About Ernest Johnson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 8, 2019

 

Brooklyn Man Convicted of Murder of Williamsburg Businessman
During Botched Abduction in 2014

Defendant Faces Up to 25 Years to Life in Prison

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Crown Heights man has been convicted of kidnapping and murder for the 2014 botched abduction of Williamsburg businessman Menachem Stark.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s verdict this defendant has been brought to justice for the murder of Menachem Stark, which devastated his wife and seven children. This was a cold-blooded kidnapping that resulted in the death of a businessman and member of the Williamsburg community. This verdict holds the defendant accountable for his role in this tragic and senseless death.”

The District Attorney today identified the defendant as Erskin Felix, 40, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was convicted of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence following a jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on May 1, 2019.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on January 2, 2014, at approximately 11:30 p.m., during a blizzard, the defendant and his cousin Kendel Felix, 31, ambushed Menachem Stark, 39, on the street as he left his office, located at 331 Rutledge Street in Williamsburg, and abducted him with the intention of holding him for ransom. Erskin Felix worked as a contractor for the victim and his cousin, Kendel Felix, did construction work for him.

After the victim fought unsuccessfully to escape, the defendants forced him into a Dodge minivan, bound his arms and legs with duct tape, taped his mouth and placed a ski mask over his head. Kendel drove away while Erskin restrained Stark in the back of the van by sitting on his chest, according to testimony. Erskin and Kendel picked up defendant Kendall Felix (Erskin’s brother) and they drove to the home of Irvine Henry (another cousin), the evidence showed.

Upon arrival, they discovered that the victim was dead due to Erskin’s actions in trying to subdue him, according to the evidence. The defendants attempted to return to the kidnapping scene to retrieve the victim’s Lexus SUV, but saw police on the scene.

Erskin then directed Kendel and Kendall to drive to Long Island to dispose of the body, the evidence showed. They drove to Nassau County, threw the body in a dumpster and set it on fire.
Approximately 17 hours later, a Nassau County police officer found the partially burned body in a garbage dumpster behind a gas station in Great Neck, Long Island. An autopsy determined that the cause of death was asphyxia by compression of the neck and chest.

A jury convicted Kendel Felix of first-degree kidnapping and second-degree murder in September 2016. He is awaiting sentencing.

Kendall Felix pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy and first-degree hindering prosecution last month and was sentenced to 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison over the objection of the prosecution.

Irvine Henry pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution and attempted tampering with physical evidence in February 2017. He is awaiting sentencing.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Detective Christopher Scarry of the 90th Precinct Detective Squad, under the supervision of Lieutenant Seamus Doherty. Detective Herbert Martin and other members of the Brooklyn North Homicide Squad assisted in the investigation, under the supervision of Lieutenant John Tennant.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Emily Dean, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Howard Jackson, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Christopher Blank, a Bureau Chief in the District Attorney’s Investigations Division and Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 2, 2019

 

Gravesend Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Death of 3-Year-Old Boy

Beating Left Victim Brain Dead, Cause of Death was Abusive Head and Neck Trauma

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Gravesend man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the beating death of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old son, Jaden Jordan. He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter last month.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a senseless death of a helpless little boy who was left in the defendant’s care. There is no excuse ever, under any circumstances, for beating a child. Today’s sentence is a small measure of justice for Jaden and his devastated family.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Salvatore Lucchesse, 26, of Gravesend, Brooklyn. The defendant was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Deborah Dowling to 15 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on March 19, 2019.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the victim, Jaden Jordan, 3, was left home alone with the defendant while the victim’s mother was at work, between approximately 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., on November 28, 2016. At some point while in the defendant’s care, the toddler allegedly defecated on himself. At approximately 4:30 p.m., emergency personnel responded to the victim’s home after the defendant called 911 and reported that the child was unconscious.

