More than a dozen gang members were indicted after committing a year’s worth of violence, including the beating death of a teenager in Harlem, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced on Wednesday.
Thirteen members of the “OY” gang allegedly committed months of violence, including the killing of 16-year-old Tresaun Clements in October 2024. Gang members mistakenly identified the boy as a rival gang member; Clements was not a member of a rival gang, Bragg’s office said.
The district attorney said 12 of the 13 defendants were charged in a state Supreme Court indictment with one count of second-degree conspiracy and one count of fourth-degree conspiracy. In total, the defendants are charged with 66 counts, including various counts of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted assault and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
“As alleged, the defendants worked together to brazenly and indiscriminately commit a wide range of violence, including several shootings, a homicide and a vicious slashing, that harmed both rivals and innocent bystanders in Manhattan,” Bragg said. “This violence was needless and resulted in the death of a young man who should be alive today. The defendants allegedly engaged in criminal conduct for months across the Harlem and Upper Manhattan communities.”
According to court documents and statements made on the record, the OY gang is based in Central Harlem and had ongoing feuds with several rival groups, including over drug sales.
Members of the gang, including Alfred Bernard, Ronald Pendergast, Tyjae Smith, Shasha Davis, Dandre Murray, Rashamel Johnson and Jason Barnes approached Clements near West 148th Street and Bradhurst Avenue on June 18, 2024, asking if he was from the Polo Houses before robbing him.
Per the investigation, Bernard allegedly punched the boy in the face, causing him to fall to the ground and become unconscious. He eventually slipped into a coma and died several weeks later.
Additionally, on Jan. 28, Smith, Pendergast and another defendant, Boschi Pope, Jr. smuggled two scalpel blades through security at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse at 100 Centre Street. Once inside, the defendants went into Supreme Court Part 93 and spotted two rivals. Later in the day, the defendants left the court, waiting for the rivals to leave before slashing them. Court officers were able to intervene.
The Dec. 10 indictment alleges various shootings involving the defendants. Nearly all of the incidents occurred throughout 2024 and included shootings at delis and in the middle of streets near innocent bystanders. 14 semi-automatic firearms were recovered throughout the investigation.
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