WHITE PLAINS – A 16-count indictment was unsealed on Tuesday charging 18 members of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Gang with racketeering, murder, narcotics, firearms, and fraud offenses.
One gang member, Brandon Soto, also known as “Stacks,” is charged in connection with the September 21, 2020 murder of a 15-year-old in Poughkeepsie.
“As alleged in the indictment, members of Gorilla Stone committed terrible acts of violence, trafficking in narcotics, and even engaged in brazen fraud by exploiting benefits programs meant to provide assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting US Attorney Audrey Strauss. “Because of that, communities across the Southern District – from Poughkeepsie to Peekskill to New York City – suffered. Most shocking, as alleged in the indictment, a minor was murdered in furtherance of the gang’s activities.”
Poughkeepsie City Police Chief Tom Pape said the partnerships between federal, state and local levels “are proof that collaborations with agencies at all levels of law enforcement work to bring those responsible for the heinous murder of a 15-year-old on our city streets to justice.”
On July 20, 2020, Stephen Hugh shot at rival gang members in New Rochelle to maintain and increase his position in the Gorilla Stone racketeering enterprise operating in the Southern District.
On June 12, 2020, Naya Austin, Dezon Washington, and Jordan Ingram committed a gunpoint robbery of a rival drug dealer in Poughkeepsie in order to maintain or increase their positions in the gang.
August 28, 2018, Brinae Thornton shot at a rival gang member in Brooklyn to maintain and increase her position in the gang.
On January 12, 2018, Robert Woods maimed and assaulted an individual with a dangerous weapon and aided in the crime by slashing the individual in the face.
On August 2020, Austin and Shanay Outlaw illegally used other people’s ID t file fraudulent applications for COVID-19-related unemployment benefits and aided in the crime.
Those indicted are:
- Dwight Reid, also known as Dock Wolf
- Christopher Erskine, also known as Beagle
- Walter Luster, also known as Shells
- DeShawn Thomas, also known as Don
- Naya Austin, also known as Baby
- Brandan Nieves, also known as Untouchable Dot
- Ahmed Walker, also known as Ammo
- Caswell Senior, also known as Casanova
- Brandon Soto, also known as Stacks
- Dezon Washington, also known as Blakk
- Robert Woods, also known as Blakk Rob
- Stephen Hugh, also known as Chino
- Jordan Ingram, also known as Flow
- Shanay Outlaw, also known as Easy
- Isaiah Santos, also known as Zay
- Robert Sligh, also known as Trouble
- Brinae Thornton, also known as Luxury
