About Gary

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Thursday, January 9, 2025

Fugitive Arraigned for 2017 Murder of Visiting College Student

Allegedly Shot Victim During Fight that Followed Earlier Confrontation;
Defendant’s Brother and Co-defendant Was Arrested in Texas in 2019

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man who was a fugitive from justice since 2017 has been arraigned on an indictment charging him with murder after getting arrested in Albany, NY. The defendant is charged – along with his brother – with allegedly shooting 20-year-old Justin Hackley to death in when he tried to stop a fight the defendants initiated with his friend.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This case involved the tragic death of an innocent young man with a promising future who was senselessly killed on a Brooklyn street. His relatives have been waiting for justice as his alleged killers spent years trying to evade capture. We are determined to now hold them responsible for the deadly gun violence they allegedly perpetrated. As shootings in Brooklyn reach record lows, my office will continue to ensure accountability and justice in every case.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Dean Boland, 35, of Flatbush, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Susan Quirk on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The defendant was ordered held without bail and to return to court on February 3, 2025. He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted. The defendant was arrested this morning in Albany by U.S. Marshals.

The defendant’s brother and co-defendant, Rasheed Boland, 32, was arrested in Texas in 2019 after living there under an assumed name. His case is pending. Both defendants were indicted in 2017, approximately two months after the homicide.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on July 11, 2017, Rasheed Boland was hitting on a woman, sparking a fight with her boyfriend, with a friend of the boyfriend intervening to stop it. Rasheed Boland allegedly went home, got his brother and the two of them returned to the area, each of them armed with a gun, and they started to look for the men they had fought.

At about 11:35 p.m., Hackley – who was visiting home while on a break from summer school at Delaware State University – stepped out of an Ocean Avenue building near Church Avenue, with his friend, who was the person who intervened in the earlier fight. The two brothers then allegedly crossed the street and started to pistol whip the friend. Hackley started to struggle with Rasheed Boland and was shot twice, according to the evidence. Dean Boland was disarmed by the victim’s friend and another man. Both defendants fled.

The victim was pronounced dead from gunshots at Kings County Hospital Center. Surveillance videos and DNA evidence connected the defendants to the crime, and their photos were distributed to the media. They were also featured on a number of TV shows as part of the efforts to capture them.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Daphney Gachette, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

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Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison
for Fatally Shooting 15-Year-Old Near NYCHA Playground

Defendant Fired into a Crowd of People at the Bushwick Houses

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for fatally shooting a 15-year-old boy at the Bushwick Houses in 2018. A 43-year-old man was also wounded by the defendant when he opened fire on a playground and into a crowded courtyard where children were present.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a despicable act of gun violence that took the life of an innocent teenage boy and left an entire family and community traumatized. Senseless shootings like this tear at the fabric of our neighborhoods, leaving lasting pain and fear. Everyone deserves to feel secure in their community, and we will continue to hold accountable those who threaten innocent lives with such brazen and callous violence.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Elijah Harris, 25, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo to 25 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder, second-degree assault, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on October 3, 2024, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on July 17, 2018, at approximately 2:40 p.m., the defendant was riding a bike on the sidewalk, near 370 and 390 Bushwick Avenue, when he took out a handgun. The defendant then fired at least nine times on a playground and into a courtyard of the Bushwick Houses where a crowd of over 15 people were gathered, including children. The defendant’s gunfire struck Kyon Jackson, 15, in the chest; another shot struck a 43-year-old man in the cheek.

Jackson, a ninth grader at Lyons Community School, was rushed to Woodhull Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The defendant was arrested shortly thereafter by police and the handgun was recovered.

