Sleepy Gangster Posts Online Pic Of Nap With Gun: Feds

FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN — Feds busted eight alleged Eight Trey Cowboy Crips and Bloods gang members for peddling cocaine and driving around Brooklyn with automatic weapons after one of them shared a video of himself napping with a gun online, prosecutors announced.

Four suspects — Rahmel “Mello” Smith, Shakim “Sha” Carr, Michael “Scooter” Martin and Jamel “Vooks” Aldridge — were arrested on drug trafficking and weapon possession charges in Brooklyn Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Smith is the alleged ringleader of the gang's conspiracy to move at least 280 grams of cocaine in Brooklyn, prosecutors said.

Federal investigators, who have been tracking the four men since November 2018, overheard Smith arranging to sell heroin, cocaine and marijuana, on an almost daily basis, court records show.

Prosecutors argue the men repeatedly boasted online of their affiliation with the Eight Trey Cowboy Crips, writing, “always crip in my heart,” and flashing the gang's sign.

Smith, Martin and Alderidge flashed the Eight Trey Cowboy Crips sign in photos posted online, prosecutors said.

Smith was also seen buying an AK-47 and .25 caliber pistol, which he later sold to a "confidential source," and selling a Jimenez 9 mm on Feb. 8, a detention memo states.

Federal investigators recovered firearms and ammunition during busts on Dec. 21 and Feb. 8, court records show.

Each of the four men has a rap sheet, prosecutors said.

Smith, a 29-year-old registered sex offender, has prior convictions for breaking his 10-year probation, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal sale of a controlled substance, prosecutors said.

Two people have accused Smith of domestic violence at least six times, prosecutors said.

Carr, 37, who has seven criminal convictions on his record, has six previous domestic incidents reports against him by three different people, prosecutors said.

Martin, 26, has five criminal convictions, Aldridge, 35, has one criminal conviction for criminal possession of a forged instrument and six domestic incident reports filed against, said prosecutors.

Tiffany Lanier, 37, and Shakayna Wheeler, 25, were also arrested on charges that they prepared, packaged and delivered drugs for the group, said prosecutors.

Shawn Taylor, 37, stands accused of selling Smith the a Romarm Cugir rifle, or AK-47, said prosecutors.

“The dangerous mix of street gangs, drug dealing and illegal firearms poses a direct threat to the safety and quality of life of our residents,” stated United States Attorney Richard Donoghue.

“This Office and our partners in the FBI and the NYPD will continue to target and eradicate criminal gangs that contribute to addiction and violence in our communities.”

Smith could face up to life in prison if convicted while Carr, Aldridge, Martin, Wheeler and Lanier could face up to 20 years’ imprisonment, said prosecutors.

Photo of Michael Martin sleeping with his finger on a gun's trigger, which was posted to social media on Oct. 19, 2018, courtesy of the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York