About Ernest Johnson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Defendant Who Operated Shadow Utility Company that Illegally Installed Gas Meters Pleads Guilty to Enterprise Corruption

To Receive 2 1/3 to 7 Years in State Prison

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Mark G. Peters, today announced that a former National Grid employee, who became the architect of a shadow utility company that illegally installed gas meters in violation of safety protocols by infiltrating the public utility and corrupted some of its employees has pleaded guilty to enterprise corruption.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s guilty plea this defendant admits to his role as the mastermind of this unique and unprecedented enterprise that has now been uncovered and dismantled thanks to the work of investigators and prosecutors. As Brooklyn property values continue to rise we will be vigilant in protecting residents against all kinds of fraudulent schemes that such unscrupulous opportunists invent to speed up work and violate safety protocols.”

Commissioner Peters said, “This defendant was the architect of a plot to line his and his associates pockets by engaging in illegal gas meter installations for cash; ignoring safety and potentially endangering lives. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that undermining City processes and violating necessary construction regulations are serious offenses that will be investigated and prosecuted. We thank the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for their partnership in this case.”

The District Attorney identified Weldon “Al” Findlay, 48, of Snyder Avenue, Brooklyn, as the mastermind and leader of the enterprise. Findlay, who worked for National Grid until 2010, pleaded guilty today to one count of enterprise corruption and one count of falsifying business records before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun, who, in a plea offered by the Court, promised him a term of 2 1/3 to 7 years in state prison when he is sentenced on May 2, 2018.

The District Attorney said that, according to the guilty plea, the enterprise arranged for the illegal installation of gas meters in exchange for cash at 33 residential properties across Brooklyn, including Williamsburg, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Heights, Bushwick, Crown Heights, Midwood, and Borough Park, in addition to homes in parts of Queens. Findlay formed the enterprise and directed its criminal activities throughout the period covered by the indictment, namely January 12, 2016 to June 30, 2016.

The Department of Buildings and National Grid have inspected every property identified in connection with the investigation, and ensured that there is no risk to public safety.

The District Attorney said that existing protocols required National Grid employees opening accounts (for new or renewed gas service) to check the public Building Information System (BIS) database to confirm that the property had been inspected as required by the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB). A licensed master plumber or a DOB inspector must visit the location and conduct appropriate testing to ensure that gas lines have been properly and safely installed; compliance is indicated by a control number created in the BIS database. A National Grid employee acting properly would check for the BIS number and then include it in the account record before dispatching a technician to install a meter and initiate gas service.

According to the investigation, when a landlord with a new or renovated apartment wanted to avoid either the expense of the required tests, or possible delays associated with compliance, the landlord contacted Findlay, who would arrange for illegal service through his criminal enterprise. Landlords could be confident that National Grid employees setting up the account and providing gas service would violate or ignore any rules or regulations that would prevent or delay the supply of gas.

The case was investigated by DOI, specifically, Assistant Inspectors General Michael Antolini and Noah Mohney; Confidential Investigator Dan Taylor, Deputy Inspector General Edward Zinser and Chief Investigator James McElligott, under the supervision of Inspector General Gregory Cho, Associate Commissioner James J. Flaherty, and First Deputy Commissioner Lesley Brovner.

The District Attorney thanked New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Mark G. Peters and his staff for their work on this case. He also thanked the New York City Department of Buildings and National Grid for their assistance and cooperation in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Adam S. Libove of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit, with the assistance of Senior Assistant District Attorney Sara Walshe, Assistant District Attorney Renee Hassel and Assistant District Attorney Katherine Zdrojeski, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Spanakos, Unit Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division and Mark Feldman, Senior Executive Assistant District Attorney for Crime Strategies and Investigations.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 26, 2018

Building Owner Charged with Filing 28 Forged Documents Using Dead Notary Public’s Signature to Try to Evict Tenants

Defendant Targeted Multiple Tenants with the Forged Documents

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn building owner was charged with forgery and other charges for allegedly using a deceased’s notary public’s stamp and signature on court filings to try to evict tenants from his apartment building in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

District Attorney Gonzalez said “This defendant attempted to fool the court by using someone else’s identity for his nefarious business plans. As Brooklyn continues to soar in popularity as a wonderful place to live, I am committed to protecting the rights of its residents.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Abdus Shahid, 64, owner and a resident of 455 Tompkins Avenue, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Shahid was arraigned late Friday, February 23, 2018 in Brooklyn Criminal Court on a criminal complaint in which he is charged with 28 counts of second-degree forgery, 28 counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, and 28 counts of second-degree making an apparently sworn false statement. He was released without bail.