The District Attorney thanked Intelligence Analyst Lakeisha Taylor for her assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sarah Jafari, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph Tillman, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Man Arraigned for Fatally Torching Woman Sleeping Inside Subway Car

Used Shirt to Fan Flames; Caught on Video Surveillance

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a homeless man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with first-degree murder and related counts for allegedly setting a woman, identified as Debrina Kawam, on fire as she slept inside a subway car in Coney Island, Brooklyn, then fanning the flames with a shirt and watching her die.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “It is difficult to fathom what could lead someone to commit the atrocious and horrific murder with which this defendant is charged. My office swiftly obtained an indictment, and we are determined to exact the most severe punishment for this heinous and inhumane act. Ms. Kawam and her loved ones deserve a measure of justice and New Yorkers deserve to feel safe in the subways.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Sebastian Zapeta, 33, who resided in an East New York shelter. The defendant was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which he is charged with first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder and first-degree arson. The defendant was held without bail and ordered to return to court on March 12, 2025. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on December 22, 2024, at about 7:25 a.m., the victim was sleeping inside an F train that had reached its terminus at the Stillwell Avenue Station in Coney Island. Video surveillance showed the defendant, who rode the same car as the victim from Queens, use what appears to be a lighter to set fire to fabric that covered the sleeping woman.

The evidence further shows the defendant first watched from inside the car as the fire grew then used what looks like a shirt to fan it until the victim became engulfed in flames. He was then seen watching the blaze from a bench on the platform before walking away.

Police quickly identified the defendant and distributed his image to the media. Police received a tip that he was aboard an F train near the Herald Square-34th Street Station, and he was apprehended a little before 4 p.m. the same day.

The victim was declared dead at the scene and the medical examiner determined the cause of death to be a combination of heat burns and smoke inhalation. She was burned beyond recognition and was identified as Ms. Kawam, originally of Toms River, New Jersey, nine days after the incident.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, January 6, 2025

Fugitive Indicted for Murder of 18-Year-Old in Canarsie

Extradited from Trinidad and Tobago to Face Prosecution 

 Defendant Allegedly Ambushed the Victim and Shot Him in His Vehicle

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a fugitive who fled to Trinidad and Tobago after allegedly shooting a teenager in Canarsie in 2021 has been returned to Brooklyn to faces charges in his death. Murder charges are also pending against the defendant’s girlfriend, who was arrested in 2022.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The brutal ambush and murder of 18-year-old Sharif Richards in Canarsie was a heinous act of violence that shattered a young life and devastated a family. By extraditing the alleged perpetrator from Trinidad and Tobago, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to ensuring that this kind of callous disregard for human life is met with the full force of justice.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Anthony Regis-Ash, 24, formerly of Brooklyn. The defendant was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo on an indictment in which he is charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree attempted robbery, and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on February 7, 2025. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

A co-defendant, Amari Harvey, 24, of Brooklyn, was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport on January 5, 2022, as she tried to board a flight to Trinidad and Tobago. She is charged with second-degree murder, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and first-degree attempted robbery and is being held on $1million cash bail or $2 million bond.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on September 29, 2021, in the vicinity of Foster Avenue and East 80th Street, in Canarsie, Brooklyn, at approximately 10:40 p.m., NYPD officers responded to 911 calls of a man shot and found the victim, Sharif Richards, next to his crashed motor vehicle with a gunshot wound to his chest. He subsequently died of the gunshot wound.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, police conducted an extensive video canvass of cameras in the area to track the victim’s movements before the shooting, which led to the discovery of the defendant’s 2015 Nissan on East 78th Street between Farragut Road and Glenwood Road, with a man and a woman in the vehicle. The woman exits the vehicle and walks down the block and allegedly meets up with Richards, who is in his 2007 Infiniti.

The video also allegedly shows the woman, later determined to be co-defendant Amari Harvey, gets into the vehicle and a minute later the defendant, wearing a hoodie and a mask, is seen leaning into Richards vehicle in an alleged attempt to rob him. He allegedly then shoots Richards in the chest and Richards drives off and crashes a few blocks away. The woman exits the vehicle and leaves the scene with the defendant.

As part of the investigation, phone records and text messages were reviewed and revealed prior communications between Richards and the woman, as well as Richards and the defendant.

