Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Dermot Shea, yesterday announced that 15 alleged members of the 900 street gang are variously charged in a 77-count indictment with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and to possess weapons, attempted murder and related charges. Four additional alleged members of the 900 gang are variously charged in a separate 11-count indictment with conspiracy to commit murder and to possess weapons.
“These indictments reflect our commitment to stem the surge in gun violence that we have experienced since last spring. Many of these defendants are accused of recklessly opening fire in broad daylight, endangering not only their rivals but innocent passersby, including children,” said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez said that eight of the defendants named in the 77-count indictment were arraigned last week in Brooklyn Supreme Court. The rest of the defendants will be arraigned on a later date. The defendants are variously charged with second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, first-, second- and fourth-degree conspiracy first- and second-degree assault, first-degree attempted assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The defendants face up to 25 years in prison on the top conspiracy charge and the five defendants charged with murder face up to 25 years to life in prison.
Three of the defendants in the 11-count indictment were arraigned in Brooklyn Supreme Court. They are variously charged with second- and fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted assault, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. They face up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top conspiracy charge.
Gonzalez said according to the 77-count indictment, the defendants are allegedly members of a violent street gang known as 900 Gang. 900 is an umbrella organization comprised of affiliated violent street gangs operating in Brooklyn. Stack Money Goons (SMG) and Jayson Fam (JSF) are two such gangs that affiliate themselves under the umbrella of 900. SMG and JSF control territory within the confines of the 79th precinct bordering the 90th Precinct.
It is alleged that between April 19, 2019 and November 20, 2020, 900 members engaged in violence to establish geographic dominance. SMG and JSF controlled certain geographic areas in Brooklyn, which included NYCHA’s Sumner Houses, Tompkins Houses and 303 Vernon Avenue developments in Bedford-Stuyvesant within the confines of the 79th and 81st Precincts.
To achieve those goals, some 900 members participated in violent criminal acts, including murder and shootings. It is alleged that SMG and JSF’s primary rivals are members of the Hoolies gang, who operated out of a building complex located across the street from SMG and JSF territory. The Hoolies territory included 721 Willoughby Avenue and 300 Vernon Avenue, as well as the Roosevelt Houses NYCHA development.
It is alleged that 900 members committed two murders, as well as numerous shootings, during the course of the investigation. The allegations behind the murders are as follows:
- On June 29, 2020, at approximately 1:13 p.m., Tysean Devonish allegedly posed as a young woman on Instagram and responded to a post allegedly made by Tracey Washington, an alleged Hoolie member, seeking individuals to open credit card accounts in connection with a credit card fraud scheme that he allegedly operated. They agreed to meet at 1620 Dean Street in Weeksville Gardens. At approximately 5:45 p.m., defendants Kaireil Haynie, Alexander Williams and Tysean Devonshire drove to the area and Washington took a livery car to the location. Haynie and Williams allegedly got out of the car they were in and walked toward the livery car. Haynie allegedly fired multiple times into the livery cab, striking Washington, who exited the cab and fled down Dean Street, where he collapsed. He was taken to Kings County Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
- On September 28, 2020, at approximately 3:39 p.m., Alexander Williams requested a cab from Rainbow Car Service, picked up Wydeem Rudd, and traveled to Clifton and Franklin Avenues, where they exited the vehicle. The defendants, allegedly wearing hoods and masks, walked through the Lafayette Gardens housing project, entered the rear of 456 DeKalb Avenue, and allegedly ambushed and shot Tylee Felder, who was standing in front of the building. Rudd and Williams allegedly shot Felder six times, including once in the head, killing him. After shooting Felder, Rudd allegedly fired into a crowd outside the building. Two bystanders were shot and wounded.
During the course of the conspiracy, it is alleged, incarcerated 900 members communicated with non-incarcerated members in jail phone calls to keep up to date on the status of members or to discuss violent acts. The defendants also allegedly used social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram to demonstrate their gang membership and to broadcast gang activity. They allegedly also posted music videos to YouTube containing song lyrics referencing the status of rivalries and referring to acts of violence committed by gang members.
Additionally, gang members allegedly signified their status as shooters by adopting the names of famous basketball players on social media or in song lyrics. These basketball players included “Shaq,” “Kobe,” “Curry,” “Westbrook,” and “Harden.”
Finally, it is alleged, in the 11-count indictment that the defendants are members of 1800/Humble gang, which is also under the umbrella of 900 gang, and that they feud with rival gangs such as OTB (Only the Borough) to maintain geographic dominance in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights. It is alleged that on December 25, 2019 Andre Starkey and Kareem Waters and others walked to the Kingsborough Houses in Crown Heights where they happened to cross paths with a rival. Waters and Starkey each allegedly pulled out a gun and fired at the person, who fled the area. No one was injured.
“I commend the NYPD and my prosecutors for all of the hard work that went into building these cases and am determined to continue working on similar investigations to take more shooters off our streets,” said Gonzalez.