The defendant filed civil suits against five tenants he was trying to evict, claiming they damaged his property. The tenants, who were represented by the Legal Aid Society, claimed the landlord was trying to evict them for filing complaints against him with 311.

The alleged forgery was discovered when a Legal Aid attorney representing a tenant noticed the deceased notary’s signature on court filings. In his court filings, the defendant verified and purportedly signed all the documents using the notary stamp and signature of Yitzchok Ring, who died on October 6, 2014. The court documents in the eviction proceedings were filed between March 16, 2015 and September 8, 2016.

The case was investigated by Detective Investigator Jacqueline Klapak of the Kings County District Attorney’s Special Investigations Unit, under the supervision of Senior Detective Investigator Michael Seminara.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Vivian Young Joo, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Christopher Blank, Chief of the District Attorney’s Organized Crime and Racketeering Unit, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division.

#

A criminal complaint is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 22, 2018

Brooklyn Man Convicted of Fatal Shooting in Ditmas Park

Faces up to 25 Years to Life in Prison

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man was convicted of murder for the 2015 shooting death of another man, Raphael Kurton, who was shot in the chest and leg in front of a shop in Ditmas Park.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a brazen and senseless murder for which a jury has now held this defendant accountable. Brooklyn residents have a right to feel safe in their communities and we will never tolerate such violence in our neighborhoods.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Patrick Zephir, 36, of Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. He was convicted today of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon following a jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Vincent Del Giudice. The defendant will be sentenced on April 9, 2018, at which time he faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on May 26, 2015, at approximately 9:20 p.m., in front of a deli located at 1624 Newkirk Avenue, the defendant aimed a handgun at Raphael Kurton, 27, and fired six times, striking the victim twice, once in the chest and once in the thigh. He later died at Kings County Hospital.

Zephir fled the scene and was arrested two and a half months later in West Virginia.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Bernarda Villalona, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Bureau Chief.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 22, 2018

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 23 Years to Life in Prison for Fatally Shooting a Man During an Ambush in Bedford-Stuyvesant

Defendant Ambushed the Victim While He was Sitting in a Courtyard

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 23 years to life in prison for fatally shooting a man in 2015 during an ambush in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant carefully planned and executed a cowardly attack on an unsuspecting man. I am committed to continue keeping Brooklyn safe and today’s sentence ensures that this clearly dangerous individual is taken off our streets.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Isaac Bryant, 37, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 23 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon last November following a jury trial.

According to trial testimony, on May 27, 2015, at approximately 3:30 p.m., the defendant exited a car and walked towards the victim while holding a handgun and started shooting. The victim, Jamaal Anderson, 31, was sitting in a courtyard at 1615 Fulton Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Anderson attempted to run away when he heard the shots, but was shot in the back and collapsed. The defendant then ran back to the car and drove off.

The shooting was in retaliation for a friend’s shooting days earlier, according to trial testimony.

The District Attorney said that the victim was taken to Interfaith Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Investigators recovered surveillance video showing the defendant running towards the victim while shooting a gun. Bryant was also recorded running away and getting into his car after the shooting.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Ernest Chin, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant Attorney Douglas Marquez, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 15, 2018

Former Owner of Three-Quarter Houses Pleads Guilty
To Fraud for Unlawfully Removing Tenants from Homes

Will Be Sentenced to up to Three Years in Prison; Forced Tenenets Out of Homes
During the Day, Locked Doors, Put Belongings on the Street, Broke Stoves

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that the former owner of a company that operated three-quarter houses in Brooklyn pleaded guilty to scheme to defraud and will be sentenced to up to three years in prison. The defendant used various tactics to evict residents without a court order, including putting their belongings on the street, removing their mattresses, preventing them from cooking by breaking stoves and locking the doors to the residences to prevent entry after forcing them out during the daytime.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant victimized the most vulnerable among us by treating them inhumanely – they were used to make him a profit and then literally thrown to the curb. His actions were unlawful and unconscionable, making the prison sentence he will receive appropriate. I remain committed to protecting everyone in Brooklyn from fraud and illegal evictions such as these.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Yury Baumblit, 67, of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. He pleaded guilty yesterday before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to first-degree scheme to defraud in exchange for a promised sentence of one and a half to three years in prison. Sentencing was scheduled for March 7, 2018. The sentence will run concurrently with a sentence in a separate case that’s being handled by the New York State Attorney General’s Office.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, Baumblit operated Back on Track Inc., a company that rented out three-quarter houses (also known as transitional houses or sober houses). Most tenants in his houses received shelter allowance from the New York City Human Resources Administration and others paid the landlord in cash.

