About Ernest Johnson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 3, 2017

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez
Announces Promotions to Key Leadership Positions

Three Prosecutors, including Newly-Hired former Defense Attorney, to
Lead Trial Bureaus; New Homicide Chief Named

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced a series of promotions to important leadership positions in the District Attorney’s Office. Those include naming Timothy Gough as the new Homicide Bureau Chief, hiring of Danielle Eaddy, a distinguished defense attorney and former Assistant District Attorney, to lead one of the Trial Bureaus and promoting two veteran prosecutors – Kin Ng and Robert Walsh – to head two other Trial Bureaus.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The promotions and appointment of these extremely accomplished prosecutors will make our Office even better and stronger. They are a highly-qualified and uniquely diverse group of attorneys who have a long track record of supervisory experience and courtroom expertise. Together with the rest of our staff, they will ensure that the DA’s Office continues to work professionally and efficiently and remains committed in its pursuit of justice and fairness for the people of Brooklyn.”

The Acting District Attorney said that ADA Gough will replace current Homicide Bureau Chief Kenneth Taub, who is retiring next month after 36 years of extraordinary public service at the Brooklyn DA’s Office, 28 of those in the Homicide Bureau. ADA Gough was most recently the Bureau Chief of the Grey Zone Trial Bureau, one of the five Trial Bureaus in the Office that together handle the bulk of felony and misdemeanor cases in the borough. Since joining the DA’s Office in 1997, he has tried about 100 cases to verdict, most of them homicide cases. ADA Gough started his career in 1990 at the Manhattan DA’s Office, where he was a trial and appellate prosecutor.

ADA Eaddy will replace ADA Gough as the Grey Zone Bureau Chief. She joined the Office in 1994 and, during a 12-year tenure, held numerous managerial positions, including Grey Zone Bureau Chief. She left in 2006 to launch a criminal defense and civil rights practice, litigating state and federal cases that included many sensitive and high-profile trials. A Fordham University School of Law graduate and Bedford-Stuyvesant resident, ADA Eaddy was recently hired to return to the Office where she started her legal career.

In addition, ADA Kin Ng has been promoted to Bureau Chief of the Red Zone Trial Bureau. A Brooklyn prosecutor since 1991, he was most recently the Chief of the Immigrant Fraud Unit. Prior to that, he held a variety of positions in Supreme and Criminal Court and served as Director of Training for the Office. ADA Ng has regularly lectured about public service, diversity and leadership in government and worked with local and foreign media, particularly Asian media, to raise awareness in immigrant communities regarding various criminal justice issues. He is replacing former Bureau Chief Joseph Alexis, who was promoted in December 2016 to Chief of the Trial Division.

Furthermore, ADA Robert Walsh has been promoted to Bureau Chief of the Blue Zone Trial Bureau, replacing ADA Frances Weiner, who is becoming Director of Legal Training. She was previously Deputy Bureau Chief of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau among other supervisory positions. ADA Walsh, a prosecutor since 1991, has handled a wide variety of cases, included narcotics trafficking, assaults on police officers and homicides, displaying excellent courtroom skills. He also held a number of managerial positions, including supervising firearm prosecutions. ADA Walsh was most recently the Felony Deputy Bureau Chief at the Blue Zone Trial Bureau.

Numerous other Assistant District Attorneys have been promoted to Deputy Chiefs and other supervisory positions, including Grace Jeannie Lopez to Deputy Bureau Chief of the Red Hook Community Justice Center Bureau; Nada Abdelhadi to Deputy Bureau Chief of the Early Case Assessment Bureau; Kevin C. Aulbach to Deputy Chief of the Crime Strategy Unit; and José Interiano to Deputy Chief of the Immigrant Fraud Unit.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 30, 2017

Three Defendants Charged With Promoting Prostitution
Of Three Teenage Girls in East New York

Victims Were Ages 13, 15 and 17

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an East New York man, his girlfriend and another woman have been charged in a 24-count indictment with promoting three underage girls as prostitutes.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These defendants allegedly profited off of three troubled and vulnerable young women. January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month and a good time to reaffirm this office’s commitment to protecting victims who are demeaned and dehumanized by defendants such as those charged in this indictment.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Keisia Atkins, 29, Mercedes Jones, 19 and Whetsel Wade, 45, all of East New York, Brooklyn. They are variously charged with second-, third- and fourth-degree promoting prostitution and related charges. Atkins was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun and ordered held on bail of $10,000 bond or $5,000 cash. Jones and Wade were arraigned before Justice Chun earlier this month. Jones’ bail was set at $25,000 and Wade was ordered held without bail. The top count carries up to 15 years in prison.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between August 2016 and November 2016, Wade promoted the 13, 15 and 17-year-old girls as prostitutes, posting photos of them on Backpage.com, alongside advertisements for escorts. The defendant would then allegedly drive the minors to hotels or private apartments to meet men who paid to have sex with them. In some instances, the defendant would have the Johns come to his home on Crescent Street in East New York to have sex with the girls in his living room.

