Queens DA indicts 23 alleged Queens gang members
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NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell, Mayor Eric Adams and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announce the indictment of nearly two dozen alleged gang members in Western Queens on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. Photo via NYC mayor’s office
By Ryan Schwach
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz along with the mayor and police commissioner announced the indictments of nearly two dozen alleged Northwest Queens gang members in connection with gun and conspiracy charges on Tuesday.
The 850-count indictments of the 23 individuals, 16 of which are already in custody, range from conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder in the second degree, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. If convicted, the gang members, who range in age from 21 to 40 years old, could face up to 25 years in prison.
“They have no regard for the safety of the people who live in this city,” said Mayor Eric Adams at a press conference on Tuesday. “Gangs plus guns equal graves.”
The indictments are the result of a two-year investigation by the NYPD and the Queens district attorney’s office, which stemmed from shooting incidents in Astoria and Woodside where innocent bystanders were struck by gunfire between warring gang factions, including 37-year old Gudelia Vallinas, who died after being shot in Woodside in March of 2021.
“The reckless criminality we saw during this investigation is the kind of lawlessness that has killed law-abiding citizens of New York,” Katz said.
The investigation, dubbed “AQtively Movin,” was a joint operation from the Queens DA and the NYPD Gun Violence Suppression Unit, commanded by Deputy Chief Jason Savino, who commended the work of officers and detectives on Tuesday.
“Our beautiful members of Queens deserve to be able to enjoy the beautiful parks, walk along Broadway or Steinway Street without the fear of gunfire,” Savino said.
The operation targeted warring subsets of the Crips gang in Astoria, the “Rollin’ Crip” set and the “8 Trey Crip” set from Woodside.
“The dismantling of these gangs are essential,” said NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell. “Gangs and crews who believe that they too could create a culture of fear in our city.”
Officials said on Tuesday that the members of the gangs named in the indictment who have yet to be arrested, are expected to be arrested in the coming days.
Several of those named in the indictment were involved in multiple shootings.
“You heard me over and over talk about recidivism, these men were part of a system that allows them to continue to perpetuate violence,” Adams said. “This case is another victory in our work to remove New York’s most dangerous individuals from our communities.”
Gun violence in the five boroughs as well as Queens has continued to be an important issue for both elected officials and voters alike. In the last 28 days there have been 13 shooting incidents in Queens according to NYPD crime statistics, which is up from 8 in the same period in 2022.
