NEW YORK -  Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of a Superseding Indictment charging Boss Terrell, a/k/a “Sauce,” Yaurel Centeno, a/k/a “Flex,” Lyndell Seymore, a/k/a “Bugout,” Darrell Spencer, a/k/a “Rell,” Isaiah Thomas, a/k/a “Zay,” a/k/a “Chicago,” Jacob Baker, Tyshawn  Brogdon, a/k/a “Shawn,” Rasheed Chapman, a/k/a “Ra,” Mamadou Diallo,  a/k/a “Haji,” a/k/a “Aladje,” Antwan Mosely, a/k/a “Ant,” and Noel Carr, a/k/a “Noey,” with racketeering conspiracy and other crimes related to their membership in “WashSide” or “Wash,” a street gang based in the Bronx, New York.  Terrell, Centeno, and Spencer were also charged with the murder of Tyrone Almodovar, who was shot to death on June 26, 2020, in the Morrisania neighborhood in the South Bronx.  Terrell, Thomas, Baker, Chapman, Mosley, and Carr were further charged with multiple other violent crimes in aid of racketeering, including attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon, arising from three further shootings and one slashing similarly committed in the South Bronx between July 2020 and August 2022. Centeno, Seymore, Thomas, Brogdon, and Diallo were also charged for their role in committing four robberies, two of which were carjackings.  The case is assigned to United States District Judge Jesse M. Furman.

Terrell was already in custody in connection with charges contained in a previous indictment in this case.  Seymore is in federal custody in connection with charges filed in another case in Manhattan federal court.  Centeno and Diallo are in federal custody serving prison sentences in connection with prior federal cases in this District.  Thomas and Carr are in state custody and will be transferred into federal custody.  Spencer, Brogdon, Chapman, and Mosley were arrested this morning in the South Bronx and East Harlem and are expected to be presented later today before Chief United States Magistrate Judge James L. Cott.  Baker is a fugitive. 

DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “Gang violence and drug trafficking are plagues to New Yorkers quality of life.  The gang members charged today spread violence, terror, and dangerous drugs like Spice/K2 and crack cocaine throughout our city streets.  Thanks to the tenacity of the New York City Police Department, members of DEA’s Group D-22, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, eleven members of the “Wash” Gang are facing the consequences of their alleged crimes.”  

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The members of ‘Wash,’ as alleged in today’s charges, terrorized neighborhoods in the Bronx and beyond by killing, shooting, slashing, and robbing other people.  Through these charges, we will hold Wash’s members accountable not only for the murder of Tyrone Almodovar, but for countless other crimes they committed in New York City and other states across the country.”

NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “Today, New York City is safer because of the dedicated efforts of our NYPD investigators and our law enforcement partners.  This case is further proof that the deadly combination of gangs, guns, and drugs will never be tolerated in our city, and that the NYPD will always work to hold every violent offender accountable for their actions.  I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, and everyone else who contributed to this important investigation.”

According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment filed today in federal court and statements previously made on the record in this case and related matters:[1]

From at least 2015 to 2022, the members of “WashSide” or “Wash,” a criminal enterprise based in the Bronx, New York, committed multiple acts of violence against members of rival street gangs and others.   To make money for the gang, protect the gang’s territory, and promote the gang’s standing, members of Wash engaged in, among other things, armed robberies and carjackings, drug trafficking, wire fraud, and violence, including murder, attempted murder, and assaults with dangerous weapons.  The members of Wash also travelled outside New York City and New York State, robbing and stealing from stores across the Northeast and in other states.  In social media posts, the members of Wash celebrated all of the above criminal conduct. 

For years, Wash engaged in disputes with rival crews in the South Bronx, which resulted in numerous acts of violence.  Among these were the following:

1. The murder of Tyrone Almodovar after a car chase in the Bronx on June 26, 2020, in which Terrell, Seymore, Centeno and Spencer all participated;

2. Terrell shot at rival gang members on July 29, 2020;

3. Thomas and Mosley participated in a drive-by shooting that targeted rival gang members but injured two innocent bystanders on August 21, 2021; and

4. Maker and Chapman participated in another shooting that similarly resulted in an innocent bystander being struck on August 19, 2022.

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A chart containing the names of the defendants who were charged today and the charges and minimum and maximum penalties they face is attached.  The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and DEA and also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as well as the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this case.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Courtney L. Heavey and Thomas John Wright are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

22-390

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