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Gang Used Metro-North To Traffic Guns From Westchester To NYC, AG Says

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – Nine alleged members and associates of the violent Bloods street gang were indicted on charges of operating a high-volume gun trafficking ring, state Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton announced Wednesday .

Eric Schneiderman

Eric Schneiderman

Photo Credit: File
Cadeim Beckford, 20, of the Bronx, N.Y., was arrested in Stamford Tuesday as part of a New York City-based investigation into weapons trafficking.

Cadeim Beckford, 20, of the Bronx, N.Y., was arrested in Stamford Tuesday as part of a New York City-based investigation into weapons trafficking.

Photo Credit: Stamford Police Department
Brett Irving-Carroll, 27, of Stamford, was arrested as part of a weapons trafficking investigation that originated in New York City,

Brett Irving-Carroll, 27, of Stamford, was arrested as part of a weapons trafficking investigation that originated in New York City,

Photo Credit: Stamford Police Department

According to the 367-count felony indictment unsealed in Bronx Supreme Court, investigators seized 93 illegal guns.

The weapons were allegedly purchased on New York City streets, but also in Port Chester, Maine and Connecticut for resale in New York City by ring members.

Some of the guns bought in Port Chester and Stamford, Conn., were transported to the city on Metro-North trains and the weapons were resold in New York City for several times their original price, the attorney general's office said. 

Stamford Police arrested two of the men Tuesday after they were drawn into the investigation by New York City Police, New York State investigators and federal authorities last week, said Capt. Richard Conklin. He said Stamford police were told two of the suspects may have been spending time in the city.

Brett "Agony" Irving-Carroll, 27, was arrested at his residence at 186 W. Main St., Apt. C., shortly before 6 a.m. Conklin said. He said police had been conducting surveillance on him and the residence. Stamford Police were joined New York City Police, New York Attorney General's office and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms representatives at the arrest. 

Conklin said a Ruger semiautomatic pistol with a laser sight, ammunition for other weapons and 3.5 pounds of marijuana were found in the residence.

Irving-Carroll was extradited to New York, but Conklin said Stamford Police will also prepare drug and weapon charges against him. 

Later, officers swooped in and arrested a second member of the Bloods, Cadeim Beckford, 20, of the Bronx, as he walked in the area of Pacific Street and Towne Street in Stamford around 1 p.m. Conklin said Stamford Police will not be pressing any charges against Beckford because he was simply arrested by city police on behalf of New York authorities. 

Conklin said Stamford Police are "very interested" in the men's presence in Stamford.

"We are very interested that they are in our fair city," he said.

As a result of the Operation Redrum investigation, based on the nickname of alleged ring leader William “Redrum” Soler, the gang members and associates were charged with felony conspiracy and criminal possession and criminal sale of firearms counts. Soler was also charged with second-degree conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, for allegedly plotting to kill a rival gang member.

If convicted, the lead defendants, Soler, Ronald Snyder, Princesequan Hunter, and Cadeim Beckford, face up to 25 years in prison on the top count, first-degree criminal sale of a firearm.

A 10th defendant, Erick Ransom, was separately indicted for the murder conspiracy. He also faces up to 25 years behind bars.

The investigation, led by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force and the NYPD’s Firearms Investigation Unit, began last summer. 

According to the papers, after an undercover detective, posing as a gun reseller, purchased guns directly from Soler, electronic surveillance was used to monitor the ring’s activities. 

Firearms sales charged in the indictment range from .22 caliber pistols to assault weapons. Approximately 11 of the guns seized had the serial numbers filed off, making the weapons untraceable. 

The indictment charges the following defendants:

  • Devon “Burnz” Fairburn, 27, Brooklyn.
  • William “Wobbles” Soler, 33, the Bronx.
  • Ronald “Piff” Snyder, 25, Manhattan.
  • Princesequan “Saiko” Hunter, 29, the Bronx.
  • Cadeim “Deim” Beckford, 20, the Bronx.
  • Brett “Agony” Carroll, Stamford, Conn.
  • Jordan Romeo, 20, Binghamton.
  • Terrence “T-Bone” Gordon, 35, Rocky Point, N.Y.
  • Julio “Punn” Morales, 29, the Bronx.
  • Erick “Pilz” Ransom, 26, the Bronx.

 

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