Press Release
☷Members of Brooklyn Based “Bamalife” Gang Charged with Racketeering and Multiple Gang Related Shootings
Federal Bureau of Investigation ( By Press Release office)
Apr 28,2022
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Members of Brooklyn - Based Bamalife Gang Charged with Racketeering and Multiple Gang - Related Shootings Charges Include Attempted Murder and Murder Conspiracy in - aid - of Racketeering Related to Six Non - Fatal Shootings , and Bank Fraud A 35 - count , second superseding indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Darrius Sutton , also known as “Blizz Meecho , ” Trava Selby , also known as “Stoney , ” Andrew Simpson , also known was “Drewski , ” Tyshawn Sumpter , also known as “GT , ” Ronnie Warren , also known as “Bossman Horse , ” and Corey Williams , also known as “Moncler Mellz , ” with racketeering conspiracy , violent crimes in - aid - of racketeering—including attempted murder and murder conspiracy—firearms offenses , drug - dealing and fraud . As alleged in the indictment , the defendants were members and associates of a violent East New York gang called “Bamalife , ” which has ongoing and violent rivalries with other gangs in East New York and elsewhere in Brooklyn . Simpson and Warren were arrested earlier today and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J . Bulsara . Selby , who is presently in New York State custody , and Sutton , Sumpter and Williams who are already in federal custody on related charges , will be arraigned at a later date . During Simpson’s arrest in Edison , New Jersey , members of law enforcement recovered a Glock handgun with an extended ammunition clip from the defendant’s pants . Breon Peace , United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York , Michael J . Driscoll , Assistant Director - in - Charge , Federal Bureau of Investigation , New York Field Office ( FBI ) , Jonathan Mellone , Special Agent - in - Charge , U . S . Department of Labor , Office of Inspector General , New York Region ( DOL - OIG ) , and Keechant L . Sewell , Commissioner , New York City Police Department ( NYPD ) , announced the arrests and charges . “As alleged in the superseding indictment , the defendants wreaked havoc in East New York and nearby neighborhoods , with innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire as members of Bamalife carried out senseless violence directed against rival gangs , ” stated United States Attorney Peace . “This Office , together with our law enforcement partners , are working tirelessly to protect our communities by dismantling criminal enterprises that are engines of a broad range of crimes , taking the violent gang members off the street and stopping the cycle of gun - related violence . ” “Gang members and their rivals aren’t the only ones affected by the hostility they inflict upon themselves . In this case specifically , as we allege , the defendants’ activity threatened the safety and security of the residents of East New York , who deserve to walk their streets without the fear of violence . Today’s charges should send a message that the FBI remains committed to strengthening our communities by eliminating this type of illegal activity . ” stated FBI Assistant Director - in - Charge Driscoll . “The Unemployment Insurance Program exists to provide needed assistance to qualified individuals who are unemployed due to no fault of their own . Fraud against the Unemployment Insurance Program distracts state workforce agencies from ensuring benefits go to individuals who are eligible to receive them . The Office of Inspector General will continue to work closely with our many law enforcement partners to investigate those who exploit the Unemployment Insurance Program , ” stated DOL - OIG Special Agent - in - Charge Mellone . “Today’s charges further illustrate our unwavering commitment to dismantling violent gangs while taking illegal guns off our streets , ” said NYPD Commissioner Sewell . “We use every resource available to keep our neighborhoods safe , and any person who puts New Yorkers at risk must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law . I want to thank the U . S . Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York , the FBI’s New York Field Office , the Office of the Inspector General’s New York Regional Office , and all the investigators involved in this important case . ”As alleged in the indictment and other court filings , the defendants are charged in connection with six non - fatal shootings in East New York and elsewhere in Brooklyn that wounded 12 individuals . Also as alleged in the indictment , the defendants financed their violent shooting spree through drug - dealing and various forms of fraud , including bank fraud and unemployment benefits fraud . The August 11 , 2019 ShootingAs alleged , on August 11 , 2019 , Sutton accosted a member of a rival gang after a party in East New York . Sutton demanded to know if the victim was a member of the rival gang and then began shooting and pursuing the intended victim as the victim attempted to flee . Sutton struck and seriously injured his intended target and also struck an innocent bystander in the leg . The April 20 , 2020 ShootingAs alleged , on April 20 , 2020 , Sutton ambushed a male victim in the vicinity of 375 Sheffield Avenue in East New York , Brooklyn . Surveillance video shows Sutton approaching the victim undetected from behind , drawing his weapon , firing several shots and striking the victim in the chest , thigh and wrist before fleeing the scene . Following Sutton’s arrest on federal charges for this shooting , Warren took images of Sutton shooting his victim that were part of a court filing and posted them to Instagram with the message: “MY BOY GREAT . ”The May 16 , 2020 ShootingAs alleged , on May 16 , 2020 , Sutton and Sumpter , together with others , shot and seriously injured a member of a rival gang in the vicinity of 2211 Pitkin Avenue in East New York , Brooklyn . Surveillance video of the shooting shows two cars pulling up to a location approximately four blocks from the shooting . Sutton exited one of the cars and approached 2211 Pitkin Avenue , where members of a rival gang are known to congregate , while Sumpter and other coconspirators waited in the vehicle . Surveillance video from inside the building shows Sutton in the lobby holding a firearm . Moments later , Sutton shot the rival in the courtyard of 2211 Pitkin Avenue , ran back to the waiting vehicles , and fled the scene . The July 14 , 2020 ShootingAs alleged in the indictment , on July 14 , 2020 , Sutton , Sumpter , and others opened fire on a member of a rival gang member in the vicinity of 620 Vermont Avenue in East New York . Video surveillance footage of the shooting shows Sutton , Sumpter and others arrive at the scene in two cars . Sutton and Sumpter exited one of the vehicles and began shooting , striking the rival gang member and seriously injuring him . Sutton , Sumpter , and several other individuals then ran back to the waiting vehicles , which sped off . The February 6 , 2021 ShootingAs alleged in the indictment , on February 6 , 2021 , Sumpter shot at a group of individuals outside a six - year old’s birthday party in the vicinity of 1093 Putnam Avenue in Brooklyn , after a member of Bamalife had an altercation with those individuals at the party . Video surveillance footage shows Sumpter outside the entrance to the party as guests , including young children , were leaving . The surveillance footage shows a group of individuals running from the scene and shows Sumpter chasing after them while firing several shots . Following the shooting , Sumpter fled in a waiting vehicle . The August 16 , 2021 ShootingAs alleged in the indictment , on August 16 , 2021 , Simpson and at least two accomplices shot into a crowd outside of 927 Dekalb Avenue in Brooklyn , striking eight individuals . Video surveillance of the incident shows Simpson and his accomplices double - park near the scene of the shooting , after which two of the conspirators approached the large crowd gathered in the courtyard and began firing . The shooters returned to the waiting vehicle and sped off . Murder ConspiraciesAs alleged in the indictment , from 2014 to the present , Sutton , Simpson , Sumpter and Williams conspired to murder members and associates of another East New York - based gang and beginning in 2016 , Sutton , Selby , Simpson , Warren and Williams conspired to murder John Doe 1 , in part in retaliation for an incident in which Warren was shot . In the course of the conspiracy , Warren released a rap song and accompanying video in which Warren and other members of Bamalife can be heard shouting that John Doe 1 and his girlfriend are “going to die together . ” Bank Fraud and other Fraudulent SchemesAs alleged in the indictment , members of Bamalife earned money through illicit means , including various fraud schemes . As alleged , in June 2019 , Warren and Williams engaged in a scheme to create and deposit fraudulent checks drawn on bank accounts of unwitting victims . Warren and Williams used information from victims’ bank accounts to create fraudulent checks , which they deposited into the account of co - conspirators in order to obtain funds . Williams bragged on social media about the proceeds of his fraud schemes . For example , on July 9 , 2021 , he posted the following to his Instagram account with the username “darealmonclermellz”: “I just spent 80k last week like it was nothing . ” 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone . The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals , directing all U . S . Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal , state , local , and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective , locally - based strategies to reduce violent crime . The charges in the indictments are allegations , and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty . The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section . Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Trowel and Nick M . Axelrod are in charge of the prosecution . The Defendants:DARRIUS SUTTON ( also known as “Blizz Meecho” ) Age: 24Brooklyn , New YorkTRAVA SELBY ( also known as “Stoney” ) Age: 27Brooklyn , New YorkANDREW SIMPSON ( also known as “Drewski” ) Age: 24Brooklyn , New YorkTYSHAWN SUMPTER ( also known as “GT” ) Age: 28Brooklyn , New YorkRonnie warren ( also known as “Bossman Horse” ) Age: 25Hoboken , New JerseyCorey williams ( also known as “Moncler Mellz” ) Age: 27Rembert , South CarolinaE . D . N . Y . Docket No . 20 - CR - 323 ( S - 2 ) ( AMD )
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