Bloods Gang Member Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy

NEWARK—A member of the Paterson, New Jersey Fruit Town and Brick City Brims set of the Bloods street gang was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for conspiring to murder and kidnap a rival gang member and to distribute narcotics as part of a racketeering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Haleek State, 27, of Paterson, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to a second superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Judge Chesler imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

State, a member of the Fruit Town and Brick City Brims set of the Bloods, admitted that he conspired with fellow gang members Larry Mayo, John Benning, and Torien Brooks to murder a rival gang member, identified in court documents as “M.M.” State said the plan arose out of a disagreement between Brooks and M.M. On April 11, 2005, the four gang members kidnapped and pistol-whipped M.M., eventually taking him to the Paterson Falls to murder him. As the gang members exited the car, M.M. was able to escape and run down the street, saving his life.

State also admitted that he conspired with other individuals from January 2005 through January 2007 to sell cocaine in an apartment building on 16th Avenue in Paterson controlled by a Fruit Town Brims member.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced State to three years’ supervised release.

Mayo and Benning have pleaded guilty to related offenses and await sentencing. The charges against Brooks remain pending.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward—which includes members from the Newark Police Department, East Orange Police Department, Essex County Department of Corrections, Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, Jersey City Police Department, the New Jersey Division of Parole, and the Paterson Police Department—along with the New Jersey Department of Corrections-Special Investigations Division with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

He also thanked the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes; and the Special Operations Division’s National Gang Targeting, Enforcement and Coordination Center, under the direction of Director John Sieder, for their important roles.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa L. Jampol, Lisa Colone, and Robert Frazer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Criminal Division in Newark.

Bloods Street Gang Member Sentenced to 89 Months in Prison in Racketeering Conspiracy

NEWARK—A Passaic County man who is a member of the Bloods street gang was sentenced today to 89 months in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy that included violent crimes and narcotics distribution, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Michael McCloud, a/k/a “Ike Brim,” 26, of Paterson, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to one count of a second superseding Indictment filed in January 2011, which charged him with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

McCloud, a member of the Fruit Town Brims (FTB) set of the Bloods, admitted to selling crack cocaine to an undercover officer on August 30, 2006, together with two other members of the gang. McCloud also admitted to participating in two robberies in Paterson in 2006. McCloud was involved in the robbery of a dice game in Paterson, in which a co-conspirator used an AK-47 and the gang members took controlled substances, cell phones, and money. He also conspired with other FTB members to commit a robbery, also involving a gun, in retaliation for the shooting of an FTB member by a member of a rival gang.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced McCloud to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the Direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward—which includes members from the Newark Police Department, East Orange Police Department, Essex County Department of Corrections, Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, Jersey City Police Department, the New Jersey Division of Parole, and the Paterson Police Department—along with the New Jersey Department of Corrections, Special Investigations Division, with the investigation leading to the charges.

He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Carolyn Murray; and the Special Operations Division’s National Gang Targeting, Enforcement, and Coordination Center, under the direction of Director John Sieder, for their important roles.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa L. Jampol, Lisa Colone, and Robert Frazer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.

Bloods Gang Leader Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy

NEWARK—The leader of the Fruit Town and Brick City Brims set of the Bloods street gang was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for conspiring to distribute narcotics in Paterson and Newark, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Vincent Young, 42, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to a second superseding indictment charging him and other members of the gang with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Judge Chesler imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Young is the Triple Original Gangster, or “OOOG,” of the Fruit Town Brims set of the Bloods and its subset, the Brick City Brims, and the highest member of the set in the state of New Jersey. Young was a member of the Los Angeles-based Fruit Town Brims established during the early 1970s and was responsible for founding the gang in New Jersey.

The rules governing the Fruit Town and Brick City Brims set require members to learn and be quizzed about the history of the West Coast Bloods (known as the “69”), including Young’s life history—which details his childhood, the crimes he committed, and his violent acts against the Crips street gang. Failure to recite this history to the satisfaction of a ranking member could result in a junior member being physically disciplined.

Young admitted that he used several different unauthorized cell phones while in Northern State Prison in Newark to maintain and increase his position in the gang and conspire with fellow gang members in narcotics trafficking in Newark and Paterson from 1999 to 2008. He also admitted that he directed members of the gang to sell heroin and crack cocaine and then wire him the proceeds of the transactions, as well as to purchase phone cards for the unauthorized cell phones he used while in prison. Gang members would contribute profits from narcotics sales as dues required by the gang’s leadership.

