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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez Announces Seizure of 70 Domains

That Targeted the Russian Community in Cryptocurrency Scams

Victims Targeted Through Facebook Ads, Including One Promising Investment

Advice from Elon Musk; More Than 20 Brooklyn Residents Lost Over $1 Million

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that his Virtual Currency Unit successfully disrupted a cryptocurrency scam operation that targeted members of the Russian community. The victims were lured into making what turned out to be bogus investments by responding to Facebook ads about investment opportunities then getting a call from a purported investment advisor, who spoke in Russian and guided them into making cryptocurrency transactions on what were actually bogus websites. The investigation identified over 20 Brooklyn investors who lost over $1 million and additional victims from across the United States who lost an additional $4 million combined. The cluster of 70 linked domains have now been taken offline.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “My office continues to respond to complaints from Brooklyn residents who fall victim to the growing problem of cryptocurrency scams. This particular operation targeted members of the Russian community through Facebook advertising, by speaking their language, gaining their trust, and convincing them into making investments that were ultimately stolen. We have now severely disrupted this long running scam and will continue this work on taking fake investment websites offline to protect the public while raising awareness, so our neighbors can protect themselves.”

The District Attorney said that starting in October 2023, his Virtual Currency Unit started to regularly receive complaints about thousands of dollars in losses from residents of Russian speaking communities who were convinced into investing in what they believed to be legitimate cryptocurrency investment platforms.

The investigation identified a shared narrative under which victims were lured into the scam by clicking on a Facebook advertisement promising impressive returns. Many of the ads they described featured a “deepfake” video of Elon Musk, encouraging people to invest in cryptocurrency (see attached image). Victims then received a follow up call from an “investment advisor” who spoke to them in Russian and coached them into creating an account on an investment website. With the help of the “advisor,” victims purchased cryptocurrency and transferred it to addresses linked websites. After “investing” for several weeks or months, the victims attempted to make a withdrawal but were locked out of their account or told they had to pay additional fees and taxes. This type of scam is commonly known as “Pig Butchering.”

An analysis of the websites reported by this cluster of victims revealed similarities in their appearance, HTML structure, IP addresses, hosting provider, and domain registrar. Most obvious of the similarities was an identical looking login page that served as a portal for the victims to create an account and begin their “investments” (see attached image). It is believed that the sites originated from Russia and the scammers were speaking in Russian as a way to ingratiate themselves to the victims and build trust. Because Russia is outside U.S. jurisdiction, recovering any stolen funds is extremely difficult and therefore, the DA’s Office strategy has been to disrupt the scam by taking control of the fake websites.

This week, the Virtual Currency Unit, pursuant to a court order, seized a network of 70 linked scam domains, all associated with the investment scam targeting Russian victims in Brooklyn and elsewhere. It identified over 20 Brooklyn victims from Brighton Beach, Borough Park, Midwood, Sheepshead Bay, Ocean Parkway, Manhattan Beach, Kensington, and other neighborhoods. There were three additional victims from Manhattan. The victims ranged in age from 35 to 75 with the majority older than 50. They reported individual loss amounts ranging from $18,000 to over $117,000. In total, the New York victims lost over $1 million.

In addition, the investigation found other Russian speaking victims from across the country (California, Maryland, Washington, Nebraska, Florida, Illinois, South Carolina and Pennsylvania). The combined victims across the country reported a total of $4 million in losses, believed to be just a fraction of the total financial damage caused in this scam.

Since seizing the domains, which now redirect to a warning message from law enforcement, the DA’s Office received multiple calls from victims who had been in the midst of sending more money to the fake investment companies but were alerted to the scam by the DA’s seizure notice.

