Leaders of Brownsville-based gang convicted of racketeering, murder
This past Thursday, following approximately eight weeks of trial, a federal jury in Brooklyn returned guilty verdicts against Paul Rivera and Michael Garrett on charges of racketeering, murder, sex trafficking, narcotics trafficking, money laundering and witness tampering.
These charges arose out of the defendants’ participation in and leadership of a gang known as “Together Forever” or the rap group “TF Mafia” (also referred to as “TF”) that for many years engaged in narcotics trafficking, sex trafficking, gang activity and related violence in areas including Brownsville, a neighborhood victimized by a high rate of gang and drug related violent crime.
When sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto, both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment on the most serious charge.
The verdicts were announced by Kelly T. Currie, acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Diego Rodriguez, assistant director-in-charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York Field Office.