Long Island Man Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Racketeering

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Terrill Latney, an associate of the “Red Stone Gorilla” subset of the Bloods, a violent criminal enterprise based in Riverhead, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 20 years’ imprisonment for racketeering, including the predicate acts of conspiring to distribute narcotics and participating in the murder of Thomas Lacolla while attempting to kill a rival of the gang.  Latney pled guilty in February 2020. 

Seth D. DuCharme, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.

“With today’s sentence, justice has been served for years of drug dealing, violence and murder, which wreaked havoc in Riverhead and the surrounding area,” stated Acting United States Attorney DuCharme.  “This outcome brings a measure of closure to the victims and stands for the principle that we remain ever-committed to dismantling violent street gangs on Long Island and restoring safety and the rule of law to every community.”  Mr. DuCharme expressed his grateful appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, and the Suffolk County East End Drug Task Force.

As detailed in the government’s court filings and admitted at the guilty plea proceeding, Latney participated in the distribution of large quantities of crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin in and around Riverhead over the course of nearly a decade.  In addition, on November 17, 2015, Latney assisted members of the Bloods in their attempt to kill a rival gang member which resulted in the shooting death of that rival’s friend, Thomas Lacolla.  Latney drove three Bloods members to a location in Riverhead where they fired more than 39 shots into a vehicle they believed was occupied by their intended target, but instead shot Lacolla, instantly killing him. 

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 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: 40
Mastic Beach, New York

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