2 More 'Untouchable Gorilla Stone Bloods Gang' Shotcallers Go Down

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Two of the highest-ranking leaders of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Bloods Gang were just sentenced to long stretches in the federal pen.

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Dwight Reid, a/k/a "Dick Wolf," and Christopher Erskine, a/k/a "Beagle," were both sentenced to 35 years in prison, for their leadership of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang ("Gorilla Stone"), a brutally violent street and prison gang that operates across the country, according to federal law enforcement agencies.

The latest sentences means that all 21 defendants, including the gang's founder and prison leader, the gang's street leader, and a long list of "godfathers" and "godmothers," are paying the price for their crimes.

Reid, the gang's highest-ranking member, is the gang's founder and prison leader. He was sentenced on May 21.

Erskine, the gang's street leader, also known as the "Sun," is the gang's second highest-ranking member, and was sentenced on Tuesday.

The sentences were imposed following a nearly three-week trial last year.

"Dwight Reid and Christopher Erskine are the two highest-ranking members of Gorilla Stone, a ruthless gang, and are responsible for terrible violent acts and trafficking dangerous narcotics across the country and state, including throughout the New York State prison system," Williams said. "Reid and Erskine’s convictions and lengthy sentences, as well as our successful prosecution of many of the gang’s most senior and violent members, send an important message to gang leaders that they will be convicted and sentenced to significant terms in prison."

Reid founded Gorilla Stone over 20 years ago. The gang has members across New York, including throughout New York City, Westchester, upstate New York, and the New York State Prison System, and all over the country — including Florida. Gorilla Stone is made up of crews (or "caves," as they are called by the gang members).

The gang has been linked to a September 2020 broad daylight murder of a teenager on a busy Poughkeepsie street and an October 24, 2020 gang-related shooting outside of a Miami strip club, in which two rival gang members were shot and seriously wounded, requiring one to be airlifted from the scene. The Gorilla Stone gang has also been tied to shootings and attempted murders, including an August 8, 2018 shooting in Brooklyn, July 5, 2020 gang shootings at a house party in Miami, and a July 20, 2020 drive-by shooting in New Rochelle.

A June 12, 2020 gunpoint drug-related robbery in Peekskill and a vicious January 12, 2018 face slashing of a rival gang member on 125th Street in Manhattan outside a subway station, have also been connected to the street gang.

Feds say that in addition to traditional sources such as the proceeds of nationwide narcotics trafficking (both inside and outside of prisons), Gorilla Stone is involved in organized and sophisticated fraud schemes, including a fraudulent unemployment benefits scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic.

52-year-old Reid, of the Bronx, and 41-year-old Erskine, of Brooklyn were convicted after trial of racketeering and narcotics offenses.

All 21 defendants in the Gorilla Stone case before the presiding judge have been convicted. 18 defendants have been sentenced and three defendants have been convicted and are awaiting sentencing.

There are 18 defendants, including numerous godfathers and godmothers, who have been sentenced so far.

• Reid, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison;
• Brandon Soto, a/k/a "Stacks," who was sentenced to 35 years in prison;
• Erskine, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison;
• Ahmed Walker, a/k/a "Ammo," who was sentenced to 235 months in prison;
• Godmother Naya Austin, a/k/a "Baby," who was sentenced to 234 months in prison;
• Godfather Donavan Gillard, a/k/a "Donnie Love," who was resentenced to 19 years in prison;
• Godmother Brinae Thornton, a/k/a "Luxury," who was sentenced to 210 months in prison;
• Jarrett Crisler, Jr., a/k/a "Jayecee," who was sentenced to 207 months in prison;
• Caswell Senior, a/k/a "Casanova," who was sentenced to 188 months in prison;
• Robert Woods, a/k/a "Blakk Rob," who was sentenced to 188 months in prison;
• Godfather Brandon Nieves, a/k/a "Untouchable Dot," who was sentenced to 110 months in prison;
• Jamal Trent, a/k/a "Trap Smoke," who was sentenced to nine years in prison;
• Dezon Washington, a/k/a "Blakk," who was sentenced to 97 months in prison;
• Roberta Sligh, a/k/a "Trouble," who was sentenced to eight years in prison;
• Jordan Ingram, a/k/a "Flow," who was sentenced to eight years in prison;
• Stephen Hugh, a/k/a "Chino," who was sentenced to seven years in prison;
• Isaiah Santos, a/k/a "Zay," who was sentenced to seven years in prison; and
• Shanay Outlaw, a/k/a "Easy," who was sentenced to three years in prison.

Three additional defendants have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing: Godfather Deshawn Thomas, a/k/a "Don," Godfather Walter Luster, a/k/a "Shells," and Neiko Crudup, a/k/a "JhitRilla."

Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of special agents and task force officers from the FBI, U.S. Probation, New York State Police, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, New York City Police Department, Westchester County Police Department, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Rockland District Attorney’s Office and the Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Greenburgh, White Plains, Peekskill, Ramapo, and Clarkstown Police Departments.