The District Attorney shared the following warning signs of someone trying to lure a victim into a cryptocurrency scam:

• You get a “wrong message” text from a stranger who attempts to start a friendship and talks about how much money they’ve made by investing in cryptocurrency.
• You are added to a group chat on WhatsApp or Telegram that offers advice on how to invest in cryptocurrency with promises of getting rich quickly.
• Someone on Facebook brags about how much money they have made in cryptocurrency and tells you they can help you get rich.
• Someone you’ve never met in-person starts giving you cryptocurrency investment advice and promises returns on investments that seem too good to be true.
• You are directed to download an app to track your investments from a cryptocurrency website for a company you’ve never heard of before, not from an official mobile app store.
• The financial advisor or customer support for a cryptocurrency website communicates with you through Telegram or WhatsApp.
• You are asked to make cryptocurrency investments by giving large amounts of cash to couriers and company representatives in-person.
• You can make small withdrawals at the start but can’t withdraw any large amounts without having to pay a tax or additional fee.

The District Attorney also 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.
• Don’t install apps that force you to override your phone’s security features.
• 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.
• Never allow download programs such as AnyDesk that allows remote access to your computer.

• 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 Senior Digital Forensic Analyst Mauricio Suarez-Marquez, under the supervision of Chief of the Digital Evidence Lab Unit Jingu Chong. Virtual Currency Analysts Sam Weaver and Lindiwe Mangondo, Assistant District Attorney Brian Umana of the Virtual Currency Unit, and Senior Detective Investigator Gerard Caffrey of the KCDA Detective Bureau also assisted in the investigation.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison in Death of Child

Cause of Death was Battered Child Syndrome, Blunt Force Injury to Torso

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for striking and causing the death of his girlfriend’s four-year-old son, Jayce Eubanks. An autopsy determined that the child had numerous old and new injuries about his body and suffered from battered child syndrome.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The autopsy of this innocent child revealed that he suffered unthinkable and repeated abuse in his short life and ultimately died at the hands of this defendant. I am committed to protecting children in our communities from child abusers and today’s sentence holds this defendant accountable.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Jerimiah Johnson, 30, of East New York, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo to 15 years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on April 17, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on September 12, 2021, at approximately 5:30 a.m., inside the child’s home, located on Baltic Street in the Gowanus Houses, in Brooklyn, his mother, Rickia Delvalle, was awakened by the defendant, who was holding Jayce in his arms and who stated that the child said he could not breathe and had collapsed to the floor. The mother observed that the child was not breathing and appeared completely unresponsive.

Jayce was taken to Brooklyn Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 6:54 a.m.

An autopsy performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Jayce had numerous old and new injuries, including multiple bruises and abrasions to his body, limbs, back, chest and abdomen; a healing skull fracture, multiple healing and recent rib fractures on both sides of the chest, trauma to the stomach causing it to perforate, causing bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract and abdominal cavity, and that the cause of death was battered child syndrome with recent blunt force injuries of the torso.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Perry Cerrato, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Daniel Newcombe, also of the Special Victims Bureau, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

Following Burglary Spree of Homes and Businesses in Bensonhurst

Defendant Stole More than $150,000 Worth of Jewelry and Cash 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for committing a string of burglaries in Bensonhurst between August 2022 and January 2023. Of the burglaries, two were of private dwellings and four were local stores.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These prison sentences reflect the seriousness of the crimes these serial burglars committed and send a strong message that this conduct will not be tolerated in Brooklyn. My office takes property crime and retail theft very seriously, and I’m grateful to our partners and the NYPD for their excellent work holding these defendants accountable.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as John Catullo, 55, of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 10 years in prison on two indictments where the defendant committed seven burglaries. The defendant initially pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree burglary on November 16, 2023, in satisfaction of all the charges for a series of burglaries committed by the defendant between August 2022 and January 2023.

Following the defendant’s guilty plea in November 2023, he committed another burglary on December 1, 2023, while out on bail, prior to his sentencing. The defendant burglarized a private home on 72^nd Street in Bensonhurst, stealing a diamond ring and $3,000 in cash. The defendant was indicted for second-degree burglary for that incident. On May 14, 2024, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree burglary for the December 1, 2023 burglary.

