By Dan Murphy
On June 17, 2021, 13 members of the 300 Bloodhound Brims, (3BB), street gang from Yonkers attacked a man outside of a bodega on north broadway in Westchester’s largest city. Why were all of the 3BB gang members at that corner?
Their gang leader, Develle Coates, aka “Velly Vellz” was filming a rap video. Vellz had become somewhat of a known local rapper and the hope was that this video would launch him into the big time.
But it all turned bad once one of the 3BB gang members, Vance Major, got into some type of a beef with a 33-year old man inside the bodega. Once that man walked outside, 13 gang members were waiting.
Vance Major hit the victim on the head with a bottle. Develle Coates then landed a more severe blow to the victims head with a glass bottle, knocking the victim to the ground. The other 3BB members came in and stomped the victim to his near death and suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Although the Yonkers Police Department quickly responded, this crime may have never been solved, except for two videos of the incident. One was the security camera from the bodega; the other was from the videographer working on Velly Vellz’s rap video.
Both videos clearly show the victim taking a beating from all 13 members of 3BB and the YPD used the video to arrest and charge most of the gane with First Degree Gang Assault and other crimes.
12 of the 13 3BB members plead guilty to avoid a lenghty sentence from Westchester DA Mimi Rocah’s office. Only Develle Coates, Velly Vellz, decided to roll the dice and go to trial.
During the trial prosecutors identified Velly Vellz as the leader of the 300 Bloodhound Brims, a violent street gang in Yonkers. They said that the attack by Coates and his gang, left the victim damaged for life with permanent brain damage. Coates’ defense attorney Russell Smith said that his client was remorseful and that the incident was a mistake.
Coates was found guilty of first degree gang assault in Nov. 2022. On the day of his sentencing in Jan. 2023, Velly Vellz said “I am a human and I made a mistake and I learned from my mistake,” but did not apologize to the victim. Velly asked Judge Robert Neary for leniency because he had no criminal record, was the father of a young child and added that he went to trial because he thought the plea deal offered was too much.
Coates could have received anywhere from 5-24 years. DA Rocah’s office wanted 16 years, but Judge Neary sentenced him to 12 years.
After the trial, social media was alive with comments about Velly Vellz. Some people were making fun of the fact that he went to trial with a public defender. Vellz did not have a PD and said that he “fired his paid lawyer right before sentencing,” and that he would be appealing the decision
Velly Vellz’s instragram account www.instagram.com/velly.308 urges his followers to keep his name alive and that he will be back.
One of the last remaining Bloodhouse Brim members not incarcerated in Yonkers is Sheemy. instagram.com/sheemy.5) Sheemy is actively calling for Velly Vellz release, and denies that the victim was injured at all, claiming that the victim was seen at the club the next day.
Many residents of the housing projects where Velly and the 3BB have preyed on since they were formed in 2016 are glad that most of the members are now in jail, and that the YPD and DA Rocah were able to get convictions and sentences ranging from 5-8 years for the adults and 3 years for the youthful offenders.