The District Attorney thanked our law enforcement partners who made this international fugitive apprehension possible, including the New York City Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Department of Justice, the State Department, and the government of Trinidad and Tobago.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorneys Joseph Mancino and Michael Diamond, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Brooklyn Had the Fewest Shootings and Shooting Victims on Record,
Beating Pre-Pandemic Lows; Murders and Serious Crime Down by Some 6%

Shootings Decreased by 15%, Shooting Victims by 14% Compared to Previous Year,
Improving on Previous Record Low from 2019; Shooting Homicides Went Down by 16%

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that 2024 marked the safest year for gun violence in Brooklyn’s history, with the fewest shooting incidents and shooting victims besting previous lows from 2019. Shootings decreased by 15%, shooting victims by 14%, and homicides by 6% compared to 2023. Total serious crime was down by 5.9%. This historic progress was achieved as the DA’s Office tried an increased number of cases, notching a high trial conviction rate; enhanced resources to address cryptocurrency scams; and continued its exemplary work of correcting wrongful convictions, exonerating the 40^th individual in the span of a decade.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Brooklyn continues to get safer year after year and we’re now the safest we’ve ever been in terms of gun violence, with shootings and shooting victims reaching record lows. Murders and other serious crime declined as well in 2024 as we return to pre-pandemic levels. This tremendous success is a testament to the productive partnerships between my office, the NYPD and our law-enforcement partners; to the technological investments we’ve made in crime-solving tools; and to our comprehensive approach that uses preventative measures and community-centered strategies to reduce shootings. While we still have much work to do, I am optimistic that we will keep building on this progress into 2025 and beyond.”

The District Attorney said that there were 287 shooting incidents in Brooklyn this year, down 51 or 15% compared to the 338 in 2023. This is the lowest number since record keeping began, improving on the 290 shootings recorded in 2019. There were 54 fewer shooting victims – 345 compared to 399, or down 14%. That’s 18 fewer victims from the previous low of 363, also recorded in 2019. Shooting related homicides dropped from 85 in 2022 and 75 in 2023 to only 63 this year (a 16% drop compared to last year). These milestones came after the safest summer in Brooklyn, when shootings between June and August dropped by 11%. They are part of an ongoing trend of shootings and shooting victims in Brooklyn declining year after year since the 2020 spike amid a global pandemic and social unrest.

There were eight fewer murders this year compared to last, or a 6% decline. Besides the 63 shooting deaths, there were 29 fatal stabbings and 11 blunt force killings. Homicides significantly decreased in neighborhoods including East New York (down 11 or 48%), East Flatbush (down 7 or 41%), and Fort Greene (down 3 or 50%). Total index crimes, which aggregates the most serious felonies, were down 5.9% in 2024 compared to the previous year with decreases in robberies, burglaries, grand larcenies and grand theft auto (rapes and felony assaults ticked up). [All stats are based on the NYPD’s Compstat report as of today.]

The District Attorney said that there were 113 trials in Supreme Court this year, resulting in 101 convictions and 12 acquittals for an impressive 89% trial conviction rate. One notable trial resulted in the convictions and lengthy prison sentences of four gang members for a series of shootings and homicides, one of which claimed the life of 1-year-old Davell Gardner Jr. Another trial resulted in a jail sentence against a construction company owner whose shoddy work led to a wall collapse that killed 5-year-old Alysson Pinto-Chaumana.

In 2024, the Brooklyn DA’s Office made groundbreaking strides in the fight against cryptocurrency scams and other cyber frauds. With a new Cyber Currency Unit, the office is disrupting numerous schemes that target residents of all stripes – including operations in the Russian and Chinese communities – with sophisticated methods aimed at fraudulently separating people from their money. The unit dismantled more than 20 domains linked to scams targeting dating site users, shut down about 140 domains connected to fake investment opportunities that preyed on Russian speakers, and another 40 domains connected to an NFT fraud targeting artists. Beyond using innovative techniques to disrupt these criminal operations, the DA’s Office has launched an educational campaign with seminars throughout Brooklyn, flyers and media appearances to inform the public and share warning signs and tips to avoid these devastating financial crimes.