Between April 2014 and March 16, 2016, the defendant unlawfully evicted at least 10 tenants who occupied rooms for over 30 days – even though landlords cannot evict a tenant who occupies a room or a bed for 30 consecutive days without a court order. That constituted an ongoing scheme to defraud these tenants of their property. All the tenants were directed by Baumblit to attend a substance abuse program, even when they did not have a substance abuse problem.

One victim moved to 456 Glenmore Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn in May 2014 and resided there for over a year. During that period, Baumblit or his employee locked the residence during the day, according to the investigation. In addition, the victim observed the defendant or his employees removing mattresses belonging to tenants and destroying the stove so tenants could not cook.

Another tenant in the residence, who paid Baumblit in cash from his disability payments, was evicted after six months in the home when the defendant removed his belongings and placed another tenant in his bed. The victim sued in Tenant-Landlord Court and obtained an order directing Baumblit to return the bed to him. The defendant refused and the victim slept on the floor for more than four months.

At that same residence, another victim had surgery in early 2015 and, subsequently, was told by Baumblit he could not stay in the home during the day and had to attend his assigned program. The victim went to the program, collapsed in the street and was hospitalized for five days, according to the indictment.

The case was investigated by Detecitve Investigator Marvin Chalmers under the supervision of Supervising Detective Investigator Robert Addonizio and Deputy Chief Edwin Murphy. NYPD Police Officer Courney Vishawadia, of the 73rd Precinct, initially investigated the case and arrested the defendant.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Vivian Young Joo, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Former Employee of Charter Bus Company Sentenced to Prison
For Stealing over $1 million in Amusement Park Tickets from Employer

Used Company Credit Card to Buy and Misappropriate over 36,000 Tickets
To Dorney Park and Six Flags Great Adventure

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that a Staten Island woman was sentenced to one to three years in state prison today, following her guilty plea to first-degree grand larceny last month for stealing amusement park tickets valued at over $1 million from her employer, a Red Hook-based charter bus company. The defendant used the company credit card to purchase tickets that were later redeemed at the parks but unconnected to any company offerings.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant was an unscrupulous employee who used her position of trust to steal more than $1 million in property from her employer. Losses such as this can be devastating to small businesses, which are integral to our communities in Brooklyn. Today’s prison term holds her accountable.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Rosemarie Bader, 51, of Staten Island. The defendant was sentenced today to one to three years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun, who signed a judgment order directing the defendant to pay restitution in the amount of $1,000,533.00 to Best Trails & Travel. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree grand larceny last month.

The District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, the defendant worked for Best Trails and Travel Corporation (BTTC), a charter bus company located at 5 Sigourney Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn. BTTC offers private and corporate charter bus packages to a variety of locations, including regional amusement parks and casinos and often including admission to the destinations. The defendant, a 16-year employee of the company, was most recently employed as the Sales Director – a role in which she alone managed and coordinated the various amusement park trip packages offered by BTTC to its clientele: She ordered the tickets from the amusement parks, took delivery of the tickets, secured the tickets in a safe to which she alone had access, placed bus dispatch orders and distributed the appropriate number of theme park tickets to the bus drivers and trip leaders. The defendant was authorized to use BTTC’s American Express credit card to pay for the theme park tickets for the packages.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between approximately January 2014 and November 2016, the defendant used the BTTC credit card to over-order tickets to two of the company’s destinations, Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey and Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania, using the card to pay for over 36,000 tickets that were unconnected to any BTTC bus package but were redeemed at the parks. The defendant took delivery of the tickets by intercepting UPS and Federal Express deliveries and storing the tickets in a personal safe under her desk to which only she had access. The vast majority of the tickets the defendant over-ordered and possessed were never used to fulfill BTTC’s bus-and-ticket packages, nor were the unused and unauthorized tickets returned to the amusement parks for refund, as was the company’s usual practice. Rather, the defendant kept those tickets for her own use without authorization of BTTC.

The defendant’s scheme was discovered in 2016 when an accounting by her employer revealed company ticket orders to Dorney Park and Six Flags Great Adventure far exceeding the actual bus seats available to the parks through company-run trips during applicable time periods. In total, between approximately January 2014 and November 2016, the defendant allegedly used the BTTC American Express credit card to purchase 23,136 tickets to Dorney Park and 13,102 tickets to Six Flags Great Adventure that were redeemed at the parks, according to the investigation, but were unconnected to any BTTC trips. Combined, based upon the average cost of the tickets misappropriated by the defendant, she stole at least $1,000,533 worth of tickets from the company. The defendant’s employment was terminated in October 2016.

