Members of a Chinese street gang huddled in an illegal Sunset Park gambling parlor and threw around thousands of dollars, until the feds busted the gang’s leader and seven others in 2015. Now, the federal government has flipped one of the alleged gang members in an attempt to bring down the whole crew.
Billy Chen was a member of the Zheng Organization that operated out of Sunset Park and Flushing, Queens until he cooperated against his gang members and sought a new life. As a result, Chen walked out of Brooklyn federal court Tuesday with five years’ probation in front of him.
“I know that I was wrong,” Chen said in court through a Chinese translator. “I will never again do bad things.”
The gang members, including leader Qian Zheng, were arrested on Dec. 15, 2015 on racketeering charges including extortion, drug dealing and illegal gambling, according to court documents.
“The Zheng Organization used violence and an array of criminal activities to enhance their power and protect their territory,” former FBI head Diego Rodriguez said in a statement. “It’s gang-related activity like this that infects our communities with an illness that kills our neighborhoods’ safety and growth.”
Chen quickly pleaded guilty and cooperated with the feds, sharing information about the gang and testifying against one of his fellow members at an open trial, prosecutors said.
“I think that Mr. Chen really was a model cooperator,” defense lawyer James Roth said in court.
Roth added that Chen now has three jobs to take care of his family and “was extremely, genuinely remorseful.”
Of the original 13-count indictment, Chen was charged for threatening and extorting a man with Jiayo Jiang in October 2013. Two months later, Zheng reportedly hired two men to beat the man and fire shots into his restaurant so he would pay a debt. The victim eventually handed over $2,000 and was not harmed.
Judge Carol Amon said Chen would have received more than two years in prison if he didn’t cooperate.
On multiple occasions, Zheng hired men to assault victims, including breaking the leg of one man and scarring another’s face.
The gang also allegedly dealt ketamine and MDMA, according to the indictment.
Zheng pleaded guilty on Jan. 31, 2017 to racketeering and is awaiting sentencing.
