18 Indicted in Riverhead Gang Takedown Spanning Murders, Robberies & Shootings

District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced the 57-count indictment Friday, calling it the result of a long-term, multi-agency investigation into the group known as the “48 Gang,” which authorities say operated primarily in Riverhead.

The indictment alleges the defendants were involved in criminal activity from 2021 through 2025, including two homicides, at least five additional shootings, eight armed robberies and the possession of 13 illegal firearms. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including local police departments, the FBI and U.S. Marshals.

“This indictment is yet another example of my office’s steadfast commitment to eliminating gang violence in Suffolk County,” Suffolk District Attorney Tierney said. “Once again, working with all our local and federal partners throughout Long Island, we were able to secure this consequential indictment and help bring justice to victims of gang violence throughout Suffolk County. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, gangs and illegal weapons have no place in Suffolk County, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that any gang member, or anyone aiding gang members, operating in Suffolk County, will be brought to justice.”

Tierney said in a Friday press conference the gang took its name from locations tied to its members, including Oakland Drive, Doctors Path and East Main Street. While some members were affiliated with larger gangs, Tierney said their primary loyalty was to the Riverhead-based group.

Among those charged are Justin Dicks, 24, and Jacob Moore, 24, both of Riverhead, who are accused in the October 2021 killing of 18-year-old Marcel Arrington in Mastic Beach. Prosecutors allege the pair lured Arrington under the pretense of a marijuana sale, then attempted to rob him before Dicks fatally shot him.

Nickomas Allen, 38, is charged in the January 2023 killing of James Ayers, 47, who was shot following a dispute on East Main Street in Riverhead, authorities said.

The indictment also names Kyren Braunskill, 34, a Mount Vernon police detective, who is accused of conspiring to supply illegal firearms to gang members before joining law enforcement. Prosecutors said the alleged conduct occurred prior to his appointment as a police officer in December 2022.

Investigators said gang members used shared weapons to carry out shootings and robberies, including a pair of 7-Eleven stickups in 2023 and a violent 2024 deli robbery in Flanders in which a clerk was pistol-whipped.

“We not only charge the shooters, but we charge those who order the violence, those who fund the violence, those who acquire the weapons, and those who attempt to cover up the violence,” Tierney said.