The men, aged between 18 and 28, were all convicted of conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life or to cause fear of violence.
The six men who made up the south London WoolyO gang were sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on March 28.
The WoolyO gang were involved in a long running feud with another London gang which was played out through social media posts and videos, violence and drill music published online.
Essex Police Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) launched an investigation after three men agreed to meet WoolyO members in Aveley, Essex, to purchase some phones on the evening of November 10, 2023, but instead were robbed of £4,000 cash.
One victim was struck by one of the men holding a handgun, causing the loaded magazine to fall to the ground.
When officers arrived at the scene, the suspects had gone but the same magazine was located.
The following morning, officers carrying out further enquiries returned to the scene where they located Bryan Aidoo.
When addressed, he claimed to be cleaning his shoes. He was found to be in possession of a zombie knife and arrested.
A mobile phone seized from Aidoo contained a high volume of material referencing gang violence and footage of the group handling firearms and referring to their criminal use.
Commencing December 2, 2024, a trial was held at Basildon Crown Court.
On the first day of the trial, Bryan Aidoo, Stephen Ayanleye, Roqeeb Ladeaga and Gabriel Adepoju all pleaded guilty.
Following an 8-week trial, the last two men were convicted by a jury on January 29.
Dafe Orogun, 22, of Edington Road, Abbey Wood, and Karan Singh, 19, of Sandy Hill Road, SE18 were both convicted of conspiracy to possess firearm with intent to endanger life between October 23 and November 22 2023 and pervert the course of justice September 19 2023 and February 15 2024.
Dafe Orogun was jailed for a total of 15 years and Karan Singh was jailed for a total of 9 years.
Evidence pertaining to two shootings in the Cherry Orchard estate, London, in October and November 2023, was also recovered from the device.
Both incidents were under investigation by the Metropolitan Police Trident Gang Crime Command.
In the first incident, two 9mm casings were recovered from the scene but the intended target for this shooting has never been identified.
In the second incident, the victim sustained a non-fatal gunshot wound to his arm.
Full links between the three offences were established, and in March 2024, all the cases were combined, and the joint investigation was undertaken by Essex Police, The Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service.
Extensive enquiries were undertaken to locate the gang members by the two police forces, arresting the six men between December 2023 and May 2024.
They were charged with firearms offences relating to the shootings.
Upon sentencing, Detective Inspector Yoni Adler, who led Essex Police’s investigation, said: “These convictions are the result of outstanding and committed detective work by both Essex Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit and The Metropolitan Police’s Trident teams, working extremely closely to ensure that all the defendants were traced and charged.
“Each and every day both forces work hard to target criminals who threaten the safety of our communities and to take them off our streets.
“The WoolyOs boasted about their criminal activity and came to Essex to commit further crime. They carried firearms and even filmed themselves doing so.
“They tried to glamourise their lifestyle: but it’s a lifestyle that has caught up with them.
“These convictions show that carrying guns comes with punishment.
“Two of the defendants chose not to admit their guilt and challenged the evidence, making up stories about their involvement.
“But thanks to the professionalism and expertise of all the officers, and the weight of the evidence, the jury were able to see through those lies, finding them guilty.
“Guns have no place on our streets, and we will robustly investigate anyone we believe to be carrying them, as in this case.”
The four men who pleaded guilty on the first day of trial, were sentenced as follows.
Bryan Aidoo of Whitgift Street, London, SE11, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, between October 23 and November 22, 2023 and previously pled guilty to an offence of possession of a knife blade / sharp pointed article in a public place on November 21, 2023. The 19-year-old was jailed for four years.
Twenty-three year old Roqeeb Ladeaga of Westhorne Avenue, London, SE9 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, between October 23 and November 22, 2023 and was jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Stephen Ayanleye, 28, of Erwood Road, Charlton, was jailed for five years after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, between October 21 and November 22, 2023.
Four-years’ imprisonment was handed down to Gabriel Adepoju, 23, of Rommany Road, London, SE27 who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, between October 23 and November 22, 2023 and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice between November 19, 2023 and February 15, 2024.
The sentences were the culmination of countless hours of work over 18 months undertaken by Essex Police, The Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, to disrupt and dismantle a dangerous and violent gang.
Reflecting this, HHJ Graham has issued judge’s commendations to officers in the investigation teams.
