Grand jury charges two violent gangs

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The U.S. Attorney’s Office says some members of two violent criminal gangs are now facings murder and attempted murder charges. A federal grand jury in Buffalo has returned two superseding indictments in the ongoing investigations into Bailey Boys and LRGP, gangs operating on Buffalo’s east side.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Bruce says Bailey Boys member 20-year-old Tyriq Brown, of Buffalo, is charged with shooting and wounding a rival gang member on Kensington Avenue in 2011. The indictment also charges Rayshod Washington and Raymel Weeder with the February murder of Fred Rozer, in an alleged drug ripoff that went bad . Washington is also charged with a January robbery.

The Bailey Boys stand accused of three murders, six shootings, a robbery that involved a shooting and a shooting that occurred during a neighborhood party. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says two defendants have been convicted.They allegedly operate in the area of Winspear Avenue, the Kensington Expressway, Eggert Road and Main Street. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says three alleged members of the LRGP Gang, Gregory Scott, Fred Keys and Ranole Goodwin, are charged with racketeering, stemming from cocaine trafficking and conspiracy to murder of rival gang members. Ten previously charged defendants are facing additional charges. Previously charged with cocaine trafficking in July 2012, Dewayne Gray, John Evans, Alexis Mills, Philip Brown, John Hayward, Demario Devon Nance, Kiara McNamee, Erika Gray, Timothy Finch and Dayshawn Brazier are also charged with racketeering.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McCabe says LRGP is named after Lombard, Rother, Gibson and Playter Streets. McCabe says Gray was the leader of LRGP from 2009 until early 2012, overseeing the sale of crack cocaine from gang-controlled residences on Memorial Drive, Sobieski Street and Meyers Street in Buffalo. In April 2011, the gang was allegedly responsible for the fatal shooting of rival gang member Amir Chambers . The U.S. Attorney’s Office says three defendants have been convicted.

U.S. Attorney Hochul said, "Today's developments add to the over 140 gang members we've charged to date, individuals responsible for numerous murders, attempted murders and other acts of violence in our neighborhoods. And the community should know that these efforts will only continue."

"Our gang investigations continue to clear cold case homicides that may not have been solved otherwise," said Christopher M. Piehota, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo FBI Office. "Not only do we arrest gang members, but we can provide the victims' family members with some amount of closure.”