  Catullo’s co-defendant for the first set of burglaries, Sam Kravchenko, 36, of Coney Island, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary, criminal possession of a firearm and second-degree criminal trespass on April 10, 2024 and was sentenced on April 24, 2024 to two to six years in prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendants were charged in connection with the following incidents:

• On August 8, 2022, the defendants burglarized a private home on West 12^th Street in Gravesend and stole two Rolex watches, a Cartier gold watch, a gold necklace with a diamond cross, a gold bracelet, a diamond bracelet, and diamond earrings.
• On September 6, 2022, the defendants burglarized a grocery store on 17^th Avenue in Bensonhurst, stealing a safe containing approximately $15,000 cash as well as a cash register containing petty cash.
• On October 6, 2022, the defendants burglarized a grocery store located on Bath Avenue in Bath Beach and stole a security box containing approximately $10,000 cash and a cash register containing petty cash.
• On October 6, 2022, the defendants burglarized a grocery store located on New Utrecht Avenue in Bensonhurst and stole a security box containing approximately $10,000 cash and a cash register containing petty cash.
• On November 13, 2022, the defendants burglarized a vape shop located on 18^th Avenue in Bensonhurst and stole approximately $38,211 worth of merchandise.
• On January 18, 2023, the defendants burglarized a private home located on 76^th Street in Bensonhurst and stole approximately $7,000 cash, two Rolexes, a Cartier bracelet, a necklace and matching earring set, and a gold necklace.

Defendant Kravchenko was arrested on January 26, 2023, after a car stop for failure to signal. He was driving with a suspended license, and police allegedly recovered 39 Oxycodone pills in his vehicle along with two police scanners. Upon further investigation using cell phone sites, enhanced video and other evidence, the defendants were linked to the burglaries.

The case was investigated by New York City Detective Anthony Brucato, Sergeant Nicholas Occhipinti, and Sergeant James Sinnott, all of the 62^nd Precinct.

The District Attorney thanked Intelligence Analyst Fatima Shaik and Unit Chief Jingu Chong, of the District Attorney’s Digital Evidence Lab and Jannette Lukowsky, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Law Enforcement Assistance Unit, for their work on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph Duarte and Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Barg, of the District Attorney’s Orange Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Trabulsi and Assistant District Attorney Iris Das, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Danielle Eaddy, Bureau Chief. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Fifteen Alleged H-Block/Billy’s Gang Members Charged in

Conspiracy Indictment That Includes Two Murders and Multiple Shootings

Three Rival Gates Fam and Gotti Gang Members Charged in Separate Indictments;

Defendants Variously Charged with Murder, Attempted Murder, and Conspiracy

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban, today announced that 18 alleged members of the H-Block/Billy’s and Gates Fam street gangs are variously charged in three indictments with conspiracy to commit murder, possess weapons and related charges. In addition to the two murders, the defendants are variously charged in connection with 10 shooting incidents that left 10 people injured – including eight innocent bystanders.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This case sends a strong message that shooting guns in our streets cannot and will not be tolerated. It is shocking how young many of the defendants are, and today’s takedown is part of our comprehensive approach to youth violence – holding accountable those who commit shootings and working with other young people to steer them away from street gangs. Senseless gun violence ruins lives and causes damage in our communities and I remain committed to tackling this issue head-on. I thank the NYPD and our prosecutors for their hard work in putting this case together to make our streets safer as we enter the summer season.”

