Rapper Wanted in Connection With Poughkeepsie Murder, 17 Arrested
Nearly 20 members of the “Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation” gang were indicted on a number of charges including the murder of a Poughkeepsie teen.
On Tuesday, officials announced unsealing of a 16-Count Indictment charging 18 members of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Gang (“Gorilla Stone”) with committing various racketeering, murder, narcotics, firearms and fraud offenses.
Brandon Soto, a/k/a “Stacks,” is charged in connection with the September 21 murder of a minor in Poughkeepsie.
“As alleged in the Indictment, members of Gorilla Stone committed terrible acts of violence, trafficked in narcotics, and even engaged in brazen fraud by exploiting benefits programs meant to provide assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of that, communities across the Southern District – from Poughkeepsie to Peekskill to New York City – suffered. Most shocking, as alleged in the indictment, a minor was murdered in furtherance of the gang’s activities. Because of the extraordinary work of our law enforcement partners, the defendants now face federal charges for their crimes," Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said.
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed Tuesday in White Plains federal court:
- Dwight Reid, A/K/A “Dick Wolf,” Christopher Erskine, A/K/A “Beagle,” Walter Luster, A/K/A “Shells,” Deshawn Thomas, A/K/A “Don,” Naya Austin, A/K/A “Baby,” Brandon Nieves, A/K/A “Untouchable Dot,” Ahmed Walker, A/K/A “Ammo,” Caswell Senior, A/K/A “Casanova,” Brandon Soto, A/K/A “Stacks,” Dezon Washington, A/K/A “Blakk,” Robert Woods, A/K/A “Blakk Rob,” Stephen Hugh, A/K/A “Chino,” Jordan Ingram, A/K/A “Flow,” Shanay Outlaw, A/K/A “Easy,” Isaiah Santos, A/K/A “Zay,” Roberta Sligh, A/K/A “Trouble,” And Brinae Thornton , a/k/a “Luxury,” are members of a racketeering conspiracy known as Gorilla Stone.
- On September 21, Soto, to further the Gorilla Stone enterprise, participated in and facilitated the murder of a minor victim, and aided and abetted the same, in Poughkeepsie.
- On July 20, Hugh shot at rival gang members in New Rochelle to maintain and increase his position in the Gorilla Stone racketeering enterprise.
- On June 12, Austin, Washington and Ingram committed a gunpoint robbery of a rival drug dealer in Peekskill in order to maintain or increase their position in the Gorilla Stone racketeering enterprise.
- On August 28, 2018, Thornton shot at a rival gang member in Brooklyn and aided and abetted the same.
- On January 12, 2018, Woods maimed and assaulted an individual with a dangerous weapon, and aided and abetted the same, by slashing the individual in the face.
- In August 2020, Austin and Outlaw without lawful authority, knowingly used the identification of others to file fraudulent applications for COVID-19-related unemployment benefits, and aided and abetted the same.
“As the indictment alleges, the violence and drug activity committed by these gang members threatened the safety of our communities and placed innocent lives at risk. Their unabashed criminal behavior, as alleged, included the murder of a 15 year-old and even extended to defrauding programs meant for people suffering economic hardship due to the pandemic. But thanks to the partnership and hard work of all law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation, we were able to stop this violent criminal organization – and show that Gorilla Stone is actually not ‘untouchable,'" FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said.
Seventeen of the 18 defendants are in custody. Rapper Casanova, Caswell Senior, is the only person who hasn't been arrested. The 34-year-old rapper. He faces up to life in prison for conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The FBI says he has connections to both New York and New Jersey. If you have information about his whereabouts, please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.