It is alleged that Jones assisted Wade in promoting all three victims as prostitutes and Atkins is alleged to have assisted in promoting the youngest victim after she turned 14-years-old in November.

On November 14, 2016, police responded to an incident at the defendant’s house and found the 17-year-old victim inside the defendant’s basement. The defendant had fled the scene and was arrested two days later. Jones was arrested earlier this month and Atkins was arrested this morning.

This case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective David Mills under the supervision of Lieutenant Marc Morales and Captain Thomas Milano from the Vice Major Case Division.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney David Weiss of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit, with the assistance of Human Trafficking Social Worker Haley Feldman, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Laura Edidin, Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the Special Victims Bureau.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 27, 2017

Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Fatally Shooting
Man during 2014 J’Ouvert Celebration

Defendant Opened Fire into Crowd of People; will be Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 28-year-old Brooklyn man has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting a man during the J’Ouvert celebration held in advance of the 2014 West Indian Day Parade.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant senselessly fired into a crowd of revelers, taking a man’s life and marring what should have been a night of celebration. The festivities surrounding J’Ouvert ought to be a joyful time for the community and we will aggressively prosecute anyone who shoots or harms people at this annual event or anywhere else in Brooklyn.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Derek Goodings, 28, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He pleaded guilty yesterday to first-degree manslaughter before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Vincent Del Giudice, after jury selection had commenced. The judge indicated he will sentence the defendant on February 15, 2017 to 24 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the defendant’s allocution, on September 1, 2014, at approximately 3:30 a.m., in the vicinity of Empire Boulevard, during the J’Ouvert celebration that precedes the annual West Indian Day Parade, the defendant fired a loaded weapon into a crowd of people. He fired five times, striking Michael Sampson, 55, in the chest, killing him, and injuring another man. He also fired at an unmarked police van, striking it.

The defendant fled the scene and, while he was being chased by police, turned his gun on an officer, who discharged his service weapon.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Melissa Carvajal, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Taub, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Williamsburg Man Who Operated Heroin
Trafficking Ring and Co-defendant Plead Guilty

Admit to Participating in Large Scale Narcotics Conspiracy

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that two men involved with a heroin distribution ring that operated out of Williamsburg and supplied heroin to, among other places, Staten Island, pleaded guilty today as their trial was about to begin.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “We’ve seen a dramatic surge in the use of heroin here in New York and across the country over the last few years. The epidemic use of this highly addictive drug is destroying lives and families. Dismantling this ring and holding its leaders accountable is part of our continued commitment to fighting this scourge.”

The District Attorney said that Josie Tavera, 25, of Williamsburg, and Jason Collazo, 37, of Staten Island, today pleaded guilty before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Cassandra Mullen as their trial was about to get underway. Tavera, identified as the ringleader, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree and one count of second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, one count of first-degree and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree conspiracy in exchange for a sentence of 14 years in prison. Collazo pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, one count of second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and one count of second-degree conspiracy in exchange for a sentence of 11 years in prison. The defendants will be sentenced on March 7, 2017.

Specifically, according to the investigation, much of the drug-related activity occurred in and around Tavera’s Driggs Avenue apartment in Williamsburg between January and September 2015. Several people supplied Tavera with a large quantity of heroin and in turn, he supplied a number of individuals with heroin to be resold, including defendant Collazo. Most of the heroin resold by Collazo ended up on the streets of Staten Island.

The Acting District Attorney said that the investigation was conducted using electronic, video and physical surveillance and that the defendants conspired to possess and sell heroin in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan. Josie Tavera was at the nexus of the distribution ring. Twenty-three co-defendants who were indicted in the case have all pleaded guilty and received sentences reflecting their various roles in the ring. The defendants flooded the streets with heroin sold under various brands including “Knockout,” “Takeover,” “Power Hour,” “Killing Time,” “Pure,” “Gucci,” and “Scorpion.”

Assistant District Attorney James Slattery of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Jonathan R. Sennett, Deputy Bureau Chief, prosecuted the case, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Nicole Chavis, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney William E. Schaeffer, Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 20, 2017

Brooklyn Man Convicted of Murder for Fatally Shooting Man
During Argument in Bushwick Nail Salon

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 29-year-old Brooklyn man has been convicted of murder for fatally shooting a man who was engaged in an argument with the defendant’s friend in a Bushwick nail salon.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant inserted himself into an argument and escalated it tragically, taking a man’s life and putting others at grave risk. He’s now been held accountable for his actions.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Kenneth Bryant, 29, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was convicted today of second-degree murder and one count of criminal possession of a weapon following a jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Vincent Del Giudice. He will be sentenced on February 8, 2017, at which time he faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on October 23, 2014, at approximately 2:20 p.m., the defendant and a friend were in a nail salon at 1165 Myrtle Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The victim, Demetrius Mayo, 28, entered the salon with two friends and an argument ensued between the victim and the defendant’s friend. The argument turned physical, at which point the defendant shot the victim four times, killing him.

