Nassau Gang Leader Sentenced to Life in Prison

On Friday, Raphael Osborne, also known as “Gusto,” a Crips street gang leader from Roosevelt, was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences plus 145 years in prison following his conviction after trial in April 2016.

Osborne was convicted of racketeering, conspiracy, robbery, attempted murder, witness retaliation, assault with a dangerous weapon, drug conspiracy, and brandishing and discharging firearms during the commission of these offenses. These charges arose out of the defendant’s participation in, and leadership of the Rollin’ 60s set of the Crips that for many years in Roosevelt, an area victimized by a high rate of gang- and drug-related violent crime.

Between 2003 and 2013, members of the gang followed an “on sight” rule established by Osborne that commanded gang members to attack rival Bloods in Roosevelt whenever possible and by whatever means available. In addition, numerous other shootings and murders were committed at Osborne’s direction.

During the trial, the government elicited details of 15 shootings and three homicides that were committed by members of the Rollin’ 60s during Osborne’s reign and established that the gang financed its activities through firearms and narcotics trafficking. In one of those shootings, Osborne ordered the murder of a federal informant in October 2012. Beginning in the spring of 2012, law enforcement, with the aid of a Rollin’ 60s gang member informant, began purchasing guns from the gang.

After the informant attempted to purchase a gun from Osborne, Osborne became suspicious and ordered other gang members to kill him. On October 13, 2012, a gang member lured the informant from his Hempstead home to a location where a fellow gang member was waiting. The informant was shot five times at close range, leaving him paralyzed.

Osborne was also responsible for distributing crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methylone, commonly known as “molly,” and for bringing hundreds of illegal firearms to Long Island, including revolvers, semi-automatic handguns, assault rifles, and submachine guns.

The government’s investigation led to the arrest of 20 members and associates of Osborne’s gang. Of those defendants, 18 have been convicted, with the final two defendants pending trial. Osborne is the eighth defendant to be sentenced since the inception of this case.

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