NYC ‘Real Ryte’ gang members sentenced after ‘video game’ like street war with rival ‘Breadgang’ crew
Some “Real Ryte” gangbangers are about to do some real time behind bars.
A leader of the Brooklyn-based street gang and two underlings were each hit with decade-long sentences after a bungling car chase down a wrong-way street that ended with an innocent bystander mistakenly shot, prosecutors said.
Semaj “Bam Bam” Smith, 30, was slapped with an 11-year sentence in a Brooklyn US District Court on Monday after pleading guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, according to the office of the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
His colleagues Mark “Telly” Waiters, 26, and Real Ryte honcho Dajahn “Jeezy Mula” McBean, 28, were each sentenced last month to more than 12 years in prison for their roles in the ongoing feud with rival Breadgang crew, which is affiliated with the 50-Brims, a subset of the Bloods, prosecutors said.
“We will not tolerate our communities being turned into scenes out of video games with gang warfare, reckless shootings and car chases,” said Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Breon Peace.
“Today’s sentence shows that individuals, like these defendants, who don’t get that message will be punished with significant time in prison,”
Between 2015 and 2018, Real Ryte and Breadgang were locked in a street war that included a series of shootings, including one which resulted in the murder of Real Ryte’s Sean Pert, prosecutors said.
In an alleged retaliation attempt, Smith, McBean, and Waiters tracked down a BreadGang member in Manhattan, and chased him in cars down the wrong way of a one-way street, according to officials.
An innocent bystander mistaken for the Breadgang rival ended up shot but survived, prosecutors said.
“The defendants have dedicated themselves to committing violent crimes on behalf of their gang without any regard for endangering the public,” Peace said.
The brazen gangbangers of the Real Ryte crew were also known to commit other acts of violence, including transgressions involving murder and assault, and engaged in bank fraud, wire fraud and other crimes, according to officials.