The victim, found soiled and unresponsive, was taken to Coney Island Hospital and then transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center where he remained after falling into a coma. Later examination revealed that Jaden had sustained severe head trauma and a fractured skull. He was removed from life support on Saturday, December 3, 2016, and died the same day. The Office of the New York City Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide, finding the cause of death to be abusive head and neck trauma.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Linda Weinman, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Kelly Casey, Deputy Bureau Chief, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wedneskday, March 27, 2019

 

East New York Man Sentenced to State Prison
For Attempted Promoting Prostitution of 14-Year-Old Girl

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an East New York man has been sentenced to up to six years in prison for attempted promoting prostitution and rape following his guilty plea last month.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s sentence this defendant is held accountable for his actions and the young victim in the case was spared from having to testify against her abuser in court. This case is representative of my continuing commitment to seek justice for vulnerable young women who are exploited and forced into prostitution.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Travis Walker, 28, of East New York, Brooklyn. He pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted promoting prostitution and second-degree rape on January 23, 2019. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to an indeterminate term of three to six years on the attempted promoting prostitution count and a determinate term of five years on the second-degree rape count. The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently. The defendant must also register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between May 25, 2018 and June 18, 2018, the defendant prostituted a 14-year-old girl on multiple occasions in Brooklyn, forcing her to walk the streets in the middle of the night to pick up strangers to have sex for money, as well as at his house, at a Borough Park hotel, and at a bachelor party in Williamsburg. The defendant also raped the victim.

The defendant withheld food from the victim; used force, including kicking her in her back with his boots; and forced her to give him any money she earned from prostitution.

After a woman who was also working as a prostitute for the defendant learned the victim’s true age, that woman helped the teenager get away from the defendant’s house, according to the investigation. The victim was later spotted on a Brooklyn street by her aunt, who contacted her parents, who then called police.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Jacob Merino and Detective Elizabeth Gonzalez, of the Vice Human Trafficking Team, under the supervision of Lieutenant Christopher Sharpe and Captain Thomas Milano, and the overall supervision of Inspector James Klein. Police Officer Tony Cuoco of the NYPD’s 75th Precinct assisted in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney David Weiss, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit, with the assistance of Victim Services Unit Human Trafficking Social Worker Tracy Sun, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the Special Victims Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 22, 2019

 

Former NYPD Sergeant Indicted for Tampering with Evidence
At Scene Where He Shot and Wounded Another Man

Defendant Allegedly Planted Knife at Scene of Off-Duty Shooting, Then Retrieved It

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, today announced that a former New York City Police Sergeant has been indicted for tampering with evidence for allegedly planting a knife at the scene of a shooting and then retrieving the knife, according to surveillance video.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The entirety of the evidence in this case was presented to a grand jury, which considered all of the defendant’s actions and returned an indictment charging him with tampering with evidence. This is a shocking offense, especially given the defendant’s obligations as a police officer, and we intend to hold him accountable for his alleged conduct.”

Commissioner O’Neill said, “By swiftly moving to terminate former Sergeant Ritchard Blake in August of 2018, the department sends a clear and unambiguous message that criminal conduct will not be tolerated within the ranks of the NYPD.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Ritchard Blake, 40, who was assigned to the 109th Precinct in Flushing, Queens at the time of the incident. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Ruth Shillingford on an indictment in which he is charged with two counts of tampering with physical evidence. The defendant was released without bail and ordered to return to court on April 17, 2019. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.

The District Attorney said that on August 2, 2018, at approximately 5 a.m., in front of 650 Livonia Avenue, in East New York, Brooklyn, the defendant was captured on video surveillance being followed by Thavone Santana, with whom he had a verbal dispute hours earlier, according to the investigation.

The publicly-available surveillance video captures the two men addressing each other after Santana approached the defendant from behind with his left hand inside his left shorts pocket. The video surveillance shows that when Santana – who had his left hand in his pocket throughout the entire interaction – advanced towards the defendant, the defendant, while backing away, fired one shot, striking Santana in the mouth. The defendant was then captured on video surveillance searching Santana’s left shorts pocket. No weapon was found in his pocket, but police later recovered a razor blade on the ground next to Santana, according to the investigation.

