An Indictment has been unsealed charging the following ‘Goonies’ street gang members with various crimes relating to racketeering, murder, narcotics, and firearms offenses:
- Markel Overton, aka “Kellz”
- Thomas Blanton, aka, “LT”
- Marquis Collier, aka “Keise”
- Kaddem Dinham, aka “Polo”
- Donnie Dixon, aka “Scooter”
- David Hardy, aka “Mooka”
- Jermaine Hughley, akan“Blacks”
- Raheem Jones, aka “Rah Trigger,” aka “Trigga”
- Sincere Savoy, aka “Bitty”
- Jamaal Sinclair, aka “Diggz”
- Noel Smith, aka “Georgie,” and
- Ernest Webb, aka “Ern,” aka “Ern Millz”
The defendants have been charged as a result of their membership in the “Goonies” street gang that operated in the City of Mount Vernon, New York.
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Anthony A. Scarpino Jr., Westchester County District Attorney, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Eight of the defendants were previously charged in United States v. Overton, et al., 17 Cr. 644 (NSR) (the “Indictment”).
The Superseding Indictment, S1 17 Cr. 644 (NSR), charges four additional defendants with racketeering charges and also charges the following two murders in Mount Vernon, New York.
The December 31, 2016, murder of Shamoya McKenzie, a 13-year-old innocent bystander:
- David Hardy, aka “Mooka”
- Marquis Collier, aka “Keise”
- Jermaine Hughley, aka “Blacks,” and
- Sincere Savoy, aka “Bitty”
The September 22, 2014, murder of Dean Daniels:
- Ernest Webb, aka “Ern,” aka “Ern Millz,” with
“When gangs flourish, neighborhoods suffer, parents grieve, and children die,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim.”
“It is as simple as that.”
“Dreams like the ones Shamoya McKenzie must have had for herself — as she sat innocently in the car, next to her mother on New Year’s Eve, coming from basketball practice — should be cultivated and allowed to flourish, not violently crushed, a tragic victim of an utterly senseless war between street gangs.”
“Shamoya McKenzie deserved better. Dean Daniels deserved better.”
“Mount Vernon deserves better. And that is why we, with our federal and local partners, have brought this prosecution.”
“Today’s announcement is part of our Office’s ongoing and steadfast commitment to making the streets of Mt. Vernon, and the communities of Westchester safe.”
“For the better part of a decade, the Goonies have had a grip on neighborhoods in and around the City of Mount Vernon,” explained Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino Jr..
“Through intimidation and violence, they’ve jeopardized the safety and quality of life for the hard working residents of Mount Vernon.”
“That violence turned deadly on at least two occasions when the lives of Shamoya McKenzie and Dean Daniels were cut short.”
“While we were able to charge David Hardy for the senseless murder of Shamoya, our partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI will now enable us to charge others who also participated in those crimes.”
“Thanks to the collaborative efforts of federal, state and local law authorities, these defendants will all be held accountable for the crimes they now stand accused of.”
“The new charges members of this criminal gang now face show just how badly they allegedly terrorized a community,” added FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr.”
“They used violence to push illegal drugs and demonstrate how tough they were as a gang.”
“They didn’t think about who was hit by their bullets, and in the end that disregard cost an innocent young girl her life.”
“The FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force won’t let up on their investigations into gangs that believe they act with impunity.”
“They don’t and now they will face justice for their deadly actions.”
(Slain Basketball Star Mourned In Mount Vernon. Courtesy of CBS New York and YouTube. Posted on Jan 16, 2017)
According to the Superseding Indictment[1] unsealed in White Plains federal court, and prior proceedings in the matter:
From 2007 to 2017, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, Overton, Blanton, Collier, Dinham, Dixon, Hardy, Hughley, Jones, Savoy, Sinclair, Smith and Webb were members or associates of a racketeering enterprise known as the “Goonies.”
In order to fund the enterprise, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of the Goonies:
- Committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder and robbery
- Conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute narcotics, and
- Obtained, possessed, and used firearms, including by brandishing and firing them
Blanton, Collier, Dinham, Dixon and Jones also conspired with one another, and certain other members of the Goonies, to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and marijuana.
The Goonies have been engaged in a long-standing and violent feud with several rival Mount Vernon street gangs, including, among others, the “Boss Playa Family,” the “Get Money Gangstas,” the “Gunnas,” and the “Much Better Gang,” among others.
On December 31, 2016, the intended target of the shooting was a rival gang member.
