Member Of Bronx Gang Pleads Guilty To Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Murder And Attempted Murder

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that today WALI BURGOS, a/k/a “Guy Fisher,” pled guilty to participating in a racketeering conspiracy, and in connection with that plea, admitted to committing the murder of Johnny Moore and a separate attempted murder of another intended victim, all in connection with a violent street gang known as “18 Park,” which is based primarily in and around the New York City Police Department’s 40th Precinct in the Bronx, New York.  As part of his guilty plea, BURGOS admitted to shooting and killing Johnny Moore, a 16-year-old, in the Patterson Houses area in the Bronx, and to committing a shooting and attempted murder in which Burgos fired shots at a rival gang member, hitting the rival gang member’s cap, knocking it off his head.  BURGOS faces a maximum term of life in prison, and will be sentenced before United States District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer on September 8, 2016.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said:  “For far too long, members of 18 Park and their rival gangs have terrorized the people of New York by engaging in all manner of mayhem – including murder, attempted murder, and other racketeering activities.  In 2013, Wali Burgos was acquitted of the murder of Johnny Moore after a jury trial in Bronx County Supreme Court.  Today, Burgos accepted responsibility for that murder and pled guilty to it in federal court.  Gang violence cannot be allowed to persist, and today’s guilty plea shows that law enforcement won’t give up until the perpetrators of such violence are brought to justice.”

According to the Indictment and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made during the plea proceedings:

BURGOS was a member of the Bronx-based street gang known as 18 Park, and in that capacity committed acts of violence with other gang members, including murder and attempted murder.  From at least 2006 to December 2015, members and associates of 18 Park enriched themselves by selling drugs, such as crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, and committed acts of violence, including murder and attempted murder, against various people, including rival gang members, rival drug traffickers, and innocent bystanders.  As part of this enterprise, members and associates of 18 Park – including BURGOS – killed and attempted to kill other individuals.  On May 29, 2011, BURGOS shot Moore to death in the Patterson Houses area.  On October 2, 2014, BURGOS shot at and attempted to murder a member of a rival gang, also in the Patterson Houses area.  BURGOS just missed the rival gang member, shooting the cap off his head.

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Mr. Bharara praised the work of ATF, the DEA, and the NYPD.  He also thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for their participation and support in this case.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys James McDonald, Samson Enzer, Dina McLeod, and Andrew Adams are in charge of the prosecution.