A band of teenage gang members who terrorized Brooklyn found themselves behind bars for the Fourth of July, prosecutors announced Thursday.
Mayor Eric Adams, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Brooklyn District Eric Gonzalez declared that the indictments of nine members of the “Road 2 Riches” crew was a part of a sweeping gun violence takedown in East New York and Brownsville. The massive 68-count indictment alleges that the group was responsible for at least 10 shootings in the area over the last several years.
“This indictment charges a disturbing pattern of gang violence allegedly committed by a group of young defendants. Their actions endangered entire communities and include the murder of a 24-year-old man and the broad daylight shooting of an innocent 68-year-old woman,” Gonzalez said. “Working with the NYPD, we remain focused on holding accountable the small number of offenders driving this violence. The success of this strategy is clear, with record-low gun violence in Brooklyn last year, and continued progress this year.”
According to Gonzalez, those involved in the terror ranged in age from as young as 15 to just 20. In the aftermath of deadly shootings, the baby-faced gangsters would gloat about the murders in social media posts, including the 2023 slaying of 24-year-old Abdoulaye Ba.
According to the Brooklyn DA’s office, Ba was shot in the head on Aug. 21, 2023 outside of a bodega located at 640 Blake Ave. He was with his brother at the time of the shooting, an alleged member of a rival gang.
In October of 2023, the gang was caught on surveillance video opening fire near the Van Dyke Houses. Missing their intended targets, a bullet instead struck a 68-year-old woman in the back as she tried to walk to a grocery store. She survived her injuries. Most recently, in April of this year, alleged gang members chased down a man on a scooter near Belmont and Christopher Avenues and fired several shots.
Instead of hitting their targets, they struck two passing vehicles — one of the bullets narrowly missed its occupants and landed in the front passenger’s headrest.
Commissioner Tisch not only railed against the brazen and lawless acts committed by the armed teens and young men, she also pushed back against a law she charges emboldens crimes like these.
“For too long, Road 2 Riches gang members have terrorized neighborhoods in Brooklyn – unleashing gunfire in broad daylight, on busy streets, and near schools. Many of these alleged shooters were teens, emboldened by laws like Raise the Age that eliminate consequences for young people engaging in this type of violence, but these gangs are no match for the NYPD – this year alone, we have conducted more than 40 gang-related takedowns and removed more than 230 illegal guns from our streets,” Tisch said. “This work is the reason that shootings are down double digits in Brooklyn, and we are not letting up. I want to thank the Gun Violence Suppression Division and the Brooklyn DA’s Office for their outstanding work on this case.”
Gonzalez agreed, saying that the 2017 law was enacted with the best of intentions but instead is being used to protect violent offenders.
“Many, many people are being jeopardized by the actions of such a small number of young people,” Gonzalez said.
Each of the defendants received a wide range of charges consisting of second- and fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and first-degree reckless endangerment.
The defendants include King Downing, 18, Mikeem Echevarria, 18, Jevonte Jaime, 17, Qvon Weaver, 19, Quinn Parker, 19, Deanthony Ortiz, 18, Anthony Wilkinson, 20, Korey George, 19, and Samuel Gaiter, 18 who were either remanded or are being held on high bail.
