Six alleged members of a Jamaica-based street gang are facing a number of charges related to numerous shootings last summer, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
According to District Attorney Richard A. Brown, the defendants were allegedly members of the Wood City Gang — a subset of the Bloods — working within the confines of Springfield Gardens and St. Albans. According to charges, the defendants were allegedly involved in a shooting against a rival gang back in 2017.
The following men were arraigned before Queens Supreme Court on Aug. 24:
- Brandon “Bigga” Bledman, 23, of Queens Village
- Kaminski “Kash” Gauthier, 22, of Queens Village
- James “Bigga J” Gomez, 22, of Jamaica.
Three other suspects are awaiting arraignment: Nahzaya “Banga” Grant, 22; Demetires “Meech” Anderson, 29, and Nicholas “Flocka” Morris, 22, all residents of Jamaica.
Bledman and Gautheir were both charged with second- and fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, plus a charge of first-degree reckless endangerment for Gautheir. Grant and Anderson were charged with fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree attempted murder and first- and second-degree attempted assault.
Gomez was charged with second-degree conspiracy, second-degree attempted murder, first- and second-degree attempted assault and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Flocka was charged with fourth-degree conspiracy.
If convicted, the defendants face five to 25 years in prison, with the exception of Morris, who faces 1 1/3 to three years in prison.
A long-term investigation by the New York City Police Department’s Queens South Gang Squad’s Criminal Investigations Task Force and the Queens District Attorney’s Gang Violence and Hate Crimes Bureau found that the defendants had allegedly discussed a previous shooting and future shootings targeting rival gang members. To obtain this information, the parties investigating monitored telephone conversations and dialogue on social media pages of the defendants.
According to charges, on April 3, 2017, a member of the Wood City gang was targeted in a shooting by a gang member in the SNOW street gang. In retaliation, on April 4, 2017, Gauthier allegedly attempted to kill two members of the rival gang.
Later, on May 24, 2017, Bledman and Gomez allegedly attempted to murder a SNOW gang member in a shooting. According to a ballistics report, the gun used in the shooting allegedly belonged to Bledman. The following day, during a phone call between Bledman and another individual, the two discussed the previous day’s shooting and indicated that Gomez was also involved.
Charges also say that Grant and Anderson are allegedly visible on surveillance video footage that was taken before and during a shooting of a rival gang member on June 13, 2017.
“This indictment is another example of police and prosecutors working together to eliminate gang violence,” Brown said. “The defendants in this case are accused of shooting at two rival gang members — creating havoc in our neighborhoods and threatening the lives and safety of innocent bystanders.”
Editor’s note: An earlier version of the story contained inaccurate information about the suspects’ arraignment. We regret the errors and any confusion which may have resulted.
