'Highly Organized' New York Mobsters With Ties to Florida Sentenced

Just when you thought New York mobsters were a thing of the past, in a plot straight out of a crime drama, reality proves otherwise. Two high-ranking leaders of the Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang, a "highly organized" group according to the official report, were sentenced to 35 years in prison this week, marking a major victory for law enforcement in a case that has drawn attention to the gang's violent operations across the U.S., including Florida.

Dwight Reid, known as “Dick Wolf,” and Christopher Erskine, a.k.a. “Beagle,” were sentenced in a New York courtroom after being found guilty of racketeering and drug trafficking. Reid, the founder and prison leader of the gang, and Erskine, who controlled street operations, oversaw a network involved in murders, drug deals, and fraud schemes from New York to Florida.

Florida’s connection to the gang’s activities became clear during the trial. Among the incidents linked to Gorilla Stone was an October 2020 shooting outside a Miami strip club, where two rival gang members were seriously injured. In another violent episode in July 2020, a house party in Miami turned bloody when gang members opened fire.

Reid founded the Gorilla Stone gang more than 20 years ago, building a highly organized network with strict internal rules enforced through violence. The gang, which refers to its chapters as “Caves,” operates across multiple states.

Authorities revealed that the gang’s revenue streams extended beyond traditional drug trafficking, with members orchestrating elaborate fraud schemes, including a COVID-19 unemployment benefits scam.

Multiple police departments worked in collaboration with federal agencies to bring the group to justice.

All 21 defendants charged in the case have been convicted. Sentences range from three years to 35 years, with the majority of the gang’s leadership now behind bars.

Reid and Erskine’s sentencing, officials say, sends a strong message to other criminal organizations operating in Florida and beyond.
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"Reid and Erskine’s convictions and lengthy sentences, as well as our successful prosecution of many of the gang’s most senior and violent members, send an important message to gang leaders that they will be convicted and sentenced to significant terms in prison," said US Attorney Damian Williams.