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Press Release

Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to Racketeering, Including a Murder in Riverhead

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York
Defendant Assisted the Red Stone Gorilla Bloods Gang in Drug Trafficking and Violence on the East End of Long Island

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Terrill Latney, an associate of the Red Stone Gorilla “set” of the Bloods street gang based in Riverhead, pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge A. Kathleen Tomlinson to racketeering, including conspiring to distribute narcotics and participating in the murder of Thomas Lacolla on November 17, 2015.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea.

“As a result of the outstanding work by our prosecutors, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Suffolk County East End Drug Task Force, Latney has been held accountable for his role in a large-scale narcotics distribution operation and a senseless act of violence that took a man’s life,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “We hope today’s guilty plea begins to bring a measure of closure to the victim’s family.”

As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, Latney participated in the distribution of large quantities of crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin in the Riverhead area for nearly a decade.  On November 17, 2015, Latney assisted members of the Bloods in their attempt to kill a rival gang member.  Specifically, Latney drove three Bloods members to a location in Riverhead where they fired at least 39 shots into a vehicle that they erroneously believed was occupied by the rival gang member.  In fact, the car was occupied by Lacolla, who was killed in the fusillade. 

When sentenced, Latney faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Boeckmann and Michael Maffei are in charge of the prosecution.   

Defendant:

TERRILL LATNEY (also known as “Motis” and “Mo”)
Age:  39
Mastic Beach, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-606 (S-2) (JS)

Contact

John Marzulli
United States Attorney’s Office
(718) 254-6323

Updated February 7, 2020

Topics
Drug Trafficking
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Violent Crime