CONSPIRACY CHARGES FILED AGAINST NINETEEN ALLEGED MEMBERS OF RIVAL DRUG GANGS IN CONNECTION WITH A FOUR AND A HALF YEAR LONG STRING OF VIOLENT CRIMES IN THE NORTH EAST BRONX

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a grand jury has indicted nineteen alleged members of rival violent drug gangs on charges of conspiracy and other offenses that include murder, robbery, assault, weapons possession and illegal drug sales to undercover detectives. The string of crimes occurred in the northeast Bronx neighborhoods of Wakefield, Williamsbridge, Co-op City, Baychester and Fishbay between January 1, 2000 and June 22, 2004. The Edenwald Houses in Wakefield was the epicenter of the gangs’ drug dealing.

District Attorney Johnson said: “The residents of the Edenwald Houses and surrounding areas have been innocent victims caught in the crossfire of an ongoing turf war between rival drug gangs, which involved numerous drug related shootings and robberies. The safety of these hard working, law abiding citizens has long been of great concern and therefore it is with a great deal of satisfaction that we announce the indictment of those whom we believe to be responsible for much of this violence”.

The conspiracy charges against the nineteen defendants are the result of an eight month joint investigation by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and the New York City Police Department. Three murders, half a dozen sales of heroin and crack cocaine to undercover detectives, three armed robberies within a three hour period on the same day, and a home invasion, push in robbery at an apartment at the Edenwald Houses are among the crimes that the gangs allegedly conspired to carry out. Five guns were recovered: a .380 caliber Hi-point; a 9 MM Luger Feather Enterprise; a 9 MM Luger Walther; a defaced 9 MM Ruger semi-automatic
pistol; and a 9MM Smith & Wesson, as well as a quantity of ammunition for the illegal firearms. Investigators said evidence indicated that rival gangs or “crews” allegedly headed by Peter Lambert, 22, and Antwan Vereen, 28, were behind the drug related series of crimes.

The grand jury returned a one hundred count indictment charging the defendants with two counts of Conspiracy in the 2nd degree, eight counts of Murder in the 2nd degree, one count of Manslaughter in the 1st degree, one count of Manslaughter in the 2nd degree, three counts of Assault in the 2nd degree, one count of Attempted Assault in the 1st degree, two counts of Robbery in the 1st degree, nine counts of Robbery in the 2nd degree, five counts of Robbery in the 3rd degree, six counts of Attempted Robbery in the 1st degree, six counts of Attempted Robbery in the 2nd degree, one count each of Burglary in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd degrees, one count of Grand larceny in the 3rd degree, three counts of Grand larceny in the 4th degrees, one count each of Criminal possession of stolen property in the 3rd and 4th degrees, one count each of Criminal sale of a controlled substance in the 1st and 2nd degrees, four counts of Criminal sale of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree, one count each of Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 3rd and 5th degrees, one count of Criminal sale of marijuana in the 4th degree, two counts of Unlawful possession of marijuana, eleven counts of Criminal possession of a weapon in the 2nd degree, four counts of Criminal possession of a weapon in the 3rd degree, five counts of Criminal possession of a weapon in the 4th degree, three counts of Possession of ammunition, one count of
Unlawful wearing of a body vest, and one count of Resisting arrest.

The most serious charges of Murder in the 2nd degree and Criminal sale of a controlled substance in the 1st and 2nd degrees, are Class A-I and A-II felony offenses punishable by a maximum sentence of 25 years to life imprisonment.

The first of the homicides charged in the indictment was a double murder on November 3, 2003 in a playground on Bivona Street at the Boston Secor Houses, a development near the Edenwald Houses. Kristopher Jiminez, 18, and Robert Melendez, 25, were shot and killed during an attempted robbery. The fatal shootings occurred shortly before the afternoon dismissal of students at a nearby school. Apolinar Roque, 19, and Marlon Henry, 19, have been charged with the murders. A third murder occurred the following month on December 30, 2003 during a gang related shootout on the grounds of the Edenwald Houses. Antwan Vereen, Peter Lambert,
and Darryl Greymon, 17, were charged with murder in the death of Ricardo Chavis, 21.

Several alleged gang members also were charged with three separate armed robberies committed on the same day during a three hour period. It is alleged that Devon Brown, 32, Marlon Henry, 19, and Bessie Bryant, 21, robbed several people at gunpoint after driving around the neighborhood looking for potential victims. This series of robberies began a little after seven p.m. on September 29, 2003 on East 220th Street and White Plains Road where a 20 year old boy had a gold chain necklace ripped from his neck while walking with his grandmother. Three hours later Henry, Brown and Bryant allegedly robbed a group of people who were standing
around socializing in front of 140 Bellamy Loop at Co-op City. Bryant’s job allegedly was to approach the group, survey their personal property and report back to Henry and Brown who waited in the car before allegedly robbing the group of money, jewelry and some clothing. The defendants allegedly fired shots as they were leaving in order to further intimidate the victims, one of whom had attempted to flee. No one was injured. The third robbery followed the same pattern and occurred about twenty minutes later in front of 3055 Bouck Avenue. Money and jewelry were taken from a group of people, who first were checked out by the alleged gunmen’s female accomplice.

Several defendants also have been charged with a laundry list of offenses involving the illegal sale and possession of narcotics, as well as the possession of marijuana. During the course of the investigation, undercover detectives purchased a total of approximately four ounces of heroin and crack cocaine on six different occasions. The most serious drug offenses are punishable by a maximum penalty of 25 years to life imprisonment.

In an incident on January 6, 2004, a group of armed men wearing masks allegedly used a woman as a decoy in order to gain access to a man’s apartment at the Edenwald Houses. Once inside, the gang, including Antwan Vareen allegedly restrained and threatened two occupants before fleeing with their valuables.

Following are the nineteen defendants who have been charged with conspiracy, and at least one or more of the various other offenses contained in the indictment:

District Attorney Johnson noted that the charges against these nineteen individuals are the result of the hard work and cooperative efforts of the Bronx Homicide Task Force, NYPD’s Bronx Narcotics Division, Bronx Robbery Squad, Housing Bureau PSA 8, the 47th Precinct Detective Squad and Intel Unit and the Bronx DA’s Gang/Major Case Bureau, Assistant District Attorney Edward Talty, Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Edward Friedenthal, Counsel. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Kristin Milano, Susanne Cichanowicz and John Tseng.