Cops arrest ring leaders  ‘Havoc’, ‘Madcat’ and ‘Wavy Boy’

NYPD dismantle New York-Virginia gun ring in largest weapons seizure in Brooklyn, NY

Undercover cop buys 217 assault weapons, including tommy guns and handguns in Brooklyn from Virginia gun pipeline

24 suspects arrested, 22 in Virginia, one person from Brooklyn, one from Washington, D.C.

Investigators identify Damian ‘Havoc’ King, 27, of Bristow, Jacquan ‘Madcat’ Spencer, 22, of Hampton, and Levar ‘Wavy Boy’ Shelborne, 29, of Richmond, all in Va., as ring leaders

All three who used their illegal profits to finance high-rolling lifestyles of drugs, jewelry, clothes and sneakers were arrested last week in their home state of Virginia, awaiting extradition to New York

Other suspects include Antwan Walker, 21, and Kenneth ‘Trey’ Threatts, both of whom were caught boasting on the wiretaps

The largest firearms seizure in Brooklyn history, coupled with the indictment of two dozen suspects, capped an eight-month probe of a Virginia-to-New York gun pipeline, official said Wednesday.
Twenty-two of the suspects were residents of Virginia, and authorities said many of those implicated were members of the Bloods street gang.
Authorities seized a total of 217 handguns, rifles and assault-style weapons in the investigation that ran from June 2016 through February, 2017.
An undercover cop in New York City bought 217 assault weapons, tommy guns and handguns, dismantling a trafficking ring that exploited Virginia’s looser gun laws and sent sellers north on buses with bags full of weapons, prosecutors said Wednesday.
According to police, the investigation that ran from June 2016 through February, 2017 caught traffickers on wiretaps bragging about their ability buy guns for resale, authorities said. They used code words like “chopper” and “joint” to peddle the weapons, investigators said. Ammunition was “food.”
The kingpins were identified as a trio of Virginians who used their illegal profits to lead high-rolling lifestyles, spending their cash on drugs, jewelry, clothes and sneakers, officials said.
Virginia police arrested Damian (Havoc) King, 27, of Bristow, Va., Jacquan (Madcat) Spencer, 22, of Hampton, Va., and Levar (Wavy Boy) Shelborne, 29, of Richmond, Va., were arrested last week in their home state.

“We’re the big dogs, you get what I’m saying?” defendant Kenneth (Trey) Threatts boasted during a wiretapped conversation.
Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said 24 people were arrested, mostly in Virginia. One person was from Brooklyn, and one from Washington, D.C. They are charged in an indictment alleging a conspiracy to bring up to a dozen guns illegally into New York City at a time.
Walker, 21, and others were being held in Virginia awaiting extradition to New York and it wasn’t clear if he had an attorney who could comment on the charges. Police and prosecutors say they arrested ring leaders, plus straw purchasers who bought guns to give them to other defendants for resale.
Most illegal guns in the nation’s largest city come via southern states with laws that are less restrictive than New York’s.
A furious DA Gonzalez said the discrepancy in gun law enforcement among states must be changed. I find this case truly, truly infuriating,” he said. “As so long as anybody continues to peddle death in our borough we will continue this hard work … including beyond state lines.”
Investigators said the guns were bought in many different Brooklyn neighborhoods and were sold for up to $1,200 for a handgun and up to $2,200 for an assault weapon. Prosecutors said it was the largest number of guns purchased in one operation in Brooklyn.
Police Commissioner James O’Neill commended the effort.
“Over and over, New York City finds itself the final destination for illegal firearms,” he said.