Suffolk DA announces takedown of 'Mak Balla Family,' '9-Trey Bloods' gangs on Long Island

LONG ISLAND - Nearly 30 alleged gang members and associates have been arrested after separate long-term investigations tied to violent street gangs operating in Suffolk County. 

What we know:

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced two separate indictments on May 1:

• A 168-count indictment charges 22 alleged members and associates of the Mak Balla Family and its affiliated crews "4Eva Rich" and "Real Ni**az Only". The indictment covers a four-year period and includes 17 shootings, three armed robberies, 22 illegal firearms, and over 40 narcotics sales.
• A 23-count indictment charges six alleged members and associates of the 9-Trey Bloods, including a New York State prison inmate accused of ordering a shooting-for-hire from behind bars.

The backstory:

The Mak Balla Family investigation began in early 2022, with prosecutors linking crimes to a four-year pattern of organized violence that dates back to January 2021.

Members of the gang have been connected to a series of shootings in July 2023, August 2023, September 2023 and January 2024, with a loaded gun dropped during a Black Friday 2024 altercation.

Meanwhile, the 9-Try Bloods case was connected to a wave of shootings and weapons arrested between November 8-22, 2024, along with an alleged shooting-for-hire plot orchestrated from November 4-15, 2024 by Joseph Baker from prison.

Prosecutors allege MBF members used violence and drug sales to dominate rival Blood sets, using retaliatory and preemptive violence. Prosecutors say MBF members adhered to a formal gang hierarchy and an oath of loyalty, with written commandments distributed to members.

The rival 9-Trey Bloods indictment similarly focuses on gang structure, alleging that the group carried out shootings, shared weapons, and coordinated violence across multiple jurisdictions.

What they're saying:

"These comprehensive investigations and consequential indictments are exactly what I promised the people of Suffolk County," said District Attorney Tierney. "We will work tirelessly... to ensure that any violent organization operating here in Suffolk County will be taken down."

Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. praised the intelligence gathered within correctional facilities, noting, "This case is a powerful example of how intelligence gathered inside correctional facilities can play a crucial role in preventing violence and taking dangerous individuals off our streets."

Riverhead Police Chief Ed Frost added: "Today’s arrests highlight law enforcement’s tenacity in their commitment to reduce violence and hold those responsible for past violence accountable."

By the numbers:

Mak Balla indictment:

• 22 alleged defendants
• 168 criminal counts
• 17 shootings
• 22 illegal firearms recovered
• Over 40 drug sales
• Incidents span from 2021–2025
• 20 arrested; 2 remain at large

9-Trey indictment:

• 6 alleged defendants
• 23 criminal counts
• 2 victims shot (including a minor)
• 5 illegal firearms seized
• $10,000 bounty alleged in shooting-for-hire plot

What's next:

13 of the 22 Mak Balla defendants have been arraigned; others are in custody or awaiting extradition. All six 9-Trey defendants are now in custody, including Joseph Baker, who was arrested after an early release from prison.