New Rochelle Police Make Quick Work of Gunmen Who Fired Hollow Points at The Hollow

Written By: Robert Cox

Raymond Gilkes has an extensive criminal history and was released from federal prison just over two years ago

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (July 29, 2024) — It took New Rochelle Police officers all of 10 minutes to respond to a report of shots fired at the Bracey Apartments, develop identification of a vehicle and arrest a passenger in the vehicle.

Raymond Gilkes (aka “Fresh”), 37, of New Rochelle, NY is charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Reckless Endangerment by New Rochelle Police. Gilkes has a known history as a weight drug dealer. He was released from Federal prison on April 1, 2022, after serving 39 months.

He will certainly be facing additional charges as a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and other federal charges.

On December 14, 2017, he was arrested as part of a major drug sweep by the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force. This was within a year of finishing his previous sentence.

He was convicted, then sentenced to sixty-six months in prison on January 23, 2019. At the time, it was his twelfth criminal conviction and his seventh drug offense. Two of his priors involved attempts to flee from the police.

On Saturday, July 27th, 2024, at about 11:05 pm, New Rochelle Police received a call about a shots fired incident in the area of 361 Main Street. A suspect vehicle was quickly developed through police investigation.

Ten minutes later, at 11:15 pm, detectives located the suspect vehicle pulling into the New Roc City parking garage from Harrison Street. The two occupants were detained while officers looked for evidence of the shooting.

A .380 shell casing was located near the lower parking lot of 361 Main Street, and a loaded .380 firearm was located on Fountain Place.

Further investigation found that a suspect fired one shot from the area of the lower parking lot of 361 Main Street, towards the upper parking lot of 361 Main Street, where a large group of people were congregating.

Detectives developed further information that

led to placing the passenger of the vehicle under arrest for the shooting. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the New Rochelle Police at 914-654-2300.

Arrest & Charges

Raymond Gilkes (aka “Fresh”), 37, of New Rochelle, NY

  • Reckless Endangerment — 1, a D Felony
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon — 2, a C Felony

SEE: Nineteen Men Charged In White Plains Federal Court With Narcotics Conspiracy In New Rochelle

In 2017, Gilkes was among 36 defendants indicted for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams and more of powder cocaine and 28 grams and more of crack cocaine in and around New Rochelle, New York.

Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr., the Westchester County District Attorney, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Patrick J. Carroll, the Commissioner of the New Rochelle Police Department, announced the coordinated operation earlier today in which federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested 36 defendants in Westchester County. Nineteen defendants are charged in a federal indictment, unsealed today, charging them with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams and more of powder cocaine and 28 grams and more of crack cocaine in and around New Rochelle, New York, since at least in or about September 2017. The Westchester County District Attorney has charged an additional 23 defendants. Those defendants arrested today who are charged in the federal indictment are expected to be presented in White Plains federal court today before Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison.

New Rochelle Police Commissioner Patrick J. Carroll said: “I am proud of the dedicated efforts of our members and those of our law enforcement partners, which resulted in the indictments and arrests of these individuals. New Rochelle will not tolerate the sale of drugs, or the violent crimes that are associated with the narcotic trade. This sends a strong message of our dedication to clearing our community of these dangerous substances.”

U.S. v. Andre Francis et al. Indictment

On January 23, 2019, Raymond Gilkes appeared in United States District Court Southern District of New York in White Plains where he was sentenced to sixty-six months’ imprisonment. He was incarcerated FCI Allenwood Medium, a medium security federal correctional institution located in central Pennsylvania.

U.S. v. Raymond Gilkes, Motion for Compassionate Release

On November 17, 2020, by which time Gilkes had served thirty-two of those sixty months, he filed a motion with United States District Court Southern District of New York in White Plains for a reduction of sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A), known as “compassionate release”. He claimed the dangers presented by the coronavirus pandemic in prison, combined with his obesity, high cholesterol and pre-diabetes, put him at increased risk for a severe case if infected. He said if released, he could live with his longtime girlfriend.

Judge Cathy Seibel denied the motion, writing:

The instant offense — which occurred when Defendant was 31 years old — was his twelfth criminal conviction (four of which did not count toward his criminal history score under the Sentencing Guidelines) and his seventh drug offense, and he embarked on it within a year of finishing his previous sentence. It involved his role as seller, middleman, and supplier in a conspiracy involving at least 28 grams of crack and 500 grams of cocaine. Two of his priors involved attempts to flee from the police. He proposes to return to live with his girlfriend, and although she appears to be a legitimate person, Defendant has accumulated 10 convictions during their relationship, so that connection is unlikely to make Defendant any more law-abiding than he was before.

According to Bureau of Prison Records, Gilkes served 39 months and was released on April 1, 2022.