Department of Justice

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”); John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”); and Keechant Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of a nine-count superseding indictment charging four members of the “Mac Ballers” subset of the national Bloods gang in the Bronx, New York. GLEN CARWELL, a/k/a “Tink,” a/k/a “Tinky,” SHAWNDALE LEWIS, a/k/a “Nore,” COREY BATCHELOR, a/k/a “Corey Balla,” and JORDAN TOWNSEND were charged with racketeering conspiracy, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, and firearms offenses. CARWELL and LEWIS were also charged with narcotics conspiracy. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman.

CARWELL was already in custody in connection with robbery and firearms charges contained in a previous indictment related to this prosecution. LEWIS was arrested this morning and presented in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. BATCHELOR was also arrested this morning in North Carolina and presented before a Magistrate Judge in the Western District of North Carolina. TOWNSEND remains at large.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “We allege that for years, the Mac Baller set of the Bloods has terrorized the New York area, and especially the Bronx, by pouring addictive drugs into our community, committing robberies, and engaging in shootings. These charges reflect our commitment to keeping our community safe by targeting gang members who engage in violence, as we allege these defendants did.”

HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso said:  “Today, we announce the arrests of multiple members of the ‘Mac Ballers’ street gang who, as alleged, have participated in escalating acts of violence, to include attempted homicide, in their efforts to protect and control their territory. HSI is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to disrupt and dismantle these dangerous street gangs who terrorize our neighborhoods in an effort to further their criminal enterprises.”

ATF Special Agent in Charge John B. DeVito said:  “New York residents deserve to live, work, and thrive free of fear and trauma. This is yet another example of law enforcement’s commitment to ensure just that for our citizens. Thanks to the leadership of HSI and NYPD for their hard work to reduce violent crime. ATF is proud to support and work alongside our partners in the collective cause of public safety. Our neighborhoods deserve to flourish without fear or intimidation caused by violent criminal gangs.”

NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said:  “Gang violence threatens the safety of New Yorkers and puts communities in the crosshairs of drug trafficking and drug-related crimes. This case highlights the NYPD’s relentless pursuit of those few individuals who drive the violence and disorder in our city, and today’s indictment reflects our continued focus on removing them from our streets. I commend all of our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District, the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York Field Division of the ATF for their diligence on this important case.”

According to the allegations in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]

From at least in or about late 2014 through 2022, the Mac Ballers was a criminal enterprise centered in the northeastern United States, including in the Bronx, New York, and in the jails and prisons of New York City and the State of New York. In order to make money for the gang, protect the gang’s territory, and promote the gang’s standing, members of the Mac Ballers engaged in, among other things, narcotics trafficking, fraud and identity theft, and acts of violence, including robberies and attempted murders. To that end, Mac Baller members sold heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana, promoted their gang affiliation on social media, possessed firearms, and engaged in shootings as part of their gang membership and narcotics trafficking. As part of their membership in the gang, from 2017 to 2022, all four defendants participated in a conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, resulting in the attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon of a victim on October 19, 2021.

*                *                *

A chart containing the charges and minimum and maximum penalties each defendant faces is attached. The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI, ATF, the NYPD, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office.

The charges are the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) operation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.  

This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jacob R. Fiddelman, Peter J. Davis, Elizabeth A. Espinosa, and Frank J. Balsamello are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.