Brooklyn’s Conviction Review Unit cemented its status as a national gold standard by exonerating the 40^th individual since its creation in 2014 — surpassing the 34 exonerations recommended by all other DA’s offices in the city combined during the same period and ranking among the highest of any DA’s office nationwide. The critical work of the unit continues into 2025.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Man Indicted for Fatally Stabbing Another Man
On Subway in Coney Island Following Dispute

Defendant Allegedly Stabbed Victim in Leg and Torso

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a homeless man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with murder for fatally stabbing a man on an N train at the Stillwell Avenue-Coney Island stop following a dispute.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a tragic and senseless murder that is particularly frightening as it took place aboard a subway car with several commuters. There is no place for this type of violence in Brooklyn. We will now seek to get justice for the victim and his loved ones.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Zhongqian Chen, 32. The defendant was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dineen Riviezzo on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The defendant was held without bail and ordered to return to court on February 7, 2025. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on October 29, 2024, at approximately 11:10 p.m., the defendant approached the victim, Timothy Rudolph, 54, while both were on the N train at the Stillwell Avenue-Coney Island stop. The defendant allegedly attacked the victim, and the two men began to fight. The defendant then allegedly displayed a knife and stabbed the victim two times, once in the torso and once in the leg.

The victim, a resident of the Bronx, was taken to NYU Langone Hospital – Brooklyn, where he was pronounced dead.

The defendant fled the scene and was arrested on November 7, 2024, following an investigation.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Brooklyn District Attorney’s Virtual Currency Unit Developed New
Technique for Fighting Crypto Scams – Seizing Fraudsters’ Email Lists

Enabled DA’s Office to Warn Victims to Stop Investing; Used in Long-Term Investigation That
Shuttered 70 Bogus Domains That Were Scamming Members of Brooklyn’s Russian Community

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that following a long-term investigation, his Virtual Currency Unit successfully disrupted a cryptocurrency scam operation that targeted members of the Russian community, shuttering 70 fraudulent domains that caused an estimated $1 million loss in Brooklyn and $5 million nationwide. Investigators used a novel way to disrupt the illegal scheme by seizing the mail server used by the scammers, extracting data and contact information for everyone the scammers were communicating with, and emailing alerts to over 1,200 identified victims, advising them to stop sending money to what were fake investment websites. Those actions are part of an ongoing effort to stem cryptocurrency schemes in the Russian community and beyond.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “We are using every tool at our disposal to stop crypto investment scams. Since recovering lost funds is often impossible because they’re typically quickly cashed overseas, we focus on disruption and education. In this successful investigation, we used a new technique of seizing the email servers and warning victims that the investments they made were fake, preventing untold losses. We also hosted a seminar in the Russian community this week to educate the public. I am committed to continue to protect Brooklyn residents from these pervasive digital crimes.”

The District Attorney said that after a long-term investigation, his Virtual Currency Unit seized 70 web domains that offered fake cryptocurrency investment services, mostly to members of the Russian community.  This follows a previous seizure in May of another 70 domains, bringing the total amount of shuttered domains linked to this scheme to 140. The estimated losses of the scheme added up to $1 million in Brooklyn and $5 million throughout the US.

The purported financial advisers who communicated with the victims used a web-based mail server, the investigation found. For the first time anywhere in this type of probe, Brooklyn prosecutors were able to execute warrants to seize and take control of the server, cutting off the scammers from the victims, their contact lists, and address books. Earlier this week, the DA’s Office sent an email blast to about 1,200 email addresses that were extracted from the server, warning users that “advisers” emailing them from “stocks-finance.com” addresses were scammers and to immediately stop sending money.

Also this week, the DA’s Office joined federal partners – the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Security and Exchange Commission and the FBI – in hosting an educational seminar in Brighton Beach. Over 100 people attended and received tips on how to recognize warning signs and how to protect themselves from crypto-based investment scams.

The District Attorney shared the following tips on how to protect people from these cryptocurrency scams:

• Don’t trust cryptocurrency investment opportunities that seem too good to be true.
• Do not make cryptocurrency investments based on the advice of someone you’ve never met in person.
• Don’t download investment apps from unverified cryptocurrency investment websites.
• Verify the legitimacy of a company. Ask a friend, family member, or contact the KCDA Command center if you are unsure if something is legitimate.