Commissioner Caban said, “Identifying, investigating, and dismantling gangs and crews, and preventing the senseless violence so often associated with their illegal activities, continue to be among the highest priorities for the NYPD and our law enforcement partners. I commend our NYPD investigators and our colleagues in the office of the Brooklyn district attorney for their ongoing dedication to our shared public safety mission. We remain relentless in our efforts to eradicate gun violence and to improve quality of life for all New Yorkers by precisely targeting the relatively small percentage of people responsible for much of the violence in our city.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, “New York City will not tolerate the reckless endangerment of those who choose a path of violence and chaos. Today’s action underscores our unwavering commitment to stopping and holding accountable those who threaten our communities. The safety and well-being of every New Yorker is our top priority, and we will continue to work tirelessly to bring those who break the law to justice. I commend the collaborative efforts of the NYPD, DA Gonzalez, and all law enforcement agencies involved in this critical operation, which will ensure that our streets remain safe and that justice is served for the victims and their families. Let this be a clear message to those who seek to disrupt the peace in our communities: we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will protect our city.”

The defendants will be arraigned this afternoon before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justices Danny K. Chun and Craig S. Walker on an 85-count indictment in which they are variously charged with second degree murder, second- and fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree attempted murder, first- and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree assault and related counts. [See defendant addendum,]

The District Attorney said the indictment is the result of a long-term investigation by the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau and the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division into violence committed by street gangs operating on the border of Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. Fifteen of the defendants are alleged members of the H-Block/Billy’s gang, a territorial alliance between a 59-Brim Bloods set and a 9-Trey/Billy’s Bloods set operating out of Crown Heights. The H-Block Billy’s have several “home bases” that they have frequented over the course of this investigation, including 260-280 Herkimer Street and 1625 Fulton Street.

The other three defendants are alleged members of the Gates Fam street gang (and Gotti Gang), a subset of the Bloods, whose territory includes the Louis Armstrong Houses and 523 Gates Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

It is alleged, according to the indictment, that the H-Block/Billy’s defendants conspired to murder opposition gang members, boasting about or discussing the conspiracy in social media posts, recorded jail conversations, and on cell phones. The defendants also, it is alleged, variously possessed photos and videos of themselves holding guns, using guns or discussing guns in messages.

It is alleged that between August 2021 and the date of this indictment, the H-Block/Billy’s defendants, variously committed multiple shootings and acts of violence against rival gang members or within rival gang territory to maintain dominance over their geographical territory and to maintain supremacy over rivals.

The conspiracy allegedly began in August 2021 with a series of three shootings by the H-Block/Billy’s alliance within a two-hour period. The shootings resulted in the death of Jaquan Gause, a 16-year-old Gates Fam member, and non-fatal injuries to three other individuals, including an innocent person who was mistaken for a gang rival.

The second homicide charged in the indictment is the June 25, 2022, shooting death of 16-year-old Woo associate Nayshawn Campbell, who was shot in the torso by a single bullet inside the Dr. Green Playground in Brownsville, at approximately 3:14 a.m. He was taken to Brookdale Hospital where he was pronounced dead at approximately 4:12 a.m. H-Block members Nyshaun Perry, Demetri JeanJacques and Isaiah Charles, who were “spinning” (looking for opposition members to shoot) in Woo gang territory, are charged in connection with the homicide.

It is alleged that H-Block/Billy’s members committed numerous shootings during the course of the conspiracy, including the following:

• It is alleged that on April 12, 2022, defendants Malcolm Davis and Shamari Griffith left 260 Herkimer Street and headed to 471 Gates Avenue in Gates Fam territory and, at approximately 4:20 p.m., allegedly opened fire on a group of people. Three innocent people were struck and wounded. A 29-year-old man was shot in the back and suffered a spinal cord injury, a 42-year-old man suffered a graze wound to his right arm, and a 45-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to his right thigh.
• It is alleged that on August 18, 2022, at approximately 1:45 a.m.in the vicinity of Farragut Place and East 32nd Street, in rival Folk Nation gang territory, defendants Nyshaun Perry and Jamouri Foster allegedly opened fire on a 2022 Dodge Charger, occupied by four individuals. The back window was shattered and there was bullet damage to the front passenger side of the windshield. A bullet also struck a passenger’s headrest, but no one was injured.
• It is alleged that on August 21, 2022, at approximately 6:27 p.m., defendants Isaiah Charles and Demitri JeanJacques, and an unidentified individual, were in the vicinity of Washington Avenue and Saint John’s Place when they opened fire on individuals involved in a video shoot of a rapper associated with rival gang Lincoln Fam. The three shooters allegedly opened fire on a crowd of people, striking a then-25-year-old videographer in the leg. Four cars in the vicinity were damaged by gunfire and police recovered 13 shell casings, one fired bullet fragment, and one live cartridge from the scene.
• On October 2, 2023, at approximately 10:45 a.m., in the vicinity of Chauncey Street and Stuyvesant Avenue, Gates Fam member David Robinson used his vehicle to allegedly attempt to run over H-Block member Michael Hammond. Robinson then crashed his vehicle into a Citi Bike rack and a Fire Department pole, which was knocked to the ground. Several bicycles were damaged. In response, it is alleged, Hammond fired shots at Robinson’s car and struck him in the shoulder.

