Former Godfather Of 59 Brims Gang Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that WILLIE EVANS was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels to 20 years in prison for racketeering offenses related to his leadership role as the former godfather of the 59 Brims gang, a set of the violent Bloods street gang that operates throughout the U.S., including New York City. During his eight-year run as godfather of the 59 Brims, EVANS oversaw the gang's day-to-day operations and supervised its most violent and dangerous crimes. EVANS was the last of 22 defendants in the 59 Brims case before Judge Daniels to have been convicted and sentenced.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: "Willie Evans's sentencing marks a pivotal moment in our ongoing battle against organized crime. While the 59 Brims and other gangs may still linger, they do so on borrowed time. With each conviction, their power weakens, and we will continue to dismantle these networks piece by piece until our streets are safe for all."

According to the Indictments, public court filings, and statements made in court:

The 59 Brims operated in and around Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn, New York. Members of the 59 Brims engaged in a series of violent disputes with rivals, including those within the 59 Brims who they deemed disloyal. During these disputes, members and associates of the gang committed multiple murders, shootings, robberies, and assaults against their rivals and fellow members. Members of the 59 Brims sold heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine, and marijuana and committed, or attempted to commit, acts of violence to protect and expand their narcotics business.

Among other crimes committed by the gang, the 59 Brims was responsible for the following:

On November 29, 2018, after a victim was lured to JERLAINE LITTLE's apartment building, JAMARR SIMMONS and other 59 Brims gang members, including MARKQUEL SIMMONS, MARKELL BOBIAN, TYRONE ERVIN, and SEAN GAMBRELL, robbed the victim at gunpoint and pistol-whipped the victim.

On March 30, 2019, JAMARR SIMMONS and TIMOTHY COLEMAN committed a stabbing of a rival gang member outside of a bar at 145 East 149th Street in the Bronx. Surveillance video captured COLEMAN and JAMARR SIMMONS committing the stabbing.

In July 2019, LITTLE was kicked out of the 59 Brims over a dispute with a fellow gang member. Shortly thereafter, LITTLE joined the Mac Baller Brims, a rival gang. EVANSordered members of the 59 Brims to slash LITTLE. JAMARR SIMMONS and SYLVESTER WINT discussed having LITTLE slashed. Thereafter, members of the gang successfully slashed LITTLE on or about August 8, 2019.

On August 24, 2019, EVANSconspired with WINT and SHAMARE REID to commit a shooting of rival gang members. Shortly after midnight on August 24, 2019, two victims were shot multiple times outside of a bodega in front of 755 East 216th Street in the Bronx (both victims survived). Surveillance video captured WINT and REID committing the shooting of the rival gang members. EVANS, as the godfather of the 59 Brims, subsequently criticized WINT for letting himself be caught on camera: "Why y'all was walking Back & forth like that Bammy [camera] kaught ya Face Good."

In the early morning hours of September 28, 2019, JAMARR SIMMONS and MARKQUEL SIMMONS told Bradford Mensah to come to Crotona Park in the Bronx to receive gang discipline from others, including EVANS, because Mensah had been seen hugging LITTLE after he had been kicked out of the gang. Sometime after Mensah arrived at Crotona Park, he was shot at point blank range in the back of the head and died.

On January 11, 2020, JAMARR SIMMONS, DARON GOODMAN, JOSE RODRIGUEZ, DARNELL COOPER, and Jason Parris were together on the sidewalk near 1437 Webster Avenue in the Bronx. A rival gang member punched Jason Parris and a fight broke out that continued into the middle of the street on Webster Avenue. While the fight was ongoing in the middle of the street, GOODMAN fired a shot that errantly struck Parris in the throat, killing him.

All 22 defendants in the 59 Brims case before Judge Daniels have been convicted and sentenced. In addition to EVANS's sentence, Judge Daniels has imposed the following sentences, among others:

• JAMARR SIMMONS was sentenced to 20 years in prison;
• GOODMAN was sentenced to 12 years in prison;
• COLEMAN was sentenced to eight years in prison;
• and WINT, ERVIN, JAVARIS JENKINS, REID, and MARCUS AYALA were each sentenced to seven years in prison.

* * *

In addition to the prison term, EVANS, 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.

This case is being handled by the Office's Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran and Peter J. Davis are in charge of the prosecution.

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