Bloodhound Brim Bust: Riverhead Cops Help Lead Takedown of CA-Led Alleged East End Gang Members

A Riverhead Town Police detective helped spearhead a years-long joint investigation that resulted in the arrest of a reputed East End street gang boss who reported to a notorious California prison inmate.

Det. Daniel Hogan was one of three lead investigators on the case in which Bloodhound Brim Street Gang founder Latique “La Brim” Johnson, who is serving 30 years in federal prison, was charged with giving orders to the local Bloods set whose alleged Suffolk County leader was 22-year-old Octavious Rose — one of six Riverhead residents among 31 arrested in the Long Island-wide gang bust.

“(These) arrests highlight law enforcement’s ability to reduce violence across all of Suffolk County when there is a common goal and interagency collaboration,” Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller said when authorities announced the indictments on February 15.

The joint investigation included investigators from the Suffolk sheriff’s office, federal Homeland Security Investigations agents, Southampton Town Police detectives, Suffolk prosecutors’ gang task force, the Suffolk police gun crime reduction unit and the U.S. Marshals. Together they executed more than 100 search warrants leading up to the arrests and the recovery of 12 loaded handguns.

Prosecutors said charges in the 103-count indictment covered 34 incidents, including the murder of a schoolteacher who was mistaken for a suspected informant in the gang’s ranks, three armed robberies and 18 shootings over the past three years — one of which occurred in the Hamptons.

Rose allegedly fired gunshots at The Bays Bar & Grill in Hampton Bays on July 1, 2023 amid the years-long turf war with other local street gangs, according to police and court documents. Southampton Town Police officials said investigators responded to a report of shell casings from a handgun found outside of the establishment following a report of a disturbance at that location earlier that morning.

“Too many people in our community are exploited or otherwise victimized by gang violence and criminal activity,” Southampton Town Police Chief James Kiernan said. “We are aware that some of our newer residents are more vulnerable to becoming targets of this gang activity. We are here for you!”

Johnson, a 44-year-old Bronx native, was previously convicted of narcotics trafficking and ordering two shootings of rival gang members who survived, had been also known by the street names “Straight 2 Business,” “Breezy” and “Boss Dog,” with members referring to him as the “Godfather.”

Three years after he was incarcerated, in 2022 he published the self-help book Making Your Wrongs Right: Through Prayer and Scripture in which he describes himself as a born-again Christian. But authorities said he was still leading local chapters of his gang — which he founded while serving a New York State prison sentence for manslaughter and attempted murder — from 2,500 miles away in Victorsville, California, where he is currently imprisoned. Authorities said the gang used code words in an attempt to thwart investigators.

“Johnson recruited members based on their violent reputations and willingness to follow his orders,” Geoffrey S. Berman, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at the time of Johnson’s sentencing.

In addition to Rose, Johnson also allegedly communicated his orders to the gang through two suspected up-island leaders, 26-year-old Jussiah “Lokko” Herbert of Copiague and 27-year-old Oumar “Dollo” Barry of Hempstead, who deposited money that the gang made from robberies and illegal drug sales into Johnson’s prison account, which had a balance of $31,000, authorities said.

The LI chapter of the gang sought to establish itself as the most violent gang in response to the murder of one of its members, according to investigators. The string of shootings started on Aug. 23, 2021, seven hours after a member of the gang was fatally shot, with the suspected killer’s North Amityville home the target, authorities said. Although there were no reported injuries in that case, there were victims in others.

“Unfortunately, the violence that these alleged gang members and associates inflicted upon our community ended up taking the life of Kimberly Midgette, a 44-year-old schoolteacher,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said of the April 1, 2023, fatal drive by shooting in Hempstead.

Alleged gang members were in a stolen car when they opened fire on the vehicle she was sitting in, killing her and wounding a passenger, prosecutors said. The gunmen were promoted up the ranks of the gang for the killing, despite killing the wrong person, according to investigators.

The following month, members of the gang allegedly shot a marijuana dealer in the back at close range with a .45 caliber pistol while robbing the victim, authorities added. That victim — one of several pot dealers that the gang members allegedly robbed — survived following extended hospitalization.

As the reign of terror continued, Johnson grew upset with infighting that simmered between the gang members, with leaders at one point “fining” Rose for not following instructions, according to court documents. After Herbert and Barry were arrested, Rose became leader of the Suffolk chapter, tasked with collecting dues from gang members to pay tribute to Johnson, organizing regular meetings and giving orders to lower-ranking members and associates, including a “shoot to kill” order to target members of a rival set of the Bloods, according to authorities.

Rose pleaded not guilty on February 14 at Suffolk court to conspiracy, drug, firearms and reckless endangerment charges for shooting at suspected rival gang members’ houses in Brentwood, in addition to the Hamptons bar shooting.

Another Riverhead resident arrested in the case was Jayvonte Nash, 23, who pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, assault and weapons charges on February 15 for allegedly shooting at alleged rival gang members’ houses and ordering the robbery of a weed dealer, according to prosecutors. Three other Riverhead residents who pleaded not guilty to allegedly shooting at rival gang members’ houses were 21-year-old Javon “Stakkz” Holliday, 18-year-old Acorey “Demon” Hobbs, and 22-year-old Jaheim Woodson.

Rounding out the list of Riverhead suspects was Tanaya Love, 21, who pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbery for allegedly helping lure a weed dealer who gang members robbed and stabbed.

Johnson also faces a felony count of conspiracy. Barry was arrested in December and pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and ordered held without bail. All of the suspects face up to 25 years in prison, if convicted of the most serious charges they are facing.

Attorney information for the suspects was not immediately available.