The case was investigated by Supervising Detective Investigator Michael Seminara and Detective Investigator Jacqueline Klapak, both of the District Attorney’s Investigations Bureau, under the overall supervision of Chief Investigator Joseph Piraino.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Deidre Moskowitz, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Mark Feldman, Senior Executive for Investigations and Crime Strategies.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 13, 2018

New York City Police Officer Convicted in Connection
With Transferring Title to Bedford-Stuyvesant Property to Herself

Faces Up to 7 Years in Prison at Sentencing

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a New York City police officer has been convicted in connection with transferring title from a neglected three-family house in Bedford-Stuyvesant by filing a deed transferring the property from the deceased owner’s nephew to herself in 2012, only to see her scheme unravel when the nephew was approached by an actual potential buyer in 2014.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant shamelessly took advantage of a vacant house to enrich herself. She has now been held accountable. I am committed to protecting homeowners as Brooklyn’s property values soar and criminals try to cash in. I urge property owners to register their homes with ACRIS (Automated City Register Information System) so that they are automatically informed of changes made to documents associated with their property.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Police Officer Blanche O’Neal, 40, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. She was convicted of first-degree perjury, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing today following a bench trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. She will be sentenced on April 18, 2018, at which time she faces up to 7 years in prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on September 12, 2012, the defendant, who is an NYPD officer, executed a deed that stated that she bought the property, 23A Vernon Avenue, from the nephew of the deceased homeowner, Lillian Hudson, who died in 1993. The nephew and several relatives inherited the property, though it sat vacant and neglected for many years.

The defendant, according to trial testimony, falsely indicated in her filings with the New York City Department of Finance, Office of the City Register, that she purchased the property for $10,000 from the nephew and the deed was purportedly signed by him. The Office of the City Register recorded the deed on October 11, 2012.

Furthermore, in connection with a burglary involving the property, the defendant falsely testified before a grand jury on September 29, 2014, that she owned the property.

In 2014, the nephew and the other heirs were approached by a buyer in the form of a business entity known as 23A Vernon LLC. That is when Lillian Hudson’s heirs discovered the 2012 deed allegedly filed by the defendant.

The case was investigated by the New York City Office of the Sheriff, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Investigator Teresa Russo, under the supervision of Chief Investigator James Grayson, First Deputy Sheriff Maureen Kokeas, and the overall supervision of Sheriff Joseph Fucito.

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

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Gang Member Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Shooting
Teenager during Incident where Another Teen was Killed
Outside of Applebee’s in Downtown Brooklyn

Shots Fired as Two Rival Gangs Confronted Each Other on Busy Flatbush Avenue

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a gang member was sentenced to 15 years in prison following his convictions of first-degree manslaughter and other charges in connection with a 2015 shooting in which he shot an 18-year-old, leading to the subsequent death of 16-year-old Armani Hankins.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “I am committed to keeping the people of Brooklyn safe and will not tolerate gun battles in our streets like the one that took place in this case. This defendant opened fire in a bustling neighborhood, not far from a hospital and a college campus, wounding a young man. With today’s sentence, he has been held responsible for his brazen and lawless actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Tyshawn Simon-Roberson, 18, of Downtown Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Vincent Del Giudice following his conviction last month of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree attempted assault and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon after a jury trial. A co-defendant, Malik Peters, 19, was convicted of the same charges by a different jury and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 27, 2018.

According to trial testimony, on October 26, 2015, at approximately 6 p.m., members of two rival gangs, the East New York-based “4 to 5” and the Fort Greene-based “900” met up in the vicinity of 395 Flatbush Avenue Extension, in front of an Applebee’s restaurant, and confronted each other. Simon-Roberson pulled out a firearm and fired twice, striking an 18-year-old in the leg. When “4 to 5” associates, which included Armani Hankins, ran in pursuit of the fleeing “900” members after the teen was shot in the leg, Peters pulled out a gun and shot and killed “4 to 5” gang member Hankins.

The case was investigated by Detective Anthony Barbee of the NYPD’s 88th Precinct Detective Squad. The case was additionally investigated by Detective Investigator Kolawole Olosunde, under the supervision of Supervising Detective Investigator David Acres, Deputy Chief Edwin Murphy and Interim Chief Joseph Piraino, of the District Attorney’s Investigations Bureau.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick O’Connor, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Viviane Dussek, also of VCE, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Nicole Chavis, VCE Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 9, 2018

Motorist Whose Doctor Allegedly Told Him Not to Drive Because of Medical Condition Indicted for Manslaughter of Father in East Flatbush