Shamoya McKenzie was in the front passenger seat of a car driving by the shooting location, in the vicinity of Tecumseh Avenue and Third Street in Mount Vernon, New York, and was struck in the head by a bullet, resulting in her death.
As set forth in the Superseding Indictment, on or about September 22, 2014, in the vicinity of Park Avenue in Mount Vernon, Dean Daniels was shot to death.
Overton, Blanton, Collier, Dinham, Dixon, Jones, and Smith, were already in custody based on the charges in the Indictment.
Hardy and Hughley were already in custody on state charges, and were transferred to federal custody.
Savoy was arrested last week in New Rochelle.
Webb remains a fugitive.
The defendants who are in custody were arraigned before the Honorable Lisa Margaret Smith, United States Magistrate Judge, in White Plains federal court.
The case is assigned the United States District Judge Nelson S. Román.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided in the attached table for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Kim thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises agents and detectives from the FBI, Yonkers Police Department, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Westchester County Police Department, Peekskill Police Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, New York City Police Department, and U.S. Probation.
(Learn More. The FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Gang Task Force is asking for the public’s help in solving several homicide investigations in Mount Vernon, New York. The murders date back to 2011. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest in the following cases. Courtesy of Cops Court and Coffee and YouTube. Posted on Mar 7, 2017)
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Anden F. Chow, Sarah Krissoff, Olga Zverovich, Christopher Clore, and Special Assistant United States Attorneys John O’Rourke and Lauren Abinanti are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment and Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States v. Markel Overton, et al.
| CHARGE | DEFENDANTS | MAXIMUM PENALTIES |
| Count One
Racketeering Conspiracy
|
MARKEL OVERTON
a/k/a “Kellz” THOMAS BLANTON a/k/a “LT” MARQUIS COLLIER a/k/a “Keise” KADEEM DINHAM a/k/a “Polo” DONNIE DIXON a/k/a “Scooter” DAVID HARDY a/k/a “Mooka” JERMAINE HUGHLEY a/k/a “Blacks” RAHEEM JONES a/k/a “Rah Trigger” a/k/a “Trigga” SINCERE SAVOY a/k/a “Bitty” JAMAAL SINCLAIR a/k/a “Diggz” NOEL SMITH a/k/a “Georgie” ERNEST WEBB a/k/a “Ern,” a/k/a “Ern Millz” |
Life in prison |
| Count Two
Firearms Offense
|
MARKEL OVERTON
THOMAS BLANTON MARQUIS COLLIER KADEEM DINHAM DONNIE DIXON DAVID HARDY RAHEEM JONES JAMAAL SINCLAIR NOEL SMITH
|
Life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
|
| Count Three
Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering |
DAVID HARDY
MARQUIS COLLIER JERMAINE HUGHLEY SINCERE SAVOY |
10 years in prison |
| Count Four
Murder in Aid of Racketeering |
DAVID HARDY
MARQUIS COLLIER JERMAINE HUGHLEY SINCERE SAVOY |
Mandatory minimum: Life in prison
Maximum sentence: Death |
| Count Five
Use, Carrying, and Possession of Firearms, Resulting in Death |
DAVID HARDY
MARQUIS COLLIER JERMAINE HUGHLEY SINCERE SAVOY |
Mandatory minimum: 5 years in prison
Maximum sentence: Death |
| Count Six
Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering |
ERNEST WEBB | 10 years in prison |
| Count Seven
Murder in Aid of Racketeering |
ERNEST WEBB | Mandatory minimum: Life in prison
Maximum sentence: Death |
| Count Eight
Use, Carrying, and Possession of Firearms, Resulting in Death |
ERNEST WEBB | Mandatory minimum: 5 years in prison
Maximum sentence: Death |
| Count Nine
Narcotics Conspiracy |
THOMAS BLANTON
MARQUIS COLLIER KADEEM DINHAM DONNIE DIXON RAHEEM JONES
|
Life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison |
| DEFENDANT | AGE |
| MARKEL OVERTON | 27 |
| THOMAS BLANTON | 24 |
| MARQUIS COLLIER | 26 |
| KADEEM DINHAM | 26 |
| DONNIE DIXON | 28 |
| DAVID HARDY | 22 |
| JERMAINE HUGHLEY | 25 |
| RAHEEM JONES | 29 |
| SINCERE SAVOY | 20 |
| JAMAAL SINCLAIR | 29 |
| NOEL SMITH | 34 |
| ERNEST WEBB | 29 |
As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the Superseding Indictment, and the description of the Indictment and Superseding Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Attachment(s):
Download U.S. v. Markel Overton et al Indictment
Component(s):
