Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com.
Date: 02-26-2024
Case Style:
Case Number: 20-CR-626
Judge: Philip M. Halpern
Court: The United States Court for the Southern District of New York (Manhattan County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Court in New York City
Defendant's Attorney:
Description:
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that BRANDON SOTO, a/k/a “Stacks,” was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern to 35 years in prison for racketeering, transferring a firearm to a juvenile, and conspiracy to commit arson arising out of his leadership role in the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang (“Gorilla Stone”). As part of his participation in the racketeering conspiracy, SOTO planned out and ordered a fellow gang member, who was a teenager at the time, to murder a rival gang member. On September 21, 2020, SOTO drove the shooter to the location and provided him with the gun and directions to commit the shooting. With people, including small children, nearby, the shooter shot Jalani Jones in the head, killing him instantly. Jones was just 15 years old at the time. Following the murder, SOTO took numerous steps to avoid detection, including setting fire to the car that was used in connection with the murder and ordering the deletion of social media accounts associated with those involved. SOTO previously pled guilty on October 27, 2022, before Judge Halpern to one count of conspiring to conduct and participate in the conduct of the affairs of a criminal enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, one count of transferring a firearm to a juvenile, and one count of conspiracy to commit arson.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Brandon Soto used his leadership role in the violent Gorilla Stone gang to direct a teenager to kill a 15-year-old boy, who was riding his bike down the street. This horrific act of violence was committed in broad daylight as small children looked on just feet away. Today’s sentence holds Soto accountable for the senseless murder of Jalani Jones, as well as for his yearslong participation in the wide range of crimes committed by the Gorilla Stone gang. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively prosecute those who engage in such violence in our communities.”
According to the Indictment, public court filings, and statements made in court:
Since at least 2004, Gorilla Stone has been a brutally violent street gang with a national presence that was founded by SOTO’s co-defendant Dwight Reid, a/k/a “Dick Wolf.” Gorilla Stone has many members across New York State, including throughout New York City, Westchester, and the New York State Prison System, and all over the country. Gorilla Stone is comprised of various sets (or “Caves” as they are called by gang members). Gorilla Stone is a highly organized and efficient street gang with an organizational commitment to violence that strictly enforces its internal laws.
For years, SOTO participated in and was associated with the Gorilla Stone racketeering conspiracy. Over time, SOTO rose to a leadership role in the gang. SOTO took an active role in the gang’s distribution of crack cocaine, which is one of the main ways the gang made money. SOTO was also one of the gang’s more violent members. SOTO bragged about his access to firearms and directed that his reports in the gang commit retaliatory acts of violence, the most significant of which was his direction and involvement in the murder of Jalani Jones. Following the murder of Mr. Jones, SOTO got a new phone number and directed another Gorilla Stone member to delete relevant social media accounts to avoid being caught. Days after the murder, SOTO’s car, which he had used in connection with the murder, was towed. SOTO went with other Gorilla Stone members to the lot where the car was parked, stole the car from the lot, and then set it on fire in a further effort to avoid being caught.
SOTO’s violence extended beyond his involvement in the murder of Mr. Jones. SOTO violently attacked someone in the street, punching and kicking the man in the head and body as he lay defenseless on the ground and ultimately became unconscious. As SOTO beat the man unconscious, he yelled “You’re not Gorilla.” The violent incident was recorded on video, and SOTO proudly posted the video to his Instagram account.
Outcome:
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: