Indictment Charges 7 Hartford Gang Members with Murder & Racketeering Offenses

Press Release

Seven alleged members of a violent Hartford gang have been charged in a federal indictment accusing them of a years-long interstate RICO conspiracy involving multiple murders, attempted murder, gun trafficking, extortion, arson, drug trafficking, and other crimes.

The announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; Sharmese L. Walcott, State's Attorney for the Hartford Judicial District; Hartford Police Chief Kenny A. Howell; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The 15-count indictment (attached), which was returned by a grand jury in Hartford on January 8, 2025, charges

ANGEL RIVERA, a.k.a. "Rico," a.k.a. "Slatt," 24
RAQUAN KNIGHT, a.k.a. "RQ,"21
PAUL DOWNER, a.k.a. "Luap Benji," 28
MEKHI THOMPSON, a.k.a. "Midnight,"24
PAUL CLARKE, a.k.a. "Tommy Bunz," 30
TYSHON WALKER, a.k.a. "Pone Gwapoo,"26
JOSHUA CRUZ, a.k.a. "Hop-out Curly," 24

Clarke and Walker were arrested on January 9, 2025, and were ordered detained. Rivera, Knight, Thompson, and Cruz were previously detained in state custody on related charges, and Downer was previously detained in state custody for unrelated offenses.

The indictment alleges that the Hoodstar Gzz gang, which since it was formed in 2010 has referred to itself by a variety of names, including "Hoodstars," "Hoodstarz," "Hoodstar Gzz," and "Gz," generally operates between Capen, Westland, Enfield, and Main Streets in Hartford. The gang has distributed narcotics and engaged in multiple violent acts against rival gang members and innocent citizens; trafficked narcotics in Vermont and moved firearms from Vermont to Connecticut; utilized stolen vehicles in furtherance of the gang's affairs and burned vehicles that were used in the commission of crimes; and recorded and distributed rap music to promote the gang's criminal activity.

Among the violent acts committed by the defendants, the indictment alleges that:

• On April 16, 2019, Thompson attempted to murder members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to individuals with the initials T.J., G.C., and J.H. in Hartford.
• On January 22, 2021, Downer shot R.F. in the femoral artery for failure to pay a drug debt in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.
• On April 10, 2021, Rivera, Knight, Cruz, and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates shot and killed Jamari Preston, a member of the rival Ave gang and wounded J.O. in Hartford.
• On January 18, 2022, Rivera, Walker, and Cruz and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates shot at A.G., a.k.a. "Watts," and shot and injured J.O. in Hartford.
• On January 18, 2022, Rivera, Walker, Cruz, and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates shot and killed Kendall Fair, a.k.a. "Swerve," and shot and injured J.W. in Hartford.
• On June 19, 2022, Knight shot E.A. in Hartford.
• On August 1, 2022, Rivera and other members and associates of the Hoodstar Gzz gang shot and killed Brian Evans and shot and injured D.G. and J.M. in Hartford.
• On September 14, 2022, Thompson and Rivera got into a confrontation with Devante Gardner over a rental car Thompson failed to return. Thompson then shot and killed Gardner.
• On October 27, 2022, Thompson and Rivera were involved in a car accident with a black Nissan sedan. Thompson and Rivera fled the scene. The Nissan followed them for approximately 1.6 miles. Thompson then exited the vehicle and shot and killed the driver of the Nissan, Manuel Rodriguez.

"We allege that members of the Hoodstar Gzz have engaged in murder and numerous other violent acts against both rival gang members and innocent civilians, and their criminal activity extended to northern Vermont, where they trafficked drugs and acquired firearms, some of which they transported back to Connecticut," said U.S. Attorney Avery. "This case is a clear demonstration of our commitment to relentlessly pursue and dismantle organizations that threaten the peace and security of our communities. The effort to connect these violent acts and bring these individuals to justice has been a collaborative one, and I want to thank the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies involved for their dedication to make our communities, both here in Connecticut and in Vermont, safer."

This indictment - which is the first RICO indictment since the launch of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Hartford in April 2024 - alleges that the defendants engaged in numerous violent acts, including shooting at suspected rival gang members and shooting and killing a motorist with whom two of the defendants got into a car accident," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "Violent gangs like the Hoodstars terrorize local communities and threaten safety across Hartford. Today's announcement demonstrates that the VCI is already making an impact in Hartford, through the deployment of Criminal Division resources, in close coordination with our partners, to target the specific drivers of violent crime and hold gang members accountable for their crimes."

"The Hartford State's Attorney's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office have endeavored to partner on crime reduction strategies to benefit the community, law enforcement, and improve case outcomes," said Hartford State's Attorney Walcott. "There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into building these cases and it takes a team of people all rowing the same direction. These arrests are a clear sign of our commitment to making a significant impact on gun violence in and around the Hartford community, and we will continue to work, tirelessly, to bring to justice those responsible."

"For more than two years, the FBI and its law enforcement partners have worked tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle the Hoodstarz organization," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Fuller. "This violent criminal organization has been responsible for wreaking havoc in the Hartford area and its takedown is a positive step forward in the never-ending quest to keep our community safe. Let this be a firm message that the FBI and its local, state, and federal partners will remain relentless in the fight to identify, disrupt, and dismantle violent criminal organizations."

"Criminal gangs terrorize communities, leaving violence and destruction in their wake," said HSI Special Agent in Charge Krol. "These individuals have been charged with crimes ranging from firearms possession to murder and, if convicted, will face serious federal prison time. HSI works with our state, local, and federal partners to dismantle criminal gangs like the Hoodstar Gzzs and help communities reclaim their safety and their streets."

The indictment charges Rivera, Knight, Downer, Thompson, Clarke, Walker, and Cruz with one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, an offense that ordinarily carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. If the defendants are convicted of a special sentencing factor, they face a maximum term of imprisonment of life. These defendants are also charged with conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, which carries a mandatory sentence of at least 10 years' imprisonment.

The indictment also charges Rivera and Thompson with murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering ("VCAR") statute. This offense carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of life, or death if the government seeks the death penalty in this matter. Both defendants are also charged with using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least 10 years of imprisonment, and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, or death if the government seeks the death penalty in this matter.

Finally, the indictment charges Cruz and Walker with possessing a machine gun during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least 30 years of imprisonment, and illegal possession of a machine gun, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.

This prosecution is a part of the Justice Department's Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Hartford, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) programs.

The VCI surges law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups that are threatening the safety and security of communities in the cities across the nation. The VCI utilizes prosecutors from the Criminal Division's Violent Crime and Racketeering Section - the nation's foremost experts in racketeering prosecutions - to work alongside prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, as well as dedicated investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from FBI, ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

PSN brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI's Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, HSI, ATF, the Hartford Police Department, the East Hartford Police Department, the Windsor Police Department, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, the Connecticut Department of Correction, the St. Johnsbury (Vt.) Police Department, the Northfield (Vt.) Police Department, and the Vermont State Police.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Shan Patel from the District of Connecticut, and Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker and Christopher Usher from the Criminal Division's Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont.

Updated January 15, 2025