Long Island prosecutors indict 31 alleged gang members linked to 13 shootings

LONG ISLAND - Prosecutors have announced an indictment against 31 accused gang members who they say are responsible for 13 different shootings on Long Island.

One of the victims was Kimberly Collins Midgette, a beloved mother and schoolteacher. Police say she was killed after her car was mistaken for a rival gang member’s last summer in Hempstead.

Those responsible are said to be members of the Bloodhound Brims gang. It’s a subset of the Bloods, according to officials, who say these surveillance videos helped crack Midgette’s case and nearly two dozen others since 2021.

"We have this leader in California working through proxies to tell younger members in Nassau and Suffolk to commit shootings and other active violence on behalf of the gang," Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

The leader, Latique Johnson, was allegedly calling shots from his jail cell in California. 

Oumar Barry and Jussiah Herbert were at the top of the gang’s hierarchy on Long Island. Law enforcement seized tens of thousands of dollars from Johnson’s commissary account - they say he would collect dues from lower-ranking members.

Prosecutors say they played a role of some sort in multiple shootings, robberies and narcotics sales from Hempstead to the Hamptons. 

"The Bloodhound Brims is one of the most violent gangs we've ever seen and that’s why we stand here today to say we're prosecuting these cases as a team," Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly said.

Officials say gang activity is still active on Long Island, but these latest arrests help hamper operations while sending a clear message to active members.

Johnson, the ring leader, will be brought from California to Long Island to go before a judge. He faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. 

The goal, according to officials, is to hold these defendants on bail to keep them off the street. 

Officials are continuing to investigate and expect others arrests will follow.