New york mobsters with ties to florida sentenced for crime syndicate operations

In a development that highlights the continued presence of organized crime, two high-ranking leaders of the Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang were sentenced to 35 years in prison this week.

Dwight Reid, known as “Dick Wolf,” and Christopher Erskine, a.k.a. “Beagle,” were convicted of racketeering and drug trafficking, marking a significant victory for law enforcement. Their actions have drawn attention to the gang’s violent operations, which span multiple states, including Florida.

Reid, the founder and prison leader of the gang, and Erskine, who oversaw street operations, controlled a network involved in murders, drug trafficking, and fraud. During the trial, Florida’s connection to the gang’s activities was revealed, with incidents such as a 2020 shooting outside a Miami strip club, in which two rival gang members were injured, and a violent house party shooting in Miami.

Reid founded the Gorilla Stone gang over 20 years ago, establishing a highly organized network with strict rules enforced by violence. The gang, which refers to its chapters as “Caves,” operates in several states, and its members have engaged in various illegal activities beyond drug trafficking, including a COVID-19 unemployment benefits scam.

A collaborative effort by multiple police departments and federal agencies led to the convictions of all 21 defendants in the case, with sentences ranging from three to 35 years. With many of the gang’s senior members now behind bars, officials say the sentencing of Reid and Erskine sends a strong message to other criminal organizations.

US Attorney Damian Williams emphasized the significance of the convictions, stating, “Reid and Erskine’s convictions and lengthy sentences, as well as our successful prosecution of many of the gang’s most senior and violent members, send an important message to gang leaders that they will be convicted and sentenced to significant terms in prison.”

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