Following a two-week trial, a federal jury in Brooklyn returned guilty verdicts against Ronald Williams on five counts, including murder-for-hire conspiracy, conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice murder, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Williams, a leader of a street gang in Brooklyn known as the ‘90s Crew that engaged in large-scale marijuana trafficking, faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison when he is sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James J. Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), and Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, announced the verdict.
“Ronald Williams, a violent gang leader and marijuana trafficker, showed his utter disregard for human life when he accepted without hesitation a $5,000 contract to kill someone suspected of being an informant for federal law enforcement,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The outstanding work by this Office, together with our law enforcement partners, prevented a murder from taking place and has made our streets safer as a result of the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the defendant.” Mr. Donoghue extended his grateful appreciation to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Marshal Service, and the New York City Police Department, for their assistance during the investigation.
“This conviction sets the record straight,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Hunt. “As a high level gang member, Ronald Williams will pay the price for his crimes. And this investigation demonstrates how DEA arrests those responsible for the by-products of drug trafficking: addiction, overdoses, crime, murders and violence.” SAC Hunt also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office EDNY, HSI, NYPD and ATF for their tireless efforts on this investigation.
“This drug pushing convicted felon was up to his old tricks, leading the notorious ‘90s Crew in Brooklyn. And, he put a dollar value on an individual’s life by agreeing to have the murder of a suspected informant carried out,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Melendez New York. “No one is invincible. We will continue working with the DEA and our other law enforcement partners to ensure that those who think they are above the law are brought to justice.”
The evidence at trial established that on April 26, 2013, DEA agents followed the co-defendant as he was making a delivery of marijuana to a customer in Brooklyn. The co-defendant spotted federal agents who were conducting surveillance and he fled, suspecting that his marijuana customer was an informant providing information to federal law enforcement. On April 30, 2013, the co-defendant called Williams and offered to pay him $5,000 to kill the individual he believed was a federal informant. Williams agreed to commit the murder and began planning the murder including selecting a gang member to carry out the contract. When the co-defendant told Williams that he would personally kill the suspected informant but wanted to have an alibi, Williams responded that it would better to pay someone else to kill the informant and “get it right.” However, federal agents were able to identify the potential victim, and the murder was not carried out.
Williams was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition found during the execution of a search warrant at his residence, and using a firearm in connection with the charged drug trafficking crime. The items recovered during a search of Williams’ residence on East 96th Street in Brooklyn included three handguns and several pounds of marijuana, a drug ledger, a safe, and a police scanner. The co-defendant is awaiting trial.
