Feds Charge 'Big Paper' Gang Member With 2018 Cold Case Murder

MOUNT VERNON, NY — Federal officials have charged members of a notorious gang in connection with a 2018 cold case murder.

A federal indictment charging James Bazemore, a/k/a “TJ,” with the broad daylight murder of Tasheen Williams on April 30, 2018 in Mount Vernon has been unsealed. On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, Special Agent-in-Charge of the ATF New York Field Division John DeVito, DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino and Mount Vernon Police Department Commissioner Glenn Scott announced the charges.

"In April 2018, Tasheen Williams was shot dead in broad daylight just as a local school was letting out, the victim of senseless gang-related violence," Williams said. "As alleged in the Indictment, James Bazemore is responsible for that murder, and Jared Mujaahid gave him the murder weapon. Thanks to the work of our remarkable law enforcement partners, Bazemore and Mujaahid now stand charged in federal court for this terrible crime."

The indictment also charges Jared Mujaahid, a/k/a “Jay,” with aiding and abetting assault with a deadly weapon by providing Bazemore with the gun Bazemore used to commit the murder. The federal indictment charges Bazemore and Mujaahid with racketeering conspiracy.

According to federal prosecutors, Bazemore and Mujaahid were members or associates of a racketeering enterprise known as "Big Paper." Members and associates of Big Paper committed, conspired, attempted and threatened violence against rivals, including murder and assault; conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics; and obtained, possessed and used firearms, including by brandishing and firing the weapons, authorities said.

On April 30, 2018, Bazemore stalked and fatally shot Tasheen Williams in Mount Vernon with a gun he acquired from Mujaahid.

"ATF’s top priority is investigating and apprehending those who commit firearms violence and those who provide firearms for use in violent crimes," Special Agent-in-Charge John DeVito said. "This indictment demonstrates the commitment of ATF and our great partners at DEA and the Mount Vernon Police Department to relentlessly pursue justice for victims of violent gun crime and hold those responsible accountable no matter how long it takes."

The Mount Vernon police commissioner said that the solving of the more-than-four-year-old cold case is just one example of how working closely with federal law enforcement has helped to make Mount Vernon safer.

"This arrest again shows that Mount Vernon continues to benefit from the partnership the MVPD has formed with its Federal Law Enforcement partners," Scott said. "The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, NY Field Office has shown how dedicated they are to assisting the MVPD with closing violent crime investigations. Mount Vernon Police has had Detectives assigned as Task Force Officers with the ATF for several years and this is just one of the many violent crimes that has been solved as a result of the hard work of the Detectives and the Special Agents from ATF. In cases of this magnitude the MVPD always strives to bring justice to the families effected by violence and we will utilize any and all resources and partnerships that we can do achieve that goal."

Bazemore is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum and minimum sentence of life in prison; and one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison to a maximum of life in prison.

Mujaahid is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison; one count of aiding and abetting assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison; and one count of aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a minimum of ten years in prison to a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Williams praised the work of the Bureau of the ATF and the DEA and thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the Mount Vernon Police Department for their assistance with the investigation.

Bazemore is detained pending trial on other federal charges and Mujaahid is serving a sentence from a prior federal conviction.