BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York says a member of Buffalo gang was sentenced to over 15 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy and other charges on Friday.
In addition, the attorney's office says a Buffalo woman who was convicted of making false declarations before a federal grand jury and obstruction of justice, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth T. Molisani and Paul C. Parisi say that 24-year-old Miquise Jones, aka Scaife of the Cash Been Long and Brothers for Life Gang, drove a vehicle on Dodge Street Buffalo in August 2015 with two co-defendants who shot at Victim J, a rival gang member, in retaliation for the shooting of Larell Watkins.
Later that month, Jones drove a vehicle to Genesee and Crossman Streets in Buffalo, with two co-defendants who shot at Victim K, a rival gang member.
In September 2015, Jones drove a vehicle with three co-defendants, and one of those co-defendants exited the vehicle, fired a gun numerous times at Victim L, a rival gang member on East Ferry Street in Buffalo.
According to investigators, Victim L sought refuge in a store and the co-defendant then opened up the door to the store and began to shoot inside of the store, where Victim L was injured after they were shot in the arm.
Investigators say roughly 20 minutes later, Jones drove the vehicle in the area of Genesee and Crossman Streets in Buffalo, where another co-defendant in the car fired shots hitting Victim K, a rival gang member.
In April 2016, Jones appeared in a video on Snapchat and displayed three firearms, then in June 2016, Jones was in a vehicle stopped by the Buffalo Police Department and possessed a Beretta semi-automatic pistol with ammunition.
In December 2016, Jones was at Skyzone in Cheektowaga when rival gang members shot at members of CBL/BFL Gang, resulting in Jones and others retaliating, as Jones drove to the bar called The Groove in Buffalo where a co-defendant fired gunshots at Victim L, a rival gang member.
Then in June 2017, Jones possessed marijuana packaged for distribution.
According to investigators, in July 2018, 25-year-old Shanna Smith while under oath, lied to a federal grand jury regarding the murder of Xavier Wimes on January 1, 2017, and the role of her cousin, Dalvon Curry who was a member of the CBL/BLF Gang, in that murder.
Smith testified that she was with Curry the night that Wimes was shot dead outside the Towne Gardens Apartments in Buffalo where the gang serves as a central hub.
Smith said that there were approximately 20 men around Wimes at the time he was shot, saying “Zave was fighting them, but I didn't - then I heard gunshots, but I didn't see who shot him. I just heard gunshots.”
She then testified that as police officers arrived, she saw the gun on the ground in the grass near the sidewalk, denying that she saw someone throw it.
Smith said, “Dal picked it up. I mean, he was probably trying to take it, but he threw it in the bushes when he saw the cops.”
In February 2020, a federal jury convicted Dalvon Curry, of murder in aid of racketeering for the death of Xavier Wimes.
Curry is awaiting sentencing.
