent Gang Unit, the New York Field Division of the DEA, and the ATF’s Joint Firearms Task Force into the years-long gang war between 2Fly and BMB, which has led to an enormous amount of fatal and non-fatal violence between 2007 and the present in the Northern Bronx, including shootings, stabbings, slashings, beatings, and robberies.
Armed with 120 search warrants law enforcement raided over 100 locations centered in the Eastchester Gardens NYCHA housing complex in the Bronx. Of those sought out over 100 suspected gang members were apprehended. At least 60 of those who were arrested will face federal charges ranging from violent crimes, including homicide, robbery, drug sales and counterfeiting money. The two rival gangs are said to have been terrorizing the Easter Gardens housing complex
According to the federal indictment filed in Manhattan the leader of the Big Money Bosses call themselves Big Suits while other members are named after other suits such as Sean John, Gucci, Ferragamo, and Burbury.
Reports show that the sting was carried out by nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers. The NYPD was assisted by members of the DEA, Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. CBS News reports that law enforcement went in heavy with armored trucks and helicopters.
“Anytime you take down that number of people and you remove them from the community, yeah we’re looking for a little bit more peace in the neighborhood,”Bronx Councilman Andy King told a 1010 WIN reporter. “We’re expecting this summer to be that much more calmer,” he added.
Prosecutors have identified Nico Burrell and Douglas McClarty as leaders of the Big Money Bosses, Laquan Parrish and Aaron Rodriguez as leaders of 2 Fly YGz, CBS News also reports.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has said, “We bring these charges today so that all New Yorkers, including those in or near NYCHA public housing, can live their lives as they deserve: free of drugs, free of guns and free of gang violence.”
Charges are set to be announced later today.
photos: ABC7 and Pix 11
