Members Of Bronx Street Gang Charged With Murder, Attempted Murder, Assault, Racketeering, And Firearms Offenses

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Keechant Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Ricky J. Patel, the Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) in New York, today announced charges against ten alleged members of a street gang known as “ABG” in the Bronx, New York.  HENRY JONES, a/k/a “Dew Man,” DAIVON MORGAN, a/k/a “Leeky,”  ROBERTO ESPINOSA, a/k/a “Taco,” AMIER WILSON, a/k/a “Smula,” DAVION TRUSTY, a/k/a “Saint,” ELIJAH PERKINS, a/k/a “Eli,” JAMIE WILKINS,  a/k/a “OJ,” XAVIER ARAU, a/k/a “X,” JUAN REYES, a/k/a “Gunplay,” and CASSIUS MILLER, a/k/a “Cash,” all of whom are members of ABG, were charged in a Superseding Indictment with racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses.  JONES, MORGAN, WILSON, TRUSTY, PERKINS, WILKINS, ARAU, and REYES were also charged with engaging in violent crimes in aid of racketeering.  JONES and MORGAN are additionally charged with aiding and abetting the February 8, 2019, murder of Darren Scruggs in the Bronx.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil.

JONES, PERKINS, WILKINS, ARAU, and MILLER were already in custody in connection with charges contained in a previous indictment related to this prosecution.  AMIER WILSON and REYES are in federal custody in connection with charges filed in other prosecutions.  TRUSTY and ESPINOSA are in state custody and will be transferred into federal custody.  MORGAN was arrested this morning in the Bronx.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “As alleged in the Superseding Indictment, ABG was an extremely violent street gang that brutalized the Bronx by shooting and slashing their victims.  Among ABG’s many victims was Darren Scruggs, who we allege was gunned down at the age of 19 by Roberto Espinosa with the assistance of Daivon Morgan and Henry Jones.  With this Superseding Indictment, ABG’s members will face justice for these serious alleged acts of violence.”

NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said:  “Targeting and dismantling gangs and crews, and preventing the violence so often associated with their illegal activities, continues to be among the highest priorities for the NYPD and our law enforcement colleagues.  I thank and commend the NYPD and HSI investigators, along with the prosecutors from the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, for their hard work on this important case.  We vow to remain relentless in our efforts to identify and arrest anyone who involves themselves in such behavior.”

Ricky J. Patel, the Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI, said: “Today’s charges are yet another step towards making our city a safer place for everyone.  The individuals charged today are alleged to have committed numerous acts of senseless violence in the name of loyalty to their gang.  This superseding indictment demonstrates HSI’s continued commitment to working together with our partners to dismantle the violent gangs that are terrorizing our communities.” 

According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment filed today in federal court:[1]

From at least in or about 2017 to in or about the present, ABG was a criminal enterprise centered in the Bronx, New York.  ABG primarily operated in the vicinity of the Mitchel Houses in the vicinity of 135th and 138th Streets and Lincoln and Willis Avenues.  In addition to their local affiliation, many of ABG’s members also affiliated with the national Crips gang.  In order to make money for the gang, protect the gang’s territory, and promote the gang’s standing, members of ABG engaged in, among other things, narcotics trafficking and violence, including murder.  To that end, ABG members sold crack cocaine and marijuana, promoted their gang affiliation on social media, possessed firearms, and engaged in shootings as part of their gang membership and narcotics trafficking. 

For years, ABG engaged in disputes with rival crews in the Bronx, which resulted in numerous acts of violence.  Among the many shootings that resulted from those rivalries was the murder of Darren Scruggs on February 18, 2019.  On that date, HENRY JONES and DAIVON MORGAN assisted ROBERTO ESPINOSA when he shot and killed Scruggs.  In addition, ELIJAH PERKINS shot at rival gang members on October 30, 2018, and committed another shooting on August 21, 2021, with assistance from AMIER WILSON.  Separately, WILSON carried out a shooting on March 25, 2022, during which he struck a victim.  JAMIE WILKINS also carried out a different shooting on October 28, 2021, and JONES committed a shooting on November 7, 2021, with assistance from JUAN REYES.

ABG’s rivalries also resulted in multiple slashings.  For example, on May 8, 2020, REYES, PERKINS, and XAVIER ARAU beat and slashed a victim.  Then on February 20, 2021, MORGAN slashed a victim across the face at the direction of TRUSTY.

ABG members also participated in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics in New York.  All defendants named in the Superseding Indictment participated in a conspiracy with other individuals to distribute more than 280 grams of crack cocaine from at least in or about 2017 up to and including the present.

Between in or about 2017 and the present, the defendants also possessed, used, brandished, and discharged firearms in furtherance of the narcotics conspiracy in which they all participated.  JONES, MORGAN, WILSON, PERKINS, WILKINS, and REYES are further charged with engaging in violent crimes in aid of racketeering, and using, brandishing, and discharging firearms in furtherance of these crimes of violence based on the shootings described above.

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A chart containing the names of the defendants who were charged today and the charges and maximum penalties they face is attached. 

The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the NYPD, HSI, and the New York City Department of Corrections.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jamie Bagliebter, Christopher Brumwell, Courtney Heavey, and Alexandra Rothman are in charge of the prosecution.

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