According to trial testimony, the defendant and his friend fled the scene, but the defendant left behind his backpack and ID. An eyewitness receiving a manicure/pedicure in the salon identified the defendant and his friend. The defendant was apprehended in Bridgeport, Connecticut on April 15, 2015 and admitted to the shooting.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Lewis Lieberman, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Krystyn Tendy, of the District Attorney’s Trial Bureau Grey Zone, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Taub, Chief of the Homicide Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 20, 2017

Sheepshead Bay Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for
Trying to Kidnap 9-Year-Old Girl who was Playing in her Front Yard

Defendant Exposed Himself and Tried to Grab the Girl;
Victim Rescued by her Father, who Heard Screams

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 39-year-old man from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn was sentenced to 15 years in prison for trying to abduct a 9-year-old girl as she played in the front yard of her Brooklyn home. The girl escaped unharmed after her father interrupted the attack. The defendant was convicted last year of attempted kidnapping and other charges after a jury trial.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant brazenly invaded what should have been a safe haven for the victim, a child, who was playing in her front yard. We’re grateful that this defendant will be unable to harm other children any time soon, and that the father’s quick actions averted greater tragedy here.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Robert Drach, 39, of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Guy Mangano to 15 years in prison, following his conviction on November 9, 2016 on charges of attempted second-degree kidnapping, public lewdness, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal trespass after a jury trial.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, the 9-year-old victim was playing in the fenced yard in front of her home on Ford Street in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, on June 11, 2015, at approximately 7 a.m. The defendant – who had exposed his genitals – entered the yard through a gate, grabbed the girl, and tried to drag her away. Hearing the child’s screams, her father charged into the yard, grabbed the defendant, and held him until police arrived. The child was not injured.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ebonie Legrand and Alana Tierney, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Miss Gregory, Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 17, 2017

North Carolina Man Indicted for Trafficking
33 Guns to Sell on the Streets of Brooklyn

Sold 25 Firearms to Undercover on Two Occasions,
Arrested inside Restaurant before Completing Third Sale

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, today announced that a 24-year-old man from North Carolina has been arraigned on a 115-count indictment for allegedly trafficking 33 firearms from his home state into Brooklyn. He allegedly sold 25 of the firearms to an undercover police officer on two occasions last month and was arrested with eight additional guns and assault rifle parts before completing a third planned transaction.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The pistols and revolvers that were recovered as part of this investigation are exactly the type of guns that are used to commit violence on our streets. Keeping such weapons – purchased legally in southern states, but possessed illegally in Brooklyn – out of the hands of criminals undoubtedly saves lives so I am determined to continue working with the NYPD to identify out-of-state firearms traffickers and to bring them to justice in Brooklyn.”

Commissioner O’Neill said, “This one individual was able to readily bring thirty-three illegal firearms into New York City for sale within a two week period. This case is yet another clear example of how the lax gun laws and regulations in other areas of our country can directly impact the crime fighting efforts of New York. It is further evidence of the need for a greater level of control and accountability in connection with access to illegal firearms throughout our nation. I want to thank all those who worked so well in bringing this case to a swift and successful result.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Marcus Gamble, 24, of Charlotte, North Carolina. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Foley on a 115-count indictment in which he is charged with first-, second- and third-degree criminal sale of a firearm, first-, second- and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm and related charges. The defendant was ordered held without bail.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on December 5, 2016, the defendant sold 10 loaded firearms to an undercover police officer and, on December 13, 2016, the defendant sold the undercover 15 loaded firearms for a total of about $27,000. The sales took place inside a car in the vicinity of Flatbush Avenue and Maple Street in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn.

On December 20, 2016, as the defendant was allegedly waiting for a third sale to commence, he was arrested inside a Golden Krust restaurant located at 568 Flatbush Avenue in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Eight guns and parts of an assault rifle were recovered from his book-bag, according to the indictment.

The 33 guns the defendant is charged with transporting to Brooklyn were mostly pistols and revolvers, including Smith & Wessons, Colts and Rugers. Some of the weapons were purchased legally in North Carolina and others were stolen, the investigation found. The defendant grew up in New York City, has extensive family ties to Brooklyn, but has been living in North Carolina for the past couple of years, according to the investigation.

The investigation was conducted by Police Officer Konrad Zakiewicz with the assistance of Detective William Warren, under the Supervision of Sergeant Richard Young and Lieutenant Richard Zacarese of the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Katie Lee Wright, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision Assistant District Attorney Jonathan R. Sennett, Deputy Chief of VCE, and Assistant District Attorney Nicole Chavis, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney William E. Schaeffer, Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief.

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