Immediately thereafter, the defendant is captured on video surveillance removing a knife from his own back pants pocket and dropping it on the ground next to Santana. Within seconds, after looking up at a surveillance camera, the defendant picked the knife back up and put it back into the same back pants pocket.

The case was investigated by the NYPD’s Force Investigations Division, under the supervision of Sergeant Emanuel Vizzotti.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick O’Connor, Chief of the District Attorney’s Law Enforcement Accountability Bureau, under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Joseph Alexis, Chief of the District Attorney’s Trial Division, and the overall supervision of Tali Farhadian Weinstein, General Counsel.

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

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 22, 2019

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison Following his Guilty Plea for Strangulation Death of His Wife During an Argument

Defendant Confessed to his Landlord the Next Day

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 57-year-old Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison following his guilty plea to first-degree manslaughter for strangling his wife. The defendant strangled the victim during an argument inside their Flatlands apartment in September 2017.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “In Brooklyn, we are committed to seeking justice for all victims of intimate partner violence. This defendant attacked and killed the woman he vowed to love and protect. He has now been held accountable for his actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Loiseau Desmoulins, 57, of Flatlands, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jill Konviser to 20 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in January.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on September 4, 2017, at approximately 11 p.m., inside an apartment located at 3215 Avenue J, in Flatlands, Brooklyn, the defendant strangled his wife by placing his hands around her neck. The victim, 64-year-old Marie Loiseau, and the defendant were married the previous year.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant confessed to his landlord whom he saw outside of the building the following morning. The landlord called the police, but when they arrived, the defendant told the responding officers and emergency medical technicians that he found his wife in that condition. The victim also suffered an injury to her head. Following his arrest, the defendant made a video statement to the police admitting that he strangled his wife until she was no longer breathing.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sabeeha Madni, of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michelle Weber, Elder Abuse Unit Chief, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michelle L. Kaminsky, Domestic Violence Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 21, 2019

 

Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office Partners with CUNY Institute for
State and Local Governance on Data and Transparency Initiative

Revamping Agency’s Data and Analytical Capacity Will Improve its Practice and
Allow for Better Decision-Making, Greater Accountability and Transparency;
Program Fulfills one of Justice 2020’s Recommendations

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG), today announced a Data and Transparency Initiative that will improve the DA’s Office’s ability to track and analyze its data, allowing for better evaluation of prosecutors’ decision-making, enhanced transparency and an increased ability to assess the effectiveness of its policies. The partnership represents an important step in fulfilling the recommendation of  DA Gonzalez’s Justice 2020 Committee to “establish a data/analytics team to drive metrics, best practices and reform.” More information on the partnership is available here.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “A twenty-first century, progressive prosecutor’s office must be guided by data, which informs policies and allows for greater accountability and transparency. This unique collaboration will make my Office smarter, more focused, more mission-driven and will put us in the best position to gauge the effectiveness of our Justice 2020 initiatives. We intend to share what we learn with other prosecutorial agencies, researchers and the public.”

ISLG Executive Director Michael Jacobson said, “We are very pleased to partner on this initiative, which will lay the foundation for data-driven decision-making across the Office and strengthen the DA’s commitment to fairness and equal justice. By investing in data and analytics, DA Gonzalez is taking an important step towards transparency and accountability that can serve as a model for other offices across the nation.”

The first phase of the partnership – which is already well underway – is a one-year capacity-building project in which ISLG is helping the DA’s Office identify and implement a series of measures to improve its ability to track, analyze, and use the data that speaks to its most important policy and practice goals. This work began with a diagnostic review of current data, systems and practices to identify the extent to which current capacity supports operational, measurement, and evaluation needs; what gaps exist; and what steps can be taken to fill those gaps. Much of the initial assessment has been completed and ISLG introduced its findings to the DA in February 2019.

The second step is a nine-month implementation phase during which ISLG will work with the DA’s staff to implement the steps identified as most critical for monitoring and evaluating the Office’s highest priority questions – including those related to Justice 2020 progress and outcomes – and informing the decision-making of Brooklyn prosecutors.

