FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for
Breaking into Woman’s Home and Assaulting Arresting Officer
Kicked in Victim’s Door after Argument in Store, Acted Violently during Arrest and at Trial
Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson today announced that a 25-year-old man from East New York, Brooklyn, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for breaking into a home and attacking a woman with whom he had an argument and for later assaulting a detective who processed him after his arrest.
District Attorney Thompson said, “This defendant violently attacked a woman inside her apartment over nothing, struck an NYPD detective and continued his senseless acts of violence during the trial. Today’s sentence ensures that he’ll be locked up for many years and protects public safety.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Elsun Wheeler, 25, of 2726 Linden Boulevard in East New York, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Vincent Del Giudice to 15 years for his conviction of second-degree burglary and seven years for his conviction of second-degree assault of a police officer, to run consecutively, for a total sentence of 22 years in prison. The defendant was convicted on March 4, 2016 following a jury trial.
The District Attorney said that, according to evidence at trial, on the day before the first incident, the defendant shoved a 29-year-old woman at the checkout of a local bodega, on the corner of Hegeman and Montauk Avenues in East New York. After an argument, the defendant said, “I will see you tonight.” On April 20, 2014 at about 2:50 a.m., the defendant banged on the door of the woman’s apartment at 407 Montauk Avenue. When the woman looked through the peephole, he kicked the door open and punched the victim repeatedly in her face and body. He stated, “If I see you again, I will kill you” and fled. The victim suffered bruising and pain and had to move because she feared for her life.
The defendant’s photo was obtained from his Facebook page and his identity was confirmed through facial recognition software. On October 28, 2014, the defendant was arrested by the NYPD Warrant Squad and brought to the 75th Precinct stationhouse. When Detective Waziri Rumala tried to photograph the defendant and record his fingerprints, the defendant resisted and struck the officer’s mouth with his hand, causing laceration and swelling to the lip, according to trial testimony.
The defendant continued his aggressive and uncooperative behavior during his trial and had to be banned from the courtroom. He was sentenced to additional 30 days in jail after disrupting the sentencing.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Katherine Fernandez and Samantha Thomas of the District Attorney’s Trial Bureau I, Red Zone, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Joseph Alexis, Red Zone Chief.
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