Driver Slammed into Pedestrian after Losing Control of Vehicle

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 41-year-old man has been indicted on manslaughter and other charges for a 2017 fatal crash that took place after his leg allegedly locked on the gas pedal of his car due to a pre-existing medical condition, causing him to lose control of the car at a high rate of speed.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a preventable death that could have been avoided if the defendant had listened to his own doctor’s advice, instead he got behind the wheel and now an innocent father is dead. Following a thorough investigation, we will now seek to hold him accountable because I am determined to keep our streets safe for all pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Mark Antoine, 41, of Brooklyn. He was arraigned yesterday before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice William Miller on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving and speeding. He was ordered held on $50,000 bail and to return to court on February 14, 2018. The defendant faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the top charge.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on January 9, 2017, at approximately 5:20 p.m., the defendant was behind the wheel of a 2004 Nissan Pathfinder in the vicinity of Avenue A and Remsen Avenue in East Flatbush, when his leg allegedly stiffened due to a medical condition and became locked on the gas pedal. He lost control of the car at a high rate of speed and had multiple accidents involving six other cars and struck and killed a pedestrian, Marlon Palacios, at Avenue A and Linden Boulevard. The incident occurred over two blocks, with the vehicle’s speed accelerating throughout, and alleged to be at least 60 mph when Palacios was struck.

Following an investigation, it was revealed that Antoine had been diagnosed and was being treated for multiple sclerosis, and that prior to the incident his physician told him that he should not drive due to his medical condition.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Nocella, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Vehicular Crimes Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Craig Esswein, Chief of the Vehicular Crimes Unit, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Joseph Alexis, Chief of the Trial Division.

#

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Using Facebook to Lure
Teenage Girls in to Sex Scheme

Defendant Charged with Raping Three Minors, Ages 14 and 15

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 26-year-old Prospect Park South man has been charged in two separate indictments in connection with catfishing three teenage girls into a fake “sex for money” scheme on Facebook, videotaping himself having sex with them and threatening to post the videos online if they didn’t continue to be intimate with him.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant is allegedly a sexual predator who targeted vulnerable young girls in a cruel scheme. Parents and social media users should be aware that there are many predators trolling the internet for victims, who are then preyed upon, and should always closely monitor online activity.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Phyllip Bertrand, aka Coolen Jay, aka Teddy, 26, of Prospect Park South, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which he is charged with five counts of second-degree rape, five counts of third-degree rape, five counts of sexual misconduct, and endangering the welfare of a child. Last month he was arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with two counts of first-degree rape, seven counts of third-degree rape, seven counts of sexual misconduct, three counts of use of a child in a sexual performance, five counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child, two counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child, four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, five counts of third-degree criminal sexual act, first- and second-degree coercion, three counts of use of a child in a sexual performance as a sexually motivated felony, and five counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child as a sexually motivated felony. He is being held on bail of $500,000 bond or $250,000 cash on the earlier indictment. Justice Chun set an additional bail of $100,000 bond or $50,000 cash at today’s arraignment.

The District Attorney said that the defendant allegedly approached multiple teenage girls on Facebook, pretending to be someone known as “Coolen Jay” and said they could make thousands of dollars (in one instance up to $20,000) by having sex with his friend, “Teddy.” The investigation revealed that “Teddy” and “Coolen Jay” were aliases for the defendant.

The first victim, a 15-year-old girl, agreed to have sex with “Teddy” for money on multiple occasions, beginning in April 2017, but when she asked to be paid she was promised she would get the money at a later date. By September 2017 she complained that she hadn’t received any money and stopped visiting “Teddy.” The defendant, who had allegedly been texting the victim using both personas, “Coolen Jay” and “Teddy,” then allegedly posted a video of her having sex with him online, which was sent to several of her school mates. He also allegedly posted it to a porn website. She was notified by the principal of her school and police were called.

Upon further investigation, including a review of the defendant’s social media, it is alleged, two additional victims of the same type of scheme were identified, a 15-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl, both of whom were lured by “Coolen Jay” to have sex with “Teddy” in exchange for cash. Neither girl was ever paid.

Anyone who is aware of additional victims of this scheme is urged to call police at 646-872-7609.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Philip Adaszewski of the Major Case Vice Unit, under the supervision of Lieutenant Joseph Agresta and Captain Thomas Milano, and the overall supervision of Inspector James Klein.

Senior Intelligence Analyst Brooklyn Middleton of the District Attorney’s Crime Strategies Unit and KCDA Digital Forensic Analysts Jason Lee and Thomas Woodburn assisted in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney David Weiss and Assistant District Attorney Anne Volk, of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit, with the assistance of Paralegal Alexandra Iorio and KCDA Human Trafficking Social Worker Tracy Sun, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Laura Edidin, Unit Chief and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the Special Victims Bureau.

#