The investigation was conducted by New York City Police Department Detective Lena Alexander and Detective Erin Currie, under the supervision of Sergeant Kevin Beasley, Lieutenant William Tergesen, Captain Ryan Gillis, all of the Gun Violence Suppression Division, and Deputy Inspector Craig Edelman, Commanding Officer of the Gun Violence Suppression Division, all under the overall supervision of Assistant Chief Jason Savino, Commanding Officer of the Specialty Enforcement Division, and Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christine Maloney, Chief of Special Investigations, Senior Assistant District Attorney Michelle Kiley, and Assistant District Attorney Alexis Zargar, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, with the assistance of Intelligence Analyst Austin Wilson and Paralegal Sultana Wahab, all under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kathryn Spota, Deputy Bureau Chief, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Cilia, First Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Alfred De Ingeniis, Bureau Chief.

 

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An indictment is merely an accusation and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

DEFENDANT ADDENDUM:

H-Block/Billy’s

• Nyshaun Perry, 20.
• Demitri JeanJacques, 18.
• Isaiah Charles, 17.
• Jamouri Foster, 17.
• Damian Nickelson, 17.
• Jayden Clarence, 16.
• Shamari Griffith, 21.
• Malcolm Davis, 19.
• Shamar Dudley, 20.
• Derrick Prescod, 20.
• Dushaun Johnston, 23.
• Kymani Glenn, 22.
• Jahnie Cox, 21.
• Michael Hammond, 20.
• Jaiden Jefferies, 18.
  Gates Fam/Gotti Gang
• Gyasi Shury-Muse, 21.
• Kaevon Mitchell, 19.
• David Robinson, 21.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Williamsburg Driver Indicted for Manslaughter

After Allegedly Fleeing Car Crash That Killed Passenger

Defendant Was Allegedly Speeding and

Ran Multiple Red Lights Before Colliding with MTA Bus 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Williamsburg man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, and additional charges in connection with a car crash in which he allegedly ran multiple red lights and struck an MTA bus before fleeing the scene. One of the defendant’s passengers, a 33-year-old man, was killed.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “As alleged, this defendant’s extreme recklessness behind the wheel cost the life of an innocent person and put many more people in harm’s way. Brooklyn deserves safe streets, and I am committed to holding accountable any driver who endangers our community with this kind dangerous and criminal conduct.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Michael Rivera, 31, of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Herbert Moses on an eight-count indictment in which he is charged with second-degree manslaughter; second-degree assault; criminally negligent homicide; leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, second-degree reckless endangerment; reckless driving; excessive speed; and failure to obey traffic control signal. The defendant faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the top count. He was ordered to return to court on July 23, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on February 26, 2024, at approximately 9:45 p.m., the defendant was driving an unregistered 2010 red Mercedes Benz on Harrison Avenue in South Williamsburg. Video surveillance allegedly captures the defendant running multiple red lights and driving more than 49 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, the defendant then allegedly ran a red light at the intersection of Lorimer Street and Harrison Avenue where he collided with an MTA bus. The force of the collision caused the vehicle to spin and mount the sidewalk. A passenger, Alex DeJesus Caba Gutierrez, 33, was thrown from the backseat. Video surveillance footage allegedly captures the defendant exiting the Mercedes and walking up to Gutierrez where he lay on the sidewalk. The defendant then fled the scene, leaving his friend.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, bystanders called 911. When EMS arrived, they observed that Gutierrez was critically injured and transported him to Bellevue Hospital where he died approximately two hours later. It was the victim’s birthday. Additionally, the driver of the MTA bus and several passengers suffered multiple injuries and were transported to the hospital for medical treatment.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Christopher Brogna and Assistant District Attorney Christina R. Deleasa, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Robert Walsh, Bureau Chief.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for