Justice 2020 is DA Gonzalez’s plan of action aimed at keeping Brooklyn safe and strengthening community trust by ensuring fairness and equal justice for all. It is made up of 17 specific recommendations that are being implemented to radically transform his Office into a model of a progressive prosecutorial agency in the 21^st Century.

Once the above-described data system improvements have been put in place, ISLG will follow up with an analysis of prosecutorial decision-making. This analysis will focus on five key decision points: case acceptance, charging, pretrial release, disposition, and plea bargaining. Ultimately, this work will not only help the DA’s Office evaluate the effectiveness of Justice 2020 reforms, but also provide information to other prosecutorial offices and the broader community, and set an example for data-driven reforms that ensure both public safety and fairness.

The new case management system will allow the Office to identify relevant metrics, generate reports both internally and publicly, conduct deeper analyses of performance, partner with external researchers, and more.

The project is being jointly funded by Arnold Ventures through its National Partnership for Pretrial Justice and the William T. Grant Foundation.

The Data and Transparency Initiative is being implemented by William Power, the District Attorney’s Chief Information Officer, and Jeremy Shockett, First Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Trial Division, under the overall supervision of Jill Harris, Chief of Policy and Strategy and the Director of Justice 2020.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 20, 2019

 

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Stealing or Attempting to Steal Over $1 Million in Credit Fraud Scheme Targeting Pentagon Federal Credit Union

Allegedly Stole Identities of More Than 178 Individuals to Apply for Loans
And Credit Cards in Massive Scheme

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service New York Field Office David E. Beach, today announced that a Brooklyn man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with grand larceny, identity theft and related charges for stealing or attempting to steal over $1 million from Pentagon Federal Credit Union. The defendant allegedly used stolen personal information of more than 178 individuals in a scheme to apply for loans and credit cards in their names and then transfer money to his own accounts. The defendant allegedly stole over $320,000 from Pentagon Federal Credit Union and attempted to steal additional funds totaling over $870,000 over the course of the alleged fraudulent scheme.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “In his eagerness to enrich himself, this defendant allegedly had no regard for the impact he could have on financial institutions or the victims whose credit he jeopardized and whose privacy he exploited. I am determined to bring this defendant to justice for his alleged criminal actions and I thank the Secret Service for its hard work on this complex case. I am committed to prosecuting cybercrime, which continues to pose serious harm to our community.”

Special Agent in Charge Beach said, “The Secret Service is committed to its partnerships with the federal, state and local agencies in the law enforcement community. This case is yet another testament to those partnerships which brought a complex investigation to a successful conclusion. The Secret Service will continue to strengthen our partnerships to pursue and prosecute any financial or cyber-criminal enterprise. We appreciate and look forward to expanding our relationship with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Joseph Batrony Jr., 28, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a 229-count indictment in which he is charged with second- and third-degree grand larceny, attempted second-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheme to defraud, first-, second- and third-degree identity theft, first-degree falsifying business records, fourth-degree money laundering, and third-degree unlawful possession of personal identification information. The defendant was ordered held on bail of $250,000 cash or $100,000 bond and to return to court on April 10, 2019.

A co-defendant, Darrell Walker, 27, of Flatbush, Brooklyn was also arraigned. He is charged in 26 counts of the indictment, including second- and third-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree money laundering and fourth-degree criminal facilitation. He was released without bail and ordered to return to court on April 10, 2019.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, from approximately September 2017 to May 2018, Batrony allegedly engaged in a scheme to defraud Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed), a federal credit union headquartered in McLean, Virginia. He allegedly used stolen personal information of more than 178 individuals to open PenFed membership accounts and apply for loans and credit cards in their names before transferring the money to his own accounts or accounts of people related to or associated with the defendant.

The identity theft victims are primarily residents of Western states whose personal information—including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers—appear to be among those stolen in past “data breaches” targeting various institutions. Batrony allegedly obtained and used this information in his criminal scheme but has not been implicated in the commission of the data breaches.