As the leader of the gang in New Jersey, Young was responsible for directing other members and associates of the Fruit Town and Brick City Brims Set, both in and out of prison, in carrying out unlawful activities in furtherance of the enterprise’s affairs—including acts involving murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, bribery, extortion, threats of violence, trafficking in controlled substances, and intimidation of witnesses.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Young to three years’ supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, which includes members from the Newark Police Department, East Orange Police Department, Essex County Department of Corrections, Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, Jersey City Police Department, the New Jersey Division of Parole, and the Paterson Police Department; along with the New Jersey Department of Corrections, Special Investigations Division with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.

He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Carolyn Murray; and the Special Operations Division’s National Gang Targeting, Enforcement and Coordination Center, under the direction of Director John Sieder, for their important roles.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa L. Jampol, Lisa Colone, and Robert Frazer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

Paterson Member of the Bloods Street Gang Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy

NEWARK, NJ—A member of the Fruit Town and Brick City Brims set of the Bloods from Paterson, New Jersey was sentenced today to 66 months in prison for his role in a range of violent crimes and conspiring to distribute narcotics, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Richard Fields, a/k/a “P.O.,” 28, of Paterson, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (“RICO”) Act. Judge Chesler imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Fields admitted to selling crack cocaine to an undercover officer on October 16, 2006, together with an associate of the gang, and to selling marijuana to another individual on August 15, 2006. He admitted to participating in two robberies in Paterson in 2006 with other members of the gang, including Michael McCloud, 27, of Paterson, a/k/a “Ike Brim,” and others. Fields was involved in the robbery of a dice game in Paterson, in which a co-conspirator used an AK-47 and gang members took controlled substances, cell phones and money. He also conspired with other Fruit Town Brims members to commit a robbery, also involving a gun, in retaliation for the shooting of an FTB member by a member of a rival gang. McCloud pleaded guilty to the RICO conspiracy charge in August 2011 and is awaiting sentencing.

Fields’ sentencing is the result of a larger investigation that has targeted the leadership and members of the Fruit Town Brims/Brick City Brims. Documents filed in this and related cases established FTB/BCB as a violent criminal enterprise throughout New Jersey’s state prison and county jail systems and in Newark, Paterson, and Jersey City. Its members have committed acts such as murder, kidnapping, robbery, bribery, extortion, and trafficking in controlled substances.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Fields to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the Direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence. The task force includes members of the Newark Police Department; East Orange Police Department; Essex County Department of Corrections; Hudson County Sheriff’s Office; Jersey City Police Department; the New Jersey Division of Parole; the Paterson Police Department; and the N.J. Department of Corrections, Special Investigations Division. He also thanked the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, and the Special Operations Division’s National Gang Targeting, Enforcement and Coordination Center, under the direction of Director John Sieder, for their roles.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa L. Jampol and Lisa Colone, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime/Gangs Unit, and Robert Frazer, Chief of the Office’s General Crimes Unit in Newark.

Defense counsel: Ruth Liebesman Esq., Teaneck, N.J.

Essex County Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Carjacking East Orange Police Officer

NEWARK—An Essex County, New Jersey man was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for carjacking an East Orange, New Jersey police officer’s personal vehicle, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Glen Green, 30, of East Orange, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls to an information charging him with one count of carjacking. Judge Walls also imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On December 22, 2009, Green approached his former girlfriend, who was an officer with the East Orange Police Department, outside her home as she was putting her 4-year-old son in the back of her vehicle to take him to school. The victim had recently ended their relationship, and Green had sent her a series of threatening text messages prior to that morning.

Green demanded that the victim allow him to enter the vehicle with her. When she refused, Green began punching the woman in the face and threatening to kill her and her son. Green handcuffed the woman and forced her to sit in the front passenger seat and restrained her with the seatbelt. Green told the woman that he was taking her to meet his friend who was going to kill her. At one point during the abduction, the woman attempted to jump out of the car, but was restrained by the seatbelt. Green punched the woman repeatedly in the face. Green held the woman and her son captive in the vehicle for approximately three hours and repeatedly told her that he was waiting for his friend to come pick her up and kill her, before eventually releasing them. Federal authorities and members of the East Orange Police Department found Green and arrested him on January 8, 2010.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Walls sentenced Green to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric T. Kanefsky of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.