Gang member indicted on attempted-murder charge

The leader of a Lakeview ‘Crip’ gang was indicted on a charge of attempted murder in aid of racketeering by a U.S. Eastern District grand jury on Oct. 4, according to Lt. Jim Vafeades of the Rockville Centre Police Department.

English Thomas, 28, the leader of the ‘Insane Gangsta Crips,’ is accused of firing shots at a rival ‘Bloods’ gang member, unnamed, in the vicinity of Front Street near the Rockville Centre Long Island Rail Road station on Feb. 21, 2011. According to the grand jury indictment, Thomas, along with others, attempted to kill the rival gang member in order to elevate his position in the Crips.

Thomas, also known as ‘Pop,’ faces additional charges of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and discharging a firearm during a crime.

Federal prosecutors filed the indictment on Sept. 27 in the U.S. District Court in Central Islip after an investigation by the RVCPD and the FBI.

Thomas, of Lakeview, is also on trial for his alleged role in the murder of Sandra Hackley, 36, a Yonkers resident, in April 2010. Thomas is accused by the Westchester County District Attorney’s office of being the getaway driver for Charles Parsley, 28 and Kasaun White, 29.

White, Thomas’s cousin, and Parsley were found guilty in March of murdering Hackley and wounding both her husband, Rafael Cornielle, 36, and her 12-year-old daughter. The two were sentenced on June 28 to 75 years to life in prison.

Thomas’s case is still ongoing and he faces charges of murder, assault, burglary and criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with evidence. According to the Westchester County district attorney’s office, the case is still pending, though prosecutors believe it will go to trial by the end of the year.

Thomas has been remanded to the Westchester County Jail since October 2011 and faces a maximum of 25 years to life on the top count of the Westchester indictment.

“It was an outstanding investigative effort by Rockville Centre detectives and FBI agents persevering to ensure a dangerous criminal was held responsible for a serious crime,” said RVCPD Commissioner Charles Gennario. “The detectives will continue to help process the case, together with the prosecutorial team.”