13 Years For Long Island Man For Gang Activity, Including 2 Shootings: DA

RIVERSIDE, NY — A Shirley man was sentenced to 13 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision in connection with gang activity that includes the shootings of rival gang members on the South Shore between 2021 and 2022, Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said Friday.

Janell Johnson, 22, was one of 18 defendants who were convicted after a long-term investigation into violence committed by the No Fake Love Gang, and 15 of the 18 were sentenced to substantial prison sentences, prosecutors said, adding that, the remaining three defendants are pending sentence but have received court commitments of equally lengthy terms of incarceration.

All of the defendants charged with violent felony offenses were convicted of violent felony offenses and 13 of the defendants were convicted of the top counts on the indictment, prosecutors said.

A teen sentenced in a 2022 shooting that took place outside the home of former congressman Lee Zeldin and current President-elect Donald Trump cabinet pick Lee Zeldin was alleged by authorities to be a member of the No Fake Love gang.

Johnson was one of 31 defendants indicted in February 2024 following the long-term investigation into violence committed by the Bloodhound Brim street gang, according to prosecutors.

In October, Johnson pleaded guilty as part of three separate indictments to two counts of second-degree conspiracy, and one count of first-degree attempted assault, and three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He additionally pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree assault.

Tierney said the sentence "is evidence of my commitment to dismantle violent criminal enterprises" in the county. "Law enforcement holds offenders responsible for the crimes they actually commit and through the hard work of my office and our partners, every defendant from the 'No Fake Love' gang takedown has now been brought to justice.

His attorney, Ian Fitzgerald of Central Islip, declined comment.

From August 23, 2021, through February 7, 2024, Johnson was a prominent member of the Bloodhound Brims and committed violence to gain status within the organization, using his high-ranking status within the gang to order members of the No Fake Love gang to commit violence while Johnson was locked up, prosecutors said.

During his guilty plea allocution, he admitted to committing several shootings at rival gang
members in furtherance of his membership within the Bloodhound Brims, most notably, a broad daylight shooting on Oct. 3, 2021, in Patchogue in which he and others shot at a rival gang member, according to prosecutors.

The rival was standing next to a vehicle parked in front of a home where a number of small children were playing in the front yard; nobody was injured during this incident, prosecutors said.

Johnson also admitted to committing several other shootings including a Jan. 12, 2022
shooting in Mastic in which a rival gang member was shot in the leg, according to prosecutors.

In addition to the gang-motivated shootings committed by Johnson, alongside his various
associates, he continued to instruct and carry out gang violence while incarcerated, prosecutors said.

Beginning in 2022, while incarcerated for the Oct. 3, 2021 shooting, Johnson began communicating and recruiting fellow gang members over the telephone from inside various jail
facilities, according to prosecutors.

He further began using his high-ranking status within the Bloodhound Brims to direct young No Fake Love gang members – some as young as 15 years old – how to steal cars, get access to guns, and commit acts of violence to secure a place within the hierarchy of the gang, prosecutors said.

Johnson also fought rival gang members who were incarcerated alongside him, according to prosecutors.