The Roosevelt chapter leader of the Crips street gang was sentenced Friday to three consecutive life sentences plus 145 years in federal prison for violent crimes he was convicted of last year.
Raphael “Gusto” Osborne, who led the Rollin’ 60s set of the Crips, was found guilty of racketeering, conspiracy, robbery, attempted murder, witness retaliation, assault and weapons charges following his trial in April 2016 at Central Islip federal court.
Prosecutors said the 31-year-old gang leader financed the gang by selling hundreds of illegal guns in addition to dealing drugs such as crack cocaine, heroin marijuana and a new club drug known as molly. He also enacted an “on sight” rule requiring his members to attack members of the rival Bloods gang whenever and wherever they were spotted with whatever mean available, authorities said. And besides leading the gang at a time when his members committed 15 shootings, three murders, he also ordered a hit on a federal informant in 2012.
Osborne ordered the hit when he became suspicious after the informant tried to buy a gun from the gang leader himself. Osborne’s Crips later lured the victim from his Hempstead home and shot him five times at close range, leaving him paralyzed.
Osborne was among 20 Crips that were busted in 2013. Authorities have said a joint investigation between the FBI, Nassau County police and Nassau prosecutors kicked into high gear after a member of the Rollin’ 60s shot and wounded a Hempstead village police officer. When they announced the bust, authorities noted that the gang flaunted their guns, drugs and money in homemade rap videos posted on YouTube.
Of those arrested in that bust, 18 have been convicted and the remaining two are awaiting trial. Osborne is the eighth to be sentenced in connection with the bust. The other seven are all serving at least 10 years in federal prison each.