• Do not pay more money in order to try and recover your investment from a cryptocurrency website.
• Check whether a cryptocurrency exchange is licensed to operate in New York State by going to https://www.dfs.ny.gov/who_we_supervise or calling the New York State Department of Financial Services hotline at 800-342-3736.

The investigation into this case was handled by Assistant District Attorney Alona Katz, Chief of the Virtual Currency Unit, with assistance from Virtual Currency Analyst Sam Weaver, Assistant District Attorney Brian Umana, a Senior Detective Investigator and paralegal Claire Fagan.

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Flyer distributed in the Russian community by the Brooklyn DA’s Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, December 16, 2024

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 18 Years to Life in Prison for Machete Attack That Killed

Grandfather and Wounded Two Other Family Members

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Second-Degree Murder in November

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 18 years to life in prison for fatally stabbing his grandfather with a machete and wounding two other family members, including a 4-year-old niece, during a rampage at the family’s home in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for a tragic, senseless, and truly horrific act of violence perpetrated against members of his own family. My condolences go out to the family of James Dubose Sr. for their tremendous loss. Thankfully, the other two victims recovered from their wounds.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Dayquan Dubose, 26, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced on Friday, December 13, 2024 by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Michael Kitsis to 18 years to life in prison following his guilty plea to second-degree murder on November 14, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on January 3, 2021, at approximately 5 p.m., the defendant got into an argument with his four-year-old niece inside a first-floor apartment located at 300 Putnam Avenue. The defendant pulled out an 18-inch machete and cut the young girl on the hip. The defendant then went up to a second-floor apartment where an uncle let him in. The defendant proceeded to walk into a bedroom where his 79-year-old grandfather, James Dubose Sr., and his 49-year-old brother-in-law were watching television. The defendant began to stab the grandfather in the abdomen. When the brother-in-law intervened, and attempted to grab the machete, the defendant slashed the brother-in-law on the hand. Two additional family members were able to hold the defendant down until police arrived at the apartment and arrested him.

James Dubose Sr. was taken to Interfaith Medical Center where he later died of injuries.

The 49-year-old was taken to Kings County Hospital, while the 4-year-old girl was taken to Woodhull Hospital. Both were treated for their injuries and released.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Farin Chasin-Fodeman, of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kori Medow, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, December 6, 2024

Brooklyn District Attorney Shuts Down 40 Domains Associated With NFT
Crypto Scam Targeting Artists, After Brooklyn Painter Lost Over $135,000

Victim Was Contacted with Offer to Sell His Artwork in NFT Marketplace Through Website That Turned Out to be Bogus; Lost Life Savings Trying to Access Purported Bitcoin Earnings

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that his Virtual Currency Unit successfully disrupted a cryptocurrency scam that was targeting artists throughout the country. An 85-year-old Brooklyn resident was scammed out of his life savings, sparking an investigation that traced the money he paid back to Nigeria and identified 40 scam NFT art marketplace sites that appeared like legitimate marketplaces. Those domains have now been seized, preventing future victimizations.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Cryptocurrency scams can take many forms but have similar characteristics, such as preying on vulnerable victims and requesting fees to redeem purported earnings. These were the tactics used in this case, leading our investigators to a network of fraudulent websites that specifically scammed artists. It is my hope that by shutting these domains and raising awareness about this scheme, we will prevent others from falling victim to this scam.”

The District Attorney said that in May his office received a report by the children of an 85-year-old professional painter from Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, relating that their father was deceived by an online scammer posing as an art dealer. He was contacted via LinkedIn by a purported dealer for “OpenSea/Private Mint,” a company whose website closely resembles that of OpenSea, a legitimate NFT marketplace headquartered in New York City. (NFTs, or non-fungible tokens are digital assets that are stored on the blockchain and can represent content, such as digital artwork, that can be sold or traded.)

