Nearly Two Dozen Gang Members Indicted In Astoria, Woodside Shootings

ASTORIA, QUEENS — A long-running probe into warring gangs in Woodside and Astoria public housing project ended with the indictments of 23 people, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday.

The investigation aimed to curb the violence that ensnared the neighborhood and led to the death of Astoria mom Gudelia Vallinas, who caught in crossfire in March 2021 between Crips gang members at the nearby Woodside Houses NYCHA development, authorities said.

Eighteen of the 23 members charged had been arrested for shooting-related incidents, while eight of them have fired a gun more than once, said Jason Savino, commanding officer of the police’s Gun Violence Suppression Division.

“These subjects are the alphas of the gangs. The gangs’ most threatening members,” he said.

“That small group of individuals that have no problem shamelessly firing guns and endangering our great public.”

Woodside Houses, located at 50-19 Broadway, has been a pinpoint of gang-related gun violence in the borough. Jaheen Stephenson, from Astoria, was arrested last week after a shooting that left two people injured in 2020 in Woodside Houses.

Savino said the shootings were rooted in disputes of opposing Crips sets, including “True Cash Getters”, “G-Squad” and “Hip Hop Boys.”