Federal and local law enforcement officials announced the arrest of eight alleged gang members in Queens on Monday, June 16, charging them with racketeering conspiracy, assaults in aid of racketeering and related firearms offenses.
The defendants — Felix Bonilla Ramos (also known as “Chabelo” and “Ferras”), 36, Corona; Uriel Lopez (also known as “Tanke”), 30, Jackson Heights; Refugio Martinez (also known as “Cuco”), 32, Elmhurst; Margarito Ortega (also known as “Pinocchio”), 38, Elmhurst; Orlando Ramirez (also known as “Niñote”), 24, Elmhurst; German Rodriguez (also known as “Loco”), 34, Woodhaven; David Vasquez Corona (also known as “Teba”), 29, Elmhurst; and Marco Vidal Mendez (also known as “Matute”), 36, formerly of Elmhurst — are alleged members or associates of the “54 Tiny Locos” clique, a subset of the violent 18th Street gang.
Authorities say the group operated along the Roosevelt Avenue corridor in Jackson Heights, a busy commercial stretch where they allegedly trafficked narcotics and firearms, extorted local businesses, and sold fraudulent identification documents.
Six of the defendants face racketeering conspiracy charges involving a range of predicate acts, including drug and weapons trafficking, extortion, and the production and sale of counterfeit IDs such as fake passports and Social Security cards. Seven of the defendants are also charged with committing violent assaults in furtherance of the gang’s criminal enterprise. One defendant is charged with unlawfully possessing a 9mm semiautomatic pistol and ammunition while unlawfully present in the United States.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr., FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia, and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the charges during a press conference held on June 16.
“This indictment represents a significant step in our ongoing effort to dismantle violent gang networks in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The 18th Street gang exploited a Queens neighborhood as a hub for violence and illicit activity. Today’s arrests show the community that my Office and our law enforcement partners are working tirelessly to put these violent criminals behind bars.”
According to the charges, the gang allegedly financed its operations through drug dealing and other crimes, including trafficking in fraudulent identification documents — including fake passports, permanent resident cards, Social Security cards, driver’s licenses, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cards — and counterfeit currency. Members of 18th Street, including the defendants, also allegedly committed extortion by charging “rent” to other illicit businesses operating in the area, including unregulated brothels.
Certain defendants are also charged in connection with three past assaults over the past few years. The first incident took place on Dec. 31, 2021, when members of 18th Street, including Bonilla Ramos, Ramirez, and a co-conspirator, allegedly assaulted two victims outside of a Queens bar after asking if they were in a gang. The defendants allegedly violently beat the victims, with one victim being smashed twice with a glass bottle of tequila, leaving him with severe lacerations to his face and nerve damage.
Next, on Jan. 15, 2022, members of 18th Street allegedly attacked two victims outside a bar in Queens. A co-conspirator allegedly stabbed one of the victims while two other defendants held him in place. The victim suffered serious injuries, including injuries to his lung. The defendants then allegedly attacked the second victim with large wooden planks, causing lacerations that required sutures.
Then, on June 20, 2024, the gang members allegedly attacked a victim believed to be a rival gang member in a Queens parking lot. The assailants, including certain of the defendants, allegedly beat the victim with a bike lock and a metal chair, among other things. The victim received medical care for lacerations to his head, which required sutures.
“Every resident deserves to feel safe walking down the street, without having to worry about gang violence. My office will continue to combat violent criminal enterprises and assist partner investigations to dismantle gangs as they try to establish themselves in our neighborhoods,” stated Queens District Attorney Katz.
Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI New York Metro Safe Streets Task Force, the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General – New York Office, the United States Secret Service, and the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, New York City Field Office, for their invaluable assistance with the case.
Additional reporting by Lloyd Mitchell
