A Brooklyn-based gang associate has been convicted on charges of racketeering, drug trafficking, and committing a shooting that injured two individuals near a Brooklyn playground. Demetrius Johnson was found guilty on all counts after a federal jury trial that lasted for two weeks before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Johnson now faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison with the possibility of a life sentence.
The prosecution's evidence revealed Johnson's connection with the "Bully Gang," a group linked to various crimes, including narcotics trafficking and violent acts. The verdict is seen as a significant hit to the gang's operations, with Johnson specifically found to have sold large quantities of drugs like cocaine base and heroin. These substances were transported from New York and New Jersey to Maine, where they were distributed from multiple stash houses. "Today’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for teaming up with a dangerous criminal enterprise that—in the defendant’s own words—was known for money and violence," United States Attorney John J. Durham stated in the press release.
One particular incident that Johnson was convicted for was an attempted murder on July 18, 2020, when he shot at a former gang member, identified only as John Doe, and a bystander, both of whom were injured. The conflict arose over a payment dispute related to the drug trafficking operation. Over the past years, the extensive investigation into the Bully Gang has led to the charging of 53 defendants, with 52 now either pleading guilty or convicted at trial, and one remaining at large.
"These convictions put an end to the reign of terror committed by this gang, shattering the myth that criminals can commit atrocious acts without consequence," ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller shared. The multi-year, multi-jurisdictional investigation saw cooperation from various agencies, including NYPD, the NYC Department of Investigations, and law enforcement from New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Maine. NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch also weighed in, stating, "The stakes could not have been higher because these gang members were responsible for an assortment of despicable crimes, including murder, robbery, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and bribery," according to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case was managed by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section with Assistant United States Attorneys Joy Lurinsky, Victor Zapana, and Michael J. Castiglione at the helm of the prosecution.
