jury indicted 13 members of the Bricktown gang under a law designed to break up organized crime syndicates,

Syracuse police and federal prosecutors have targeted a Syracuse street gang that they connect with a previously unsolved homicide and in the shooting death of a toddler.
A federal grand jury indicted 13 members of the Bricktown gang under a law designed to break up organized crime syndicates, according to court papers filed today. It is the fifth time in eight years that federal authorities have used the racketeering law against street gangs for offenses usually prosecuted in state courts.
U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian is scheduled to announce the charges at a 2:30 p.m. news conference today. But court papers show 13 people have been indicted under the Racketeer-Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act.
They include Saquan Evans, 21, who's accused of killing 20-month-old Rashaad Walker in November when Evans fired into the back of a minivan of rival gang member. Evans is already facing a murder charge in state court in Rashaad's death. If he's convicted of the federal charge, he would face life in prison.


Rashaad Walker Jr.
Also indicted was Jarrell Williams, 20, who was accused for the first time in the drive-by fatal shooting of Anthony Ford in 2007. Ford, 32, was standing on his front porch on East Fayette Street at 4 a.m. Sept. 4 when a man opened fire from a passing vehicle, police said.
Ford died from a bullet to his chest. His cousin, Marie Bullard, survived a bullet to her neck.
Starting in 2000, Bricktown members used violence to control their crack cocaine trade in their territory, which stretched from Burt Street on the north to East Colvin Street on the south, and from South State Street on the west to Interstate 81 on the east, according to the indictment.
The indictment lists acts of gang violence that include the two homicides, eight other shootings, two knifings, seven instances of illegal gun possession, and 12 acts of selling or possessing crack cocaine.
Besides Evans and Williams the indictment charges: Demetrius Sullivan, Darnell Williams, Matthew Cheek, Miquan Russo, Shawntell Rush, Amadis Hunter, Ernest Hester, Jaycee Floyd, Jerome Clarke, Anthony Braswell, and Miguel Russo.
Since 2003, the Syracuse Gang Task Force has charged 81 alleged members of five Syracuse gangs under RICO.