Nine Trey Gangsters

Nine Trey Gangsters
Founded1993; 31 years ago (1993)[1][2]
FounderOmar Portee and Leonard McKenzie [2]
Founding locationRikers Island, New York City, New York, United States[3][2]
Years active1993–present[2]
TerritoryEast Coast, Mid Atlantic and Southeastern U.S.[2]
EthnicityAfrican American[2]
ActivitiesDrug trafficking, pimping, robbery, extortion and counterfeiting[4]
AlliesLucchese crime family[5]
United Blood Nation[4]
RivalsCrips[4]
Notable members6ix9ine (formerly), Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Shotti

The Nine Trey Gangster Bloods or Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods (NTG)[6] (also referred to as Bentley's or Billionaires)[7][8][9] are a "set" of the United Blood Nation street gang,[10] which is itself a set of the Bloods gang.[11][12][13] The gang operates on the East Coast of the United States.[11]

History

The gang was established in 1993 at the Rikers Island jail complex in New York City. The gang initially sold various narcotics including heroin, crack cocaine and PCP throughout Harlem.[14] They based their drug selling business in uninhabited buildings in the vicinity of Lenox Avenue.[14] Disadvantaged people including the homeless, prostitutes and children were allegedly used to sell the narcotics for the gang.[14]

The gang has operated in the U.S. state of Virginia and other states. It has allegedly been engaged in the sex trafficking of women and racketeering in Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Baltimore, New Jersey and other areas.[12] The gang was also allegedly involved in the distribution of illegal drugs, including heroin, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, marijuana and prescription painkillers in these areas.[12] Further allegations include dealing in counterfeit U.S. currency and using counterfeit currency to "finance wholesale drug purchases".[12]

The gang has been investigated by the U.S. FBI, DEA, and ATF as well as various other gang task forces in the United States.[11][12]

Arrests and prosecution

2006

In July 2006, approximately 50 members of the gang were arrested as an outcome of a significant police operation called "Operation Nine Connect".[13] After these initial arrests, at least another 30 arrests were made.[13]

2011

In June 2011, Robert "Snoop" Christie pleaded guilty to a weapons charge in a plea bargain. This conviction received a five-year prison sentence, which was added on to an eight year sentence Christie was already serving for a previous weapon and drug conviction.[15]

2013

In March 2013, eight alleged gang members and associates appeared in federal court facing charges based on a "major crack cocaine investigation".[11] Specific details of the case were sealed under court order at that time because an ongoing investigation was being conducted by the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, and it was stated that the release of information could have had an "adverse result" upon the investigation.[11]

2014

In February 2014, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced that following a trial that began on February 11, 2014, three members of the gang, including Thaddaeus Snow, were convicted by a federal jury for racketeering, robbery, cocaine distribution, sex trafficking and firearms-related offenses.[16] Upon this conviction, 24 individuals named in the initial September 2013 indictment were also subsequently convicted.[16]

2016

In November 2016, four members of the Nine Trey Gangsters were indicted for their alleged involvement in 10 shootings that left 5 dead during December 2015 in Norfolk, Virginia.[17]

2017–2019

Further information: Trial of Nine Trey Gangsters

Members of the Nine Trey Gangsters were featured prominently in rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine's 2017 hit song "Gummo", and subsequent music videos from 6ix9ine.[18] The Nine Trey Bloods and 6ix9ine forged a partnership,[19] with 6ix9ine receiving, in his words, "career, credibility, street credibility, videos, music, and protection" from the gang,[20] while 6ix9ine financially compensated the gang members.[21] 6ix9ine claimed affiliation with the Nine Trey Bloods,[22] and was extorted by the gang.[23]

In July of 2018, 6ix9ine was kidnapped, assaulted, and robbed by two members of the Nine Trey Gangsters, Anthony "Harv" Ellison and Aljermiah "Nuke" Mack.[24]

In November 2018, Tekashi 6ix9ine, his manager Kifano "Shotti" Jordan,[25] and other members of the Nine Trey Gangsters were arrested by the Homeland Security Investigations Gang Unit along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and charged with racketeering related to operating a criminal enterprise, conspiracy to murder, robbery, extortion, and drug distribution.[26] 6ix9ine turned state's evidence during the trial, and testified against the gang, dissolving his ties with them.[27] Shotti, his manager, received a 15 year sentence,[28] while 6ix9ine was released on April 2, 2020.[29]

2023–2024

A "five star general", or high ranking member, of the Nine Trey Gangsters with ties to the Lucchese crime family was arrested in December 2023 at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, New Jersey. He was in possession of "12 kilos of cocaine, more than 500 pounds of marijuana, 1,000 THC cartridges and fake IDs".[30]

Four members of the Nine Trey Gangsters in Canton, Georgia, including two gang leaders charged under Georgia's RICO statute, were arrested and charged with a series of car break-ins.[31][32]

See also

References

  1. ^ Wootson, Cleve R. Jr. (2014-10-30). "Final member of local Blood gang sentenced to federal prison". CharlotteObserver.com. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  2. ^ a b c d e f unsigned, undated. Sampson County Sheriff's Office, "Gang Profile - United Blood Nation". Accessed May 17, 2017.
  3. ^ "Nine Trey gang members sentenced to prison". Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Who are the Nine Trey Gangsters? Henry Culvyhouse, The Daily Times (May 18, 2016)
  5. ^ 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment fbi.gov (2011)
  6. ^ Bosworth, Mary (2005). Encyclopedia of Prisons and Correctional Facilities. SAGE. p. 120. ISBN 9780761927310. ... United Blood Nation (UBN) that started in Riker's Island Detention facility. This set includes independent Bloods from California, as well as members of New York sets including Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods (NTG),
  7. ^ "United Blood Nation history, terminology, background". WSOC-TV. Charlotte, North Carolina. May 18, 2017.
  8. ^ Barratt, Robin (2011). The Mammoth Book of Hard Bastards. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 978-1849017596.
  9. ^ Harris, Donnie (2004). Gangland. Holy Fire Publishing. p. 113. ISBN 0976111241.
  10. ^ Investigation, New Jersey State Commission of (1999). Annual Report of the Commission of Investigation of the State of New Jersey to the Governor and Legislature of New Jersey. The Commission. The business associate was arrested in November for allegedly laundering more than $100,000 for the Nine Trey Gangsters, a violent set of the Bloods street gang. If convicted of the charges, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
  11. ^ a b c d e Green, Frank (March 14, 2013). "Alleged gang members in major cocaine bust appear in court". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Nine Trey gang members sentenced to prison". Fairfax News. May 16, 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  13. ^ a b c Ratcliffe, Jerry H. (2012). Intelligence-led Policing. Routledge. p. 11. ISBN 978-1136308598.
  14. ^ a b c Chepesiuk, Ron (2007). Gangsters of Harlem: The Gritty Underworld of New York's Most Famous Neighborhood. Barricade Books. p. 201. ISBN 9781569803189. Some of the leading African American inmates in the center organized the United Blood Nation as a self-protection group against the mostly Hispanic Latin Kings gang. The nation founded eight original Blood sets, one of which was the Nine Trey Gangstas. When some of the Nine Trey Gangsta members were released from prison in 1994, they headed for Harlem, where they took over abandoned buildings at 75 and 79 West 119th Street near Lenox Avenue. From that base, the gang used children, prostitutes, and homeless people to sell crack, as well as heroin and PCP.
  15. ^ "Trenton Nine Trey Gangsters leader involved in gang clash that left three dead pleads guilty to weapons charge". NJ.com. June 21, 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  16. ^ a b "Nine Trey Gang Leader, Enforcer, and Cocaine Supplier Each Convicted of Multiple Racketeering Offenses". FBI. February 21, 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  17. ^ "Hampton Roads gang members indicted for 5 murders, 4 attempted murders". News 3 WTKR Norfolk. 2016-09-28. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  18. ^ "Tekashi69 Courted Gang Life. Then Reality Became Too Real. - The New York Times". The New York Times. 2024-01-23. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  19. ^ Watkins, Ali; Coscarelli, Joe (November 29, 2018). "The Rapid Rise and Sudden Fall of Tekashi 6ix9ine". The New York Times. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  20. ^ Saul, Emily; Celona, Larry; Lapin, Tamar (2019-09-19). "How the Bloods and Tekashi 6ix9ine used each other". Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  21. ^ "6ix9ine's Testimony: The Rapper's Rise, Beefs and Crash, in His Own Words - The New York Times". The New York Times. 2019-09-20. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  22. ^ Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM (2018-03-23). Tekashi 6ix9ine On Why He Loves Being Hated, Rolling With Crips And Bloods & Why He's The Hottest. Retrieved 2024-12-14 – via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "6ix9ine recounts alleged abduction for jury during trial - National | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  24. ^ Yoo, Noah (2019-09-18). "Tekashi 6ix9ine Testifies at Trial About Alleged Kidnapping, Brutal Assault by Former Fellow Gang Members". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  25. ^ Schube, Will (2021-03-02). "A Guide to the Tekashi 6ix9ine Documentary Universe". GQ. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  26. ^ "Brooklyn rapper 6ix9ine arrested on racketeering charges". APNews.com. 2018-11-20.
  27. ^ "Tekashi 69: How His Trial Testimony Left Him Labeled a 'Snitch' (Published 2019)". 2019-09-25. Archived from the original on 2024-11-12. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  28. ^ "Former 6ix9ine manager Kifano "Shotti" Jordan sentenced to 15 years in prison". The FADER. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  29. ^ Wheeler, André (2020-04-03). "Tekashi 6ix9ine: rapper released from prison early over coronavirus fears". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  30. ^ Moynihan, Ellen; Annese, John (December 23, 2023). "Nine Trey Bloods 'general' busted at Teterboro Airport with cocaine, 500 lbs. of weed". NY Daily News. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  31. ^ "Four gang members plead guilty in Canton car break-ins". FOX 5 Atlanta. 2024-07-31. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  32. ^ "4 gang members sentenced to prison for crimes in Cherokee County". WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta. 2024-08-04. Retrieved 2024-12-14.