Shooting Two Teens, One Fatally, During Fight Over Marijuana Sale

Pleaded Guilty to First-Degree Manslaughter in March

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for shooting two teenagers, one fatally, in East Flatbush in 2020 during a fight that erupted over a marijuana sale.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant needlessly escalated an argument into a deadly confrontation that tragically cost a young man his life. The defendant’s guilty plea and today’s sentence hold him accountable for his actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Nasir Perez, 22, of Midwood, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht to 21 years in prison and five years’ post release supervision following his guilty plea to first-degree manslaughter on March 28, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on October 28, 2020, at approximately 2:30 p.m., at East 26^th Street and Foster Avenue, in East Flatbush, the defendant met with three 17-year-olds in order to purchase marijuana. The defendant was the buyer; the teenagers were the sellers. An argument broke out when the defendant asked to inspect the marijuana and tried to take it from one of the teenagers. When the young man resisted, the defendant pulled out a 380-caliber Taurus handgun. Two of the other teens displayed knives and converged on the defendant. The defendant then opened fire, striking one of the teens in the head and chest, and hitting another in the hand.

The victim was taken to Kings County Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The defendant was arrested on February 11, 2021.

The District Attorney thanked Homicide Paralegal Amanda Connolly for her assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Steven Bravo, of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, May 17, 2024

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Up to 10 Years in Prison for

Fatally Injuring Girlfriend’s 4-Month-Old Daughter

Medical Examiner Determined Child Died of Abusive Head Trauma

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bedford-Stuyvesant man has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for fatally injuring his girlfriend’s four-month-old daughter. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in April.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Royalty Kemp was a precious infant entrusted by her mother to the defendant’s care. Instead of ensuring the child’s safety, he caused head injuries so severe she died. With today’s sentence, the defendant has been held responsible for his horrific actions. Our hearts continue to be with the child’s mother and loved ones as they grieve her tragic loss.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Ricardo Price, 26, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo to 3 1/3 to 10 years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter on April 12, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on June 22, 2021, the defendant was babysitting four-month-old Royalty Kemp in an apartment at 93 Lewis Avenue. Her mother left the child in the defendant’s care for the night. The child was sitting in the defendant’s lap, according to the evidence, and began to cry. The defendant then repeatedly shook his leg to get her to quiet down, causing the child to bounce off his knee multiple times and the child’s head to strike a video game controller in the defendant’s hands.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, the child’s mother returned on June 23, and noticed the baby was lethargic and unable to eat. That afternoon, the child became unresponsive. The mother and the defendant brought her to Woodhull Medical Center where doctors diagnosed a skull fracture. The child was transferred to Bellevue Hospital where she died on July 2, 2021.

