Bloods Gang-Affiliate Operated Out Of New Brunswick, Says FBI

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Seven men allegedly affiliated with the Bloods criminal gang, all of whom federal prosecutors say operated out of New Brunswick and Franklin Township, were indicted Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney's office.

Prosecutors say the men were members and associates of the "Bounty Hunter Bloods," who operated under the umbrella of neighborhood street gangs known as “Parkside” in Somerset and “The Ville” in New Brunswick.

The gang members are alleged to have also engaged in numerous violent acts on behalf of and for the benefit of the gang, including assaults, shootings and murders, some of which targeted rival gang members, said federal prosecutors.

The indictments of the seven men this week are the result of a long-running investigation done by the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Middlesex and Somerset county prosecutors, and the New Brunswick and Franklin police departments.

The seven men who were indicted this week are: Walter Boyd, a/k/a “Walt,” a/k/a “Walt Daddy,” 34, Isiah Daniels, a/k/a “Ice,” 33, Joel Lyons, a/k/a “Jayski,” 21, Gede Maccelus, a/k/a “G Baby,” 21, Armando Ortiz, a/k/a “Mando,” 24, Malik Stringer, a/k/a “Rambo,” 24, and Kimani Wanyoike, a/k/a “Ki,” 21, all of Somerset and Middlesex County.

They were indicted on charges of racketeering conspiracy that included multiple murders, fraud schemes and drug sales.

Daniels and Wanyoike are in federal custody on previously filed related federal charges. Lyons and Ortiz are currently serving terms of imprisonment in state prison. Boyd, Maccelus and Stringer are currently in state custody on pending state charges.

Federal prosecutors say the men did the following:

• On or about June 12, 2020, Daniels, along with other gang members drove at least two cars to a gathering to pay homage to a purported rival gang member who had passed away. At the gathering, members of the Bounty Hunter Bloods gang got out of their cars and shot into a vehicle in the area of Churchill Avenue in Franklin Township.
• On or about August 1, 2020, Maccelus, Wanyoike and other gang members, at Ortiz’s direction, drove to the area of the Hope Manor housing complex in the “Down Bottom” area of New Brunswick in a stolen vehicle. Upon arriving, Wanyoike and another gang member exited the vehicle and shot Victim 1, a purported gang rival, as well as Victims 2 and 3.
• On or about September 13, 2020, Lyons, Daniels, and other gang members used a stolen car to commit a shooting in New Brunswick that caused the deaths of Victim 4, a purported gang rival, and Victim 5, and resulting in injuries to Victims 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.
• On or about July 19, 2021, Wanyoike possessed a firearm that had been used in a shooting on or about April 30, 2021, in North Brunswick, where at least seven rounds of .40 caliber ammunition were discharged from a red Hyundai motor vehicle as it chased at Victim 13, a purported rival of the Bounty Hunter Bloods Enterprise.
• On or about June 18, 2021, Boyd and other gang members gathered outside a hospital in New Brunswick to support and pay homage to a high-ranking member of the Bounty Hunter Bloods gang, who had been shot by purported rivals hours prior. Upon seeing a white Jeep they concluded was occupied by rivals, Boyd and two other gang members followed the Jeep to the area of Easton Avenue in New Brunswick. After stopping, one of the gang members shot into the Jeep, killing Victim 14 and causing injury to Victim 15.
• On or about July 24, 2021, Stringer, while gathered with other gang members, possessed a firearm and attempted to fire it at a purported rival gang member in New Brunswick.
• On or about January 9, 2022, Stringer, while with another gang member in New Brunswick, got into a confrontation regarding narcotics distribution with purported rival gang members and shot at them, killing Victim 16 and causing injury to Victim 17.
• On or about January 20, 2022, Maccelus, while with another gang member in Franklin Township, possessed a loaded firearm that had been used in a shooting in New Brunswick that same day.

In addition, Bounty Hunter Bloods members, including the men named above, are alleged to have routinely distributed narcotics in and around the gang’s turf in both New Brunswick and Somerset, say prosecutors. Gang members also engaged in various wire and bank fraud schemes to enrich themselves and fellow members of the gang, including schemes to defraud the federal Paycheck Protection Program.