A federal jury in Brooklyn found John “the reaper” Pena, 32, guilty of multiple charges, including racketeering, murder and drug distribution. Photo: fotofabrika/Adobe Stock
The leader of the Gorilla Stone Mafia, who referred to himself as “the reaper,” was convicted of two Staten Island murders and drug trafficking on Tuesday and will now spend life behind bars.
A federal jury in Brooklyn found John Pena, 32, guilty of multiple charges, including racketeering, murder and drug distribution. Pena, also known by aliases such as “Tragedy” and “Don Tragg,” led the Gorilla Stone Mafia, a subgroup of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation.
The conviction stems from the 2021 murders of Mark Bajandas and Francisco Gonzalez, along with Pena’s involvement in trafficking marijuana and crack cocaine. Pena, now facing a mandatory life sentence, orchestrated the killings as part of his leadership role in the gang, which operated out of the Stapleton Houses on Staten Island.
The verdict followed a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly.
“As the evidence proved, Pena was consumed by seeking revenge against rivals and maintaining his leadership position in the Gorilla Stone Mafia gang by any means necessary,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. He added that the conviction ensures Pena will spend the rest of his life behind bars for his violent acts.
Pena shot Bajandas, a former Gorilla Stone Mafia associate, 12 times on March 10, 2021, after attending a memorial for a fallen gang member. On June 22, 2021, he killed Gonzalez, shooting him three times while he slept. Writings recovered from Pena’s jail cell described the murders in disturbing detail, including references to feeling like “the reaper.”
Law enforcement officials praised…
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