An autopsy performed by the Office of the New York City Medical Examiner determined the child’s cause of death was from abusive head trauma with numerous recent injuries including skull fractures with underlying hemorrhaging to the brain as well as hemorrhaging to parts of the spinal cord.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Paul Hershan, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Perry Cerrato, Deputy Chief of the Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Construction Company Owner Convicted of Criminally Negligent Homicide in Death of 5-Year-Old Girl Struck by Pillars Following Wall Collapse

Defendant Built Dangerously Flawed Stone Fence in

Violation of Numerous Provisions of the NYC Building Code

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber and New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner James Oddo, today announced that the owner of a Nassau County construction company has been convicted of criminally negligent homicide and other charges after a wall he built collapsed on a child, killing her.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This is a heartbreaking instance where a young child was needlessly and senselessly taken from her family because this defendant chose to ignore safety protocols by violating numerous provisions of New York City’s building code, building a heavy stone fence and failing to secure it. Hopefully, today’s verdict will send a message that dangerous and sloppy work by contractors will have serious consequences.”

Commissioner Strauber said, “There is no excuse or tolerance for flouting the building code in New York City, conduct that can lead to dangerous conditions, fatal outcomes and, as this case shows, a criminal conviction.  I thank the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and the City Department of Buildings (DOB) for their partnership on this significant investigation that found the defendant had no DOB permit to construct a wall and built it without steel reinforcements, a violation of code, leading to the wall’s collapse and the tragic, needless death of a five-year-old girl.”

Commissioner Oddo said, “The death of Alysson Pinto-Chaumana was completely preventable. Simply put, if this contractor had obtained permits for the work to build this railing, and adhered to our city’s construction code regulations, this young girl would still be alive today. Since this terrible incident occurred, and a second similar fatality in 2021, the Department has conducted significant outreach to homeowners and industry professionals to get the word out about the dangers of shoddily constructed stone balustrade railings. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of District Attorney Gonzalez’s office, and our partners at the NYC Department of Investigation, for securing a meaningful conviction in this case, sending a strong message that we aren’t going to stand by as unscrupulous contractors endanger our children by cutting corners on the job.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Nadeem Anwar, 48, of Valley Stream and his company, City Wide Construction and Renovations, Inc., also of Valley Stream. Anwar was convicted today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun of criminally negligent homicide, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, and second-degree falsifying business records following a bench trial. The defendant will be sentenced on August 14, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on August 29, 2019, at approximately 8:23 p.m., Alysson Pinto-Chaumana, 5, was with her mother and several friends while they were visiting a friend at 444 Harman Street, a three-story building in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

The group was outside waiting near the front door on an enclosed patio next to a granite wall that fenced in the patio and had a base of heavy stone pillars topped with stone horizontal plates. Suddenly, the pillars and a horizontal plate fell inward onto Alysson, crushing her skull and causing her death.

An investigation into the collapse determined that the defendant, a licensed contractor, who was hired to renovate the façade of the property and build the wall in September 2018 committed numerous violations of the New York City Building Code. Although he was licensed as a contractor in Nassau County, he was not authorized to file for work permits with the NYC Department of Buildings and had another contractor file the application for the work on the façade, but not for building the wall.

The defendant did not acquire a DOB permit to build a stone wall at 444 Harman Street, which was required, nor did he have a licensed engineer or architect conduct a post-construction analysis of the wall’s stability as required. A row of stone pillars must have at least one pillar every 48 inches with a steel reinforcing bar anchoring that pillar to the base. All of the pillars must also be secured to the base with an engineer-grade adhesive. The horizontal plates must be secured to the pillars with engineer-grade adhesive.

A DOB engineer who responded to the collapse observed there were no steel reinforcing bars in any of the pillars. Furthermore, he determined that there was no engineer-grade adhesive securing any of the wall’s component parts. Therefore, he determined, the wall was highly unstable and held together mostly by its own weight and gravity, an egregious violation of multiple provisions of the Building Code. The engineer described the conditions as “imminently perilous to life.”

