Federal prosecutors and law enforcement team announced on Thursday, Sept. 4, that six members of a Bronx criminal gang have been charged in connection with two murders and a third non-fatal shooting in the West Farms section of The Bronx in 2020.

Jay Clayton, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Ricky J. Patel, special agent in charge of the New York field office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch named Storm Jones, Michael Ortiz, a/k/a “Dot,” Randy Maccow, Mario Medina, a/k/a “Flacco,” Jayson Holland a/k/a “Jerry,” a/k/a “Ninety”; and Francis Ofori a/k/a “Ghana” as the defendants in the case.

They said the charges relate to the Aug. 2, 2020 killing of 53-year-old Clarence Adams; the Sept. 1, 2020 murder of 29-year-old Jeffrey German; and the Nov. 3, 2020, shooting of a third individual, who survived. They said the defendants had been either in New York City or New York State custody and were later transferred to federal custody, with the final two defendants having been arraigned in Manhattan federal court on Thursday.  They said the case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman.

Reacting to the charges, Clayton said, “As alleged, these defendants wreaked havoc across a Bronx neighborhood through a string of robberies and killings. New Yorkers want and deserve safe streets and those who pursue violence as a way of life will be brought to justice.”

Patel said in part that the defendants had carried out their violent sprees with depravity. “However long it takes, HSI New York, the NYPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York will relentlessly target violent criminals to ensure no victims suffer in vain and the public remains as safe as possible,” he added.

According to the allegations in the superseding indictment, other court documents, and statements made during court proceedings,  beginning in at least 2020, a group of individuals (the “Elsmere Crew”) allegedly used a residence located at 804 Elsmere Place in the West Farms section of The Bronx (“804 Elsmere”) as a gathering place to use narcotics, carry firearms, plan crimes of violence, and hide from law enforcement after committing those crimes.

The court heard that on Aug. 2, 2020, Elsmere Crew member Jones, while allegedly selling drugs several blocks from 804 Elsmere, allegedly shot 53-year-old Clarence Adams, who had confronted Jones about the latter’s drug dealing. Adams died from his injuries. After the shooting, Jones allegedly fled to 804 Elsmere, where he met with other members of the Elsmere Crew.

In fall 2020, Jones, Ortiz, Maccow, Medina, Holland, and Ofori allegedly planned and carried out two similar robberies near 804 Elsmere. In each robbery, members of the Elsmere Crew allegedly persuaded a victim to deliver marijuana to the vicinity of 804 Elsmere, left together from 804 Elsmere to the site of the purported drug purchase, allegedly confronted and robbed the victim with firearms, and fled to 804 Elsmere afterward.

Jones, Ortiz, Maccow, Medina, and Holland allegedly committed the first robbery, in which they allegedly shot and killed 29-year-old Jeffrey German on Sept. 1, 2020. Ortiz and Ofori allegedly participated in the second robbery with other Elsmere Crew members on Nov. 3, 2020, in which they allegedly shot a victim, who survived.

For her part, Tisch said, “These alleged Elsmere crew members carried out cold-blooded murders, violent crime sprees, and tried to dodge accountability, all while carrying illegal guns and illicit narcotics. Two New Yorkers lost their lives, another was seriously injured, and entire communities were shattered by this violence.”

She continued, “The NYPD’s strategy is simple: to keep our streets safe, remove gangs from the equation—and that’s why we have carried out more than 50 gang-related takedowns and arrested almost 400 gang members this year alone.  I want to thank the NYPD investigators, HSI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their relentless work to make sure these defendants are brought to justice.”

A chart containing the defendants’ names, ages, charges, and maximum penalties is attached below:

The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided for informational purposes only. Any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Clayton praised what he described as the outstanding investigative work of HSI and the NYPD.

The case is being prosecuted by the Violent and Organized Crimes Unit of the Office of the U.S. Attorneys for the Southern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael R. Herman and Patrick R. Moroney are leading the prosecution. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.