12 In Deadly NJ Gang Ring Now Face Jail, Including Ex-Sports Star

Twelve members of a deadly New Jersey gang ring face long prison terms now that its longtime leader, an ex-high school sports star, has been convicted and sentenced. More than 80 gang members and associates have been arrested in the big bust that involves some of the nation's most notorious gangs.

Corey Hamlet, the longtime leader of one of New Jersey largest and most violent street gangs, was sentenced Wednesday to two concurrent terms of life in prison for his role in six murders, an attempted murder, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses.

Hamlet, a/k/a “C-Blaze,” a/k/a “Blaze,” a/k/a “Blizzie,” a/k/a “Castor Troy,” 41, of Belleville, was busted as part of a racketeering conspiracy involving the New Jersey Grape Street Crips, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced Wednesday. A failed truce in the New Jersey gang wars was once tried at Short Hills Mall.

Hamlet was once a football star at East Side High School in Newark in the mid-1990s who once caught 90-yard touchdown pass in a 41-0 victory over Kearny, according to nj.com. Hamlet earned a full ride to play football at Lackawanna College, a two-year junior college in Scranton, but he never graduated and he was kicked out of the school.

“Corey left the team because of issues relating to the coaching staff and their policies on certain team-related matters,” his attorney, Anthony Iacullo of Nutley, told nj.com. “Since Corey was not playing, he did not receive his scholarship and he could not afford the tuition.”

Twelve of the 14 defendants charged in the indictment have now been convicted. The two remaining defendants, Hanee Cureton and Khalil Stafford, are pending trial.

An additional 68 members and associates of the Grape Street Crips who were arrested in a coordinated takedown in May 2015 were separately charged with drug-trafficking, physical assaults, and witness intimidation. Sixty-six individuals also have been convicted, and charges remain pending against two.

Two years ago, a Newark federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ahmad Manley, a/k/a "Fresh," a/k/a "Moddi G," 30, of Summit, with racketeering-related murder and attempted murder charges related to a 2014 double homicide. Prosecutors said that Manley, who was previously charged by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, has been out of custody on bail.

According to prosecutors, the indictment charged the gang's "second-in-command," Kwasi Mack, a/k/a "Welchs," a/k/a "The Prince," a/k/a "Mini Me," 27, of Belleville, and Corey Batts, a/k/a "C-Murder," a/k/a "Cee," 31, of Newark, with a 2006 shooting that left one rival gang member dead and another wounded. In addition, Tony Phillips, a/k/a "Blue," 25, of Newark, was added to counts charging two attempted murders that took place in October of 2013.

Hamlet was convicted in July 2018 following a two-month trial before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo. Arleo imposed the sentence Wednesday in Newark federal court.

Tony Phillips, a/k/a “Blue,” 27, of Newark and Manley were also convicted following a two-month trial in Newark federal court.

Hamlet was charged in November 2016 in a 22-count indictment accusing 14 members and associates with, among other things, seven murders, numerous attempted murders, and numerous other violent and drug trafficking crimes committed as part of the racketeering conspiracy, according to a release from Carpenito's office.

“Today’s sentencing marks the end of Corey Hamlet’s reign of terror on the streets of Newark,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “At this point, close to 70 members of the Newark set of the Grape Street Crips, a violent criminal organization that committed murders and other acts of violence in order to maintain control of a large portion of the illegal drug trade in Newark, have been removed from the streets.

"In the case of the gang’s leader, Hamlet, it’s for the rest of his life. Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue to go after dangerous criminals like this to protect the public.”

Hamlet, the leader of the Grape Street Crips, "chose to order others to kill and now he can serve time for the gang,” Newark FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie said.

“This conduct will not be tolerated and today’s sentence should send a message that the FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will pursue and prosecute members of violent street gangs who seek to inflict violence and fear in our communities," he said.

Ehrie said the gang was responsible for four murders, an attempted murder, racketeering conspiracy and drug trafficking.

“The sentencing of Corey Hamlet closes the chapter on one of Newark’s most violent offenders,” said Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division. “The residents of Newark can be confident that the men and women of DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who choose to violate the rule of law. Every citizen has the right to live without fear, and the conviction and sentencing of Corey Hamlet helps to make that possible.”

According to the documents filed in this case and other cases and the evidence presented at trial:

The Grape Street Crips engaged for years in numerous acts of murder, robbery, extortion, and drug trafficking throughout Newark. As the leader of the New Jersey set of the Grape Street Crips, Hamlet’s orders resulted in six murders committed by members of the gang.

The trial highlighted numerous violent acts committed by Grape Street Crips members as part of the racketeering conspiracy, some of which targeted members of rival gangs and others that targeted Grape Street Crips members whom Hamlet perceived to be a threat to his position as the leader of the gang:

• June 14, 2010: The murder of Leroy Simmons;
• Dec. 23, 2010: The murder of Rodney Kearney;
• Oct. 10, 2011: The attempted murders of eight individuals who were caught in the cross-fire when Hamlet’s second-in-command Kwasi Mack, a/k/a “Welchs,” and another Grape Street Crips member attempted to murder a gang member who they suspected had cooperated with law enforcement;
• May 3, 2013: The murder of Tariq Johnson;
• Oct. 27, 2013: The attempted murders of Almalik Anderson and Saidah Goines.
• Nov. 12, 2013: The murder of Anwar West;
• March 3, 2014: The murders of Wesley Child and Velma Cuttino—an innocent bystander—as well as the attempted murder of Maurice Green;

The trial revealed that Hamlet ordered many of the murders as revenge against Almalik Anderson, a rival with whom he had a long-running dispute, according to the release. One of Hamlet’s fellow gang-members attempted to broker a truce with Anderson at the Short Hills Mall.

After the meeting at Short Hills, Hamlet used his Instagram account to assert that Anderson had cooperated with law enforcement. On Hamlet’s orders, four gang members then hunted Anderson down and sprayed his car with bullets, nearly killing him and passenger Saidah Goines, a relative, according to the release.

Within two weeks, Hamlet successfully ordered two other gang-members to murder Anwar West, the fellow gang-member who had attempted to broker peace between Hamlet and Anderson, according to the release. On Hamlet’s orders, co-defendant Rashan Washington left West alone inside a Jeep Cherokee knowing that another gang member intended to walk up and shoot West in the head.

Hamlet then ordered the murder of Maurice Green, Anderson’s brother, according to the release. On March 3, 2014, Manley and Hamlet, the long-time leader of the New Jersey Grape Street Crips, were riding in Manley’s Jeep Cherokee when they pulled alongside a car being driven by Green.

Although Hamlet aimed a firearm at Green and the car’s other occupants, Green pulled off before any shots were fired. A short time later, Ahmad Manley found Green, and a car chase ensued, according to the release.

The chase concluded when Green’s car crashed into other vehicles at the intersection of Irvine Turner Boulevard and Spruce Street in Newark. Numerous shots fired from Manley’s Jeep Cherokee at Green’s vehicle struck Green and killed Wesley Childs, a passenger in Green’s car, according to the release.

In addition, Velma Cuttino – an innocent bystander who was a passenger in one of the vehicles that had crashed at the intersection – was shot through the head and killed, according to the release.

FBI photo