Queens Leaders Demand Federal Crackdown as Roosevelt Avenue Becomes 'Gangland' Hotspot

As Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tours the country raising the banner against oligarchy, her own district in Queens is sounding the alarm over what locals are calling a rapidly unraveling public safety crisis.

Community leaders from Ocasio-Cortez’s area have reached out to the FBI and DEA, urging them to intervene in the growing problems of prostitution and gang activity along Roosevelt Avenue. This two-mile stretch, once just another busy commercial hub, is now being compared to a full-blown Red Light district, with sex work and drug dealing described as part of the daily scenery.

Last week, former state senator Hiram Monserrate and local advocacy groups penned a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, asking for immediate federal attention. Their main concern? The notorious 18th Street Gang allegedly filling the void left after a previous police crackdown dethroned other criminal groups. According to these leaders, the gang has transformed Roosevelt Avenue into a "well-oiled criminal machine," where everything from human trafficking to illegal gun sales and fake IDs is reportedly on the menu.

Operation Restore Roosevelt, the NYPD’s big response last fall, did make a dent: officials report a 37% drop in crime in the zone, with over 1,800 arrests and more than 15,000 summonses issued. Even Mayor Eric Adams got some rare kudos for mobilizing a 90-day police blitz. But locals insist that the initial progress fizzled out quickly, with bars morphing into brothels and new waves of sex workers—many reportedly migrants—reappearing almost overnight.

Monserrate, along with groups like Restore Roosevelt Ave. and Neighbors of the American Triangle, claims the criminal presence is not only persistent but evolving. Gang graffiti now marks the area, and at least 20 brothels have allegedly sprung up, some disturbingly close to schools. Earlier this week, a fatal stabbing near the subway further underscored the ongoing violence, with Monserrate sharing footage showing dozens of alleged sex workers lining a single block.

Despite these claims, the NYPD hasn’t confirmed the extent of gang operations. Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez has yet to publicly address the escalating crisis in her own district, though she is slated to hold a town hall this Saturday—a meeting that can’t come soon enough for some locals.

Rep. Grace Meng, whose district also covers the troubled stretch, expressed support for the NYPD’s ongoing efforts and pledged to keep pushing for more resources. She praised the department’s commitment, saying, "I have confidence in the NYPD’s capability to address these challenges," and vowed to continue advocating for law enforcement funding at the federal level.