The case was investigated by New York City Department of Buildings Director of Forensic Engineering Unit, Marco Frias, PE, and New York City Department of Investigation Chief Investigator James McElligott, under the supervision of Senior Inspector General Gregory Cho, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominic Zarrella.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Pamela Murray, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, 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

Friday, May 3, 2024

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison

for Shooting and Wounding New York City Police Officer

Defendant Shot Officer Trying to Handcuff Him While Responding to Domestic Dispute

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 19 years in prison following his guilty plea to second-degree attempted murder for opening fire on New York City Police Officers in 2022. The defendant fired one shot, striking an officer in the foot, and fired additional shots at officers.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Police Officers put their lives on the line every day while responding to all kinds of disputes. Luckily Officer Orlando Adorno, and the other responding officers, were not seriously injured or killed by this defendant’s decision to open fire on police. Today’s lengthy sentence holds him accountable for his actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Raheen Joye, 43, of the Bronx. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully to 19 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder on April 10, 2024.

The District Attorney said that on December 21, 2022, at approximately 8:00 a.m., inside of an apartment at 277 Gates Avenue, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, the defendant and his girlfriend had an argument, and the defendant kicked a hole in the wall. The girlfriend then called 911.

At approximately 8:50 a.m., police responding to the 911 call were met by the girlfriend and the defendant in front of the building. Police interviewed both individuals, and the defendant admitted to kicking a hole in the wall. When told he was going to be arrested, the defendant tried to run and Police Officers Orlando Adorno, Angel Valenzuela, and Gina Williams Gordon, tried to subdue him. The defendant resisted and pulled a blue gun out of his pocket and fired one shot, hitting Officer Adorno’s foot. The defendant then fled down Gates Avenue toward Bedford Avenue with police in pursuit.

While never losing sight of the defendant, police observed the defendant holding a blue handgun while fleeing towards Monroe Street. On Monroe Street, two other police officers pursued the defendant, who ran towards Police Officer Christopher Bowie. The defendant pointed his gun toward Police Officers Bowie and Alexander Bido. Gunfire was exchanged between the defendant and police. The defendant was shot and fell to the ground, where the defendant shot at Police Officer Bowie and Bido before dropping the blue handgun to the ground and being apprehended.

Officer Adorno was treated for a gunshot wound to the foot and Officer Valenzuela was treated for injuries to the ankle.

The defendant was taken to Methodist Hospital and treated for two gunshot wounds to the leg.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Aleena Peerzada, of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kin Ng, Chief of the Blue Zone.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Brooklyn Man Who Allegedly Punched Woman in Random,

Unprovoked Attack Indicted for Felony Assault

Victim Suffered Broken Jaw

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 33-year-old man from Crown Heights, Brooklyn has been indicted for felony assault and related charges for allegedly punching a 57-year-old woman in the face unexpectedly and with no provocation, breaking her jaw.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Random attacks against strangers, especially women, are beyond senseless and completely unacceptable. A grand jury that heard all the evidence returned an indictment for felony assault and we will now seek to hold the defendant accountable, so he will not repeat this outrageous and criminal conduct.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Franz Jeudy, 33, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew Sciarrino on an indictment charging him with second-degree assault, attempted second-degree assault, third-degree assault, and related counts. He remains on supervised release (The DA’s Office requested $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond) and was ordered to return to court on July 2, 2024. The defendant is facing a maximum sentence of seven years in prison if convicted of the top count.

The District Attorney said that on March 26, 2024, at about 5 p.m., the victim, a 57-year-old woman from Crown Heights, who was heading home from her work as a school bus driver, was walking on Grand Avenue near Atlantic Avenue in Crown Heights.

She walked by the defendant, a stranger, who allegedly punched her in the face unexpectedly and without any provocation or words being exchanged between them beforehand. The victim ran to a nearby restaurant where her brother works and pointed out the defendant to him. The brother chased the defendant for several blocks and held the defendant until police officers arrived.

The victim was transported to New York Presbyterian Methodist Hospital. She suffered fractures to both sides of her jaw and lost multiple teeth. The case was initially charged as a misdemeanor assault but, after a review of the circumstances and the extent of injuries, the charges were upgraded to a felony.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Barg, of the District Attorney’s Orange Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Michael Trabulsi, Iris Das and Linda Hristova, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Danielle Eaddy, Bureau Chief.

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