Lower East Side Gang Member Charged In Connection With 2021 Manhattan Murder Of Sixteen-Year-Old

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations ("HSI"), Pete Gizas, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department ("NYPD"), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the arrest and unsealing of a seven-count Indictment charging RAJAHSHUWEH RHODES, a/k/a "Skii Dot," a/k/a "skiidot.b," a/k/a "bdot," in connection with the October 15, 2021 murder of Isaiah Levine who was sixteen years old when he was shot in the side of the head while standing on a sidewalk in Manhattan. RHODES will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman.

"Those choosing to engage in gang violence, terrorize our neighborhoods, and put innocent lives at risk will be held accountable for their actions," said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. "The residents of the Lower East Side, just like everyone in this city, deserve safety, accountability, and peace. The passage of time does not mean a case is forgotten, and we will pursue every lawful avenue to bring justice to offenders and to victims and their family members who will always have the unwavering support of the men and women in this Office."

"As alleged, the defendant's gunfire shattered an ordinary moment on a Manhattan sidewalk, taking the life of 16-year-old Isaiah Levine, injuring a second victim, and leaving a household and community to live with the consequences," said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Gizas. "Justice, even years later, cannot restore the life of a teenager taken far too soon from his loved ones and the city he called home. Today, nearly five years to the day of Isaiah's murder, we seek to provide a measure of closure to Isaiah's family and to New Yorkers who deserve to feel safe on the streets of Manhattan and throughout our city. Together with the NYPD and the Southern District of New York, HSI New York stands resolute in our shared commitment to deliver answers for those whose lives have been forever changed by gang violence."

"This defendant, a member of the New York Blood Brim Army, allegedly shot two people, murdering a 16-year-old, in a busy Lower East Side neighborhood," said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. "Gun violence anywhere in our communities will not be tolerated, and the NYPD will continue to go after violent gangs, take guns off our streets, and hold the drivers of violence accountable. I thank our investigators and law enforcement partners for their diligent work on this case and commitment to keeping New York City safe."

As alleged in the Indictment, and based on statements made in public court proceedings:

From at least 2019 through in or about 2026, RHODES was a member and associate of the New York Blood Brim Army, a violent gang that operates throughout New York City, among other locations, and whose members engage in murders, robberies, and the trafficking of controlled substances, including marihuana. On or about October 15, 2021, in connection with a gang-related dispute, RHODES shot sixteen-year-old Isaiah Levine in the head and killed him at the intersection of Delancey Street and Suffolk Street in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. RHODES's gunfire also struck another individual in the leg, who survived.

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RHODES, 23, of Manhattan, New York, 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 mandatory term of life in prison or death; one count of attempted murder and assault in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison; one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison; and three counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence or a drug trafficking offense, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison.

The statutory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding investigative efforts of HSI New York's Violent Gangs Task Force, the NYPD, including the Intelligence Officers of the NYPD's Police Service Area 4, 7th Precinct Detective Squad, and Manhattan South Homicide Squad.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office's Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Stone and Kathryn Wheelock are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is 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 in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

   2026.10.08_-_rhodes_-_indictment.pdf