Gang Leaders Connected To 7 Shootings Busted In Brooklyn: Feds

BROOKLYN, NY — Top leaders of a Brooklyn gang behind seven shootings last year — including members of a gang "Steering Committee" and a "Chief of Security" — were busted this week, federal officials announced Tuesday.

The 20-count indictment charged 11 members of the "Folk Nation Gangster Disciplines" for a spree of shootings aimed at rivals that spanned March to November of 2020, the peak of an ongoing shooting surge that has gripped the city throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

The arrests, the second gang bust in Brooklyn this week, are part of a city, state and federal mission to dismantle gangs behind the violence, according to law enforcement.

“Street gangs in Brooklyn should be on notice that we will use everyresource available to rid our communities of this needless violence," said Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, Acting District Attorney for New York's Eastern District.

The most recent takedown includes top leaders from a subset of the Folk Nation gang known as "No Love City," including Hans "YL Flocks" Destine and Jean "Juno" Fremont, who were part of a five-member "Steering Committee" that ran the No Love City sect, prosecutors said.

The subset's "Chief of Security," Lorenzo Bailey and "Assistant Chief of Security," Deryck Thompson, were also arrested Tuesday, according to the indictment.

The months-long gang war begins with a March shooting outside Gold Room restaurant that two Folk Nation members were charged in last summer, according to prosecutors. The shooting — stemming from a thrown drink and rival gang signs — left a rival Crips member needing surgery after he was shot in the butt by Folk Nation members, officials said.

A few months later, another shooting aimed at the Crips unfolded in Prospect Park South, when Folk Nation members opened fire into a crowd of people on July 24 in what they believed to be Crip territory. The shooting, which injured two victims, was revenge for a Folk Nation member who had been shot the night before, prosecutors said.

Then, in August, a Folk Nation member shot at a Crips member who had been broadcasting himself on Instagram Live walking through Folk Nation territory in Prospect Lefferts Gardens mocking the gang, prosecutors said.

The final incidents in the indictment are part of a shooting spree in November, when Folk Nation members carried out four drive-by shootings in a matter of days. Three people were hurt in the drive-bys, prosectors said.

Investigators built their case against the 11 Folk Nation members by connecting surveillance photos from the shootings to photos members posted on social media in the same outfits and texts they sent to one another bragging about the hits, court records show.

One member was even caught on a recorded jail call bragging about how he could "beat" a charge for the July shooting by claiming he saw someone shooting at him first, records show.

Here's a list of all 11 members who were charged, all of whom are from Brooklyn:

OLUWAGBENGA AGORO (also known as “Gee Banga”)
Age: 21

LORENZO BAILEY (also known as “Renzo” and “St. Clair Bailey”)
Age: 32

QUINCY BATTICE (also known as “Hush Dinero” and “George Ayala”)
Age: 32

DAVON BROWN (also known as “Chico Dinero”)
Age: 27

HANS DESTINE (also known as “YL Flocks”)
Age: 30

JEAN FREMONT (also known as “Juno” and “Bigga Twirl”)
Age: 30

RICARDO HEPBURN (also known as “Riko Floxks”)
Age: 19

TRISTON LAWRENCE (also known as “Birdy Flock”)
Age: 27

MCKOY LIMA (also known as “Mak”)

Age: 26

DERYCK THOMPSON (also known as “Benzo,” “DBenzo” and “Kenzie”)
Age: 22

MICHAEL WILLIAMS (also known as “Mikey Floxks” and “Mikey Gzz”)
Age: 19