By Philip Newman
A Queens grand jury has indicted 11 persons, predominantly young southeast Queens residents, and charged them with running a counterfeit credit card operation, DA Richard Brown said.
The ring allegedly forged cards and made tens of thousands of dollars in purchases at stores in Queens and Long Island, as well as New Jersey, Connecticut, Virginia and Maryland.
Brown identified Ramsey “Rambo” Sutton, 23, of Ronkonkoma, L.I., as the main defendant. He is purported to be a member of the Mac Ballas, an offshoot of the Bloods street gang.
Others charged in the 139-count indictment are: Alijah “AJ” Moore, 24, Laurelton; Jordan Clarke, 26, Rosedale; Asha Patterson, 22, Queens Village; Cheyenne Tucker, 22, Cambria Heights; Clarence Baugh, 23, Cambria Heights; Dnaya Neblett, 24, Springfield Gardens; Dominique Payne, 23, Queens Village; Cori Parham, 30, Jamaica; Chelsea Tiaitt,19, South Ozone Park; Jelani “Bucks” Bailey, 26, Cambria Heights.
“The 139-count indictment is the result of a long-term investigation,” said Brown, utilizing a court-authorized warrant to wiretap the phone of the main defendant and others involved in the alleged scheme.
The authorities listened to conversations involving the manufacture of counterfeit credit cards and shopping trips during which they purchased electronics, cosmetics and other items with gift cards, he said.
The DA contended the suspected credit card ring was believed to be affiliated with the Mac Ballas and could have been financing “the operations of a violent street gang.”
New York City Police Commissioner James O’Neill put a dollar figure on the ring
“The 11 defendants in this case fraudulently purchased more than $200,000 in electronics and makeup, exploiting others’ credit lines at stores like Best Buy, Target and Sephora,” O’Neill said.
