Gorilla Stone Mafia leader sentenced by federal court in Brooklyn

The leader of the Gorilla Stone Mafia, who called himself “the Reaper,” was convicted Tuesday of two Staten Island murders and drug trafficking 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 marijuana and crack cocaine trafficking. Pena, who now faces 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 shows, Pena was consumed with seeking revenge against rivals and maintaining his leadership position in the Gorilla Stone Mafia gang by any means necessary,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said, adding that the conviction means Pena will spend the rest of his life behind bars for his violent crimes.

Pena shot Bajandas, a former Gorilla Stone Mafia associate, 12 times on March 10, 2021, after he attended a memorial service for a fallen gang member. On June 22, 2021, he killed Gonzalez by shooting him three times as he slept. Writings found in Pena’s jail cell describe the killings in disturbing detail, including references to feeling like “the reaper.”

Law enforcement officials praised the cooperation between federal and local authorities. “Gang activity… instills fear in the daily lives of New Yorkers,” said Thomas Donlon, interim commissioner of the NYPD.

The case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national initiative to reduce violent crime through collaboration among law enforcement agencies.