Between September and October 31, 2017, Batrony allegedly filled out hundreds of online applications and made or attempted transfers of money, including 59 applications or transfers on October 27, 2017 and 42 applications made on September 29, 2017. After October 31, 2017, PenFed blocked the remainder of his attempted money transfers, including several online applications Batrony allegedly filled out in his own name, or that of an alias, “Aaron Green.” The accounts the defendant allegedly attempted to set up in his own name and that of his alias used a Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn address and telephone number associated with Batrony. Investigators with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office found that Batrony also allegedly used a mail drop service on Albany Avenue to receive mail and packages in the name of “Aaron Green.”

In April 2018, PenFed contacted the United States Secret Service regarding the account application made in the name of “Aaron Green,” as well as the connections PenFed had discovered among the hundreds of other fraudulent account applications. Secret Service agents determined the information “Aaron Green” submitted to open an account and apply for a $24,000 loan from PenFed allegedly included a fake New York State Driver’s License with a photo that matched Batrony and a counterfeit Social Security card that belonged to a juvenile in Idaho.

Batrony allegedly transferred or attempted to transfer funds to 10 financial accounts in his name, in the name of Aaron Green or into accounts in the names of relatives, friends or “money mules”— people who would allow the defendant to use their account in exchange for a payment.

It is alleged that Walker recruited “money mules” for Batrony to help facilitate the scheme.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.

Paralegal Stephanie Ducatel, of the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, Supervising Financial Investigator Deborah Wey and Investigative Analyst Megan Carroll of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division assisted in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Samantha Magnani, and Assistant District Attorney Abdel-Rahman Hamed, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gavin Miles, Counsel to the Frauds Bureau, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division.

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

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 19, 2019

 

Bedford-Stuyvesant Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for
Fatally Stabbing Girlfriend

Defendant Stabbed Victim 20 Times; Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bedford-Stuyvesant man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for fatally stabbing his girlfriend, whose body was found in their apartment with numerous stab wounds.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s sentence, this defendant has been held accountable. I am committed to ensuring justice for victims of domestic violence and I hope this defendant’s guilty plea and sentence bring some measure of solace to the victim’s daughter, family and friends.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Anthony Bradford, 55, of Gates Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today to 20 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on February 28, 2019.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on the evening of July 2, 2017, the defendant and the victim, his girlfriend of over seven years, were driven home to their Gates Avenue apartment by the defendant’s son after the defendant got into an argument with someone during a barbecue at the defendant’s family’s house around the corner on Monroe Street. At approximately 11:30 p.m. that evening, the defendant returned to his family’s home with blood on his clothes and cuts on his hands. His family called for an ambulance.

According to the investigation, as paramedics treated the defendant’s wounds he stated that he had “done a really bad thing” and that he was “going to jail for a long time.” The defendant’s son directed the paramedics to the defendant’s home. When paramedics entered the apartment, they found the victim, who was deceased, in the bedroom in a pool of blood with 20 stab wounds to her chest, shoulders and arms.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sabeeha Madni, of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michelle Kaminsky, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 15, 2019

 

Former Public Administrator Employee to be Sentenced for Stealing
Over $78,000 From Estates of Eight Decedents

Used Stolen Funds on a Cruise, Bills, Shopping and More

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett, today announced that a former case manager at the Office of the Kings County Public Administrator has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced to make full restitution and serve five years’ probation following a 60-day jail term that he began today. He admitted stealing more than $78,000 from the eight deceased individuals whose estates his agency was administering.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “I am committed to thwarting corruption and abuse of power and holding accountable those who betray the public trust. This defendant was entrusted to administer the estates of deceased individuals, but shamelessly chose to steal from them instead – causing additional grief to their loved ones.”