The so-called art dealer told the victim that she wanted to convert his art into NFTs and sell them, convincing him to sign a contract on the fake site. She later told him that he had earned over $300,000 in bitcoin and that he needed to first pay a fee to access those proceeds. To get the bitcoin he sent “OpenSea/Private Mint” over $135,000 by liquidating his entire IRA account, making payments from his credit card and securing a loan. He used online services to convert his money into cryptocurrency to pay the fees. The fraud unraveled when he eventually realized that he was not getting the promised $300,000, leaving him emotionally and financially devastated.

The District Attorney’s Virtual Currency Unit traced the cryptocurrency that the victim sent to “OpenSea/Private Mint” and found it had been transferred to different accounts at an exchange and primarily cashed out for Nigerian currency — foreclosing the ability for recovery. The OpenSea/Private Mint website appeared to be controlled and paid for from Nigeria. The investigation identified two other senior artists from Georgia and California who had fallen for the same scheme and a network of scam NFT marketplaces that appeared to be targeting artists. Some of the websites required a user to input their cryptocurrency wallet seed phrase, which would give scammers the ability to completely drain the contents of users’ online wallet.

While unable to recover the stolen money that was outside U.S. jurisdiction, investigators were able to identify over 40 scam NFT art marketplace sites for which they submitted seizure orders. These domains have now been seized and redirected to a KCDA seizure page with a warning message. Many of them appeared to be spoofing legitimate NFT marketplaces.

The District Attorney shared the following warning signs and tips to avoid this type of NFT art cryptocurrency scam:

• • An artist may receive a direct message via an online account from someone purporting to be an art dealer or a representative of a legitimate NFT marketplace. It is important to verify the authenticity of any online art and NFT dealers before engaging.
  • Only use established and trusted NFT marketplaces to sell your work. Be alert for phishing attempts via email or phishing websites that appear to resemble well known NFT marketplaces. Phishing websites are often designed to steal credentials and fraudulently gain access to cryptocurrency assets.  Legitimate NFT marketplaces do not ask for exorbitant fees upfront to sell NFTs.
  • Protect your cryptocurrency wallet. No legitimate NFT marketplace will ask you to supply your seed phrase. Inputting your seed phrase on a website can lead to a scammer instantaneously draining the contents of your entire wallet.
  • If it seems too good to be true, it likely is. Do your own research and seek opinions from fellow artists.

The case was investigated by Assistant District Attorney Alona Katz, Chief of the District Attorney’s Virtual Currency Unit with the assistance of Virtual Currency Analyst Sam Weaver, Assistant District Attorney Brian Umana, of the Virtual Currency Unit, and Paralegal Claire Fagan. Detective Investigators from the KCDA Detective Bureau also assisted in the investigation.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Bronx Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for
Stabbing Two Bouncers, One Fatally, Outside of Gowanus Club

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter in October

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for stabbing two bouncers with a knife – killing one and wounding the other – after being kicked out of a party in Gowanus.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a senseless and escalatory act of violence that cost a man his life. The defendant has admitted his guilt and will now have to live with the disastrous consequences of his actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Jose Velasco, 22, of the Morrisania section of the Bronx. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 20 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on October 16, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on February 26, 2022, at approximately 10:35 p.m., the defendant was kicked out of a party at a club located at 168 7th Street in Gowanus after acting aggressively. Outside of the venue, the defendant got into a verbal dispute with three of the club’s bouncers, two of whom punched the defendant in the head and face. The defendant took a step backward and removed a kitchen knife from his waistband. He stabbed one of the bouncers, 21, in the back. The defendant then chased the third bouncer, Marvin Pretto, 25, into the street, and stabbed him in the chest.

Pretto sustained injuries to a major blood vessel and his heart. He was taken to Brooklyn Methodist Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The 21-year-old victim was also taken to Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. He was later transferred to Stony Brook Medical Center and treated for his injuries which included a laceration to the liver.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, the defendant was stopped by police approximately an hour later near the intersection of 2nd Avenue and 13th Street in Gowanus. As officers approached, the defendant dropped the blood-stained kitchen knife onto the ground. He was brought back to the club and identified by an eyewitness.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph Mancino, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Bureau Chief.

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