Federal prosecutors on Tuesday announced the indictment of seven alleged members of the Folk Nation gang, accusing them of involvement in a 2022 drive-by shooting in Canarsie that left one man hospitalized.
The four-count indictment, unsealed Sept. 10 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, charges the suspects with violent crimes in aid of racketeering, including conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and firearms offenses.
The suspects were identified as Brooklyn residents Kwyme Waddell, Rahim Frank, Mikey Jemison, Joel Myrie, and Jahi Nimmons, along with two Connecticut men, Paolo Alfarobarber and Sebastian Jocelyn. Prosecutors said five of the men were arrested Tuesday morning in Brooklyn and Bridgeport, Connecticut. Waddell is already in federal custody on unrelated charges, and Myrie remains at large.
Prosecutors allege the seven men carried out a drive-by shooting on Father’s Day 2022, targeting a group of people on East 94th Street in Canarsie. The attack resulted in the non-fatal shooting of a 28-year-old man, who was hospitalized but survived.
Waddell and Alfarobarber were identified as leaders of No Love City, a subset of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples. Prosecutors claim that the men, alongside Jocelyn and Myrie, stole a Dodge Charger and drove it in a three-car convoy, with Frank, Jemison and Nimmons following in decoy vehicles. The shooting is believed to be part of an ongoing feud with rival gangs in the area.
The indictment alleges the men fired multiple shots from two firearms at the group, striking the victim before fleeing. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace condemned the violence in a statement Tuesday, saying the suspects “terrorized Brooklyn residents” with “total disregard for human life” during the Father’s Day weekend attack.
Peace pledged to continue dismantling violent gangs like the Folk Nation, highlighting the multi-agency investigation that brought the case together. The FBI, NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division collaborated in the investigation.
According to court filings, the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples have been responsible for significant gun violence in Brooklyn over the past decade, particularly in neighborhoods such as Canarsie, Brownsville and Prospect Park South. The gang allegedly engages in drug trafficking, fraud, and counterfeit currency operations, with violence serving as a core tactic to advance the group’s interests and members’ reputations.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christie M. Curtis said the bureau remains committed to dismantling violent gangs that threaten community safety. NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the police department’s focus on combating gang violence.
“Targeting and tearing down gangs is a top priority,” said Caban. “I commend the tireless efforts of our Gun Violence Suppression Division and our law enforcement partners for their unwavering dedication to public safety.”