Commissioner Garnett said, “This public servant abused his authority as a representative of the Public Administrator’s Office by stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the estates of several deceased persons and lining his own pockets. Now, he has a criminal felony conviction and will pay back in full the money he stole. DOI thanks the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for their partnership and prosecution of this case.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Fitzroy Thompson, 37, of Park Slope, Brooklyn. He pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny on January 9, 2019 before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun, who today remanded the defendant to serve 60 days in jail. When he completes the jail term, he will be formally sentenced on May 15, 2019, to five years’ probation and must make full restitution by the end of the probationary term.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant was employed as a case manager at the Office of the Kings County Public Administrator, which administers estates of those who die without a last will and testament or without family members able to administer their estates. Between July 2017 and April 2018, the defendant stole a total of $78,325 in funds from estates being administered by the Public Administrator.

The defendant used credit cards and checking accounts belonging to estates of eight decedents whose cases he handled or could access to make various purchases and payments. In January 2018, he booked a cruise with Carnival Cruise Line, using one of the decedent’s credit cards to pay a $2,741 fee, the investigation found. He also used estate funds unlawfully to make ATM withdrawals exceeding $35,000, to make lease payments on a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder and a 2016 Nissan Altima, to make rent payments in connection with two properties, to pay phone and cable bills, to buy JetBlue airline tickets to Nassau, Bahamas and to make purchases at Walmart, Fingerhut and other retailers.

The defendant was arrested in March 2018 after the executor of one estate noticed charges on his deceased relative’s account, including the cruise payment, and filed a police report. A subsequent investigation discovered the additional larcenies. The defendant was suspended upon his arrest and resigned from the Office of the Public Administrator.

District Attorney Gonzalez thanked the Kings County Public Administrator’s Office, its staff and Public Administrator Richard Buckheit for their cooperation and assistance with this investigation.

The case was investigated by Senior Investigative Auditor Helen Gromadsky and former Deputy Inspector General and Special Counsel Inna Spector of the New York City Department of Investigation, under the supervision of Inspector General Eleonora Rivkin, Associate Commissioner Andrew Brunsden. The case was also investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Mitchell Eisenberg of the 60th Precinct Detective Squad.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit with the assistance of Investigative Paralegal Zachary Gitman, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 13, 2019

 

East Flatbush Man Sentenced to 3 to 9 Years in Prison for
Forging Deed and Stealing House from Elderly Neighbor

Forged Deed Transferring Ownership of Neighbor’s Three-Family House
Worth $445,000 to Trust in His Name

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an East Flatbush man, who absconded during his trial, was sentenced to three to nine years in state prison. He was convicted by a jury of grand larceny and other charges for stealing a house owned by his 84-year-old next-door neighbor by forging a deed and other documents that transferred ownership of the property to a trust in his name.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant twice showed a disregard for the rule of law, first by stealing his neighbor’s house and then absconding during his trial. He’s now been held accountable. This case is part of my continuing commitment to ensuring justice for Brooklyn homeowners who are all too often the target of unscrupulous individuals.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Winston Gregory Hall, also known as “Sage El,” 37, of East Flatbush, Brooklyn. The defendant was sentenced today to an indeterminate term of three to nine years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. The defendant was convicted of second-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. The defendant absconded after the jury trial began and was convicted in absentia on October 23, 2018. He was picked up in Brooklyn by police two months after absconding.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, between April and May of 2015, the defendant perpetrated a fraud to steal the title to 390 East 49th Street in Brooklyn, a three-family home owned by his next-door neighbor, an 84-year-old woman who lived with a family member in New Jersey.

According to the evidence, on April 16, 2015, the defendant created the Winston Gregory Hall Express Trust, of which he was the trustee. One week later, on April 23, 2015, a deed was executed by the victim, the owner of 390 East 49th Street, transferring ownership of the property to the defendant’s trust. Further, on May 8, 2015, the deed and related tax documents, also forged, were filed at the New York City Register’s Office. On May 18, 2015, the deed was recorded with the New York City Department of Finance, at which time the estimated market value of the property was $445,000.

The victim stated that she did not know the defendant and never intended to transfer ownership of her home to the defendant.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Frank Dudis and Senior Assistant District Attorney Ellen Koenig, of the District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Richard Farrell, Unit Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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