About omar morhbi

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Rapper and Gang Leader Will Be Sentenced to Five Years in

Prison for Directing and Participating in Shootings

Michael Williams, a.k.a. Rapper Sheff G, Accepted a Court Offer

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a successful rapper and gang member known as Sheff G pleaded guilty to attempted murder and conspiracy in exchange for a five-year prison sentence. The defendant is one of 32 alleged members of the 8 Trey Crips and its affiliate, the 9 Ways gang, who were named in a 140-count indictment for allegedly committing shootings, possessing guns, and using stolen cars during shootings against gang rivals.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Notoriety could not shield this defendant from justice. He used his fame to fund and direct violence, terrorizing our streets, and though we sought a much longer sentence, he will now be held to account. Brooklyn will not tolerate gangs that endanger our communities, and we remain committed to dismantling these criminal networks and holding those responsible fully accountable.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Michael Williams, 26, known as Sheff G. He pleaded guilty today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to multiple top counts of second-degree attempted murder and second- and fourth-degree conspiracy in exchange for a Court offer of five years in prison and five years’ post release supervision over the People’s objection (prosecutors offered 20 years in prison). Sentencing was scheduled for August 13, 2025.

Seventeen of the defendants in the indictment have previously pleaded guilty and 14 cases are pending against other defendants, including Tegan Chambers, a rapper known as Sleepy Hollow.

The District Attorney said that the indictment in this case was 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 shootings and gun possession incidents allegedly committed by members of the 8 Trey Crips and its affiliates, the 9 Ways gang, primarily in the 67^th and 71^st Precincts.

It is alleged that many of the acts of violence were captured on surveillance videos. Furthermore, it is alleged that the defendants boasted about their criminal activities on social media and in text messages, discussing acts of violence and taking credit for shootings and an assault.

The most egregious incident charged in the indictment was a mass shooting on Hawthorne Street in Folk Nation territory on October 21, 2020, at approximately 10:15 p.m. It is alleged that defendant Kamondre Dekattu was captured on surveillance video emerging from the sunroof of a white Infiniti and opening fire while other individuals fired guns from the driver’s side and rear driver’s side windows. An alleged Folk Nation rival, Theodore Senior, 23, was killed and five other alleged Folk Nation members were shot and injured. Dekattu was charged with the murder; his co-conspirators, including Michael Williams, were charged with being part of the conspiracy to commit murder for this incident and others.

In particular, approximately an hour after the mass shooting, Williams sent a text message seeking confirmation that the 8 Trey Crips and 9 Ways had scored against rivals. In separate messages, he sent pictures of the victim and a news article about the incident and shootings that preceded it that day.

Two days after the homicide, Williams hosted a lavish dinner with his fellow 8 Trey Crips and 9 Ways members, including Tegan Chambers, at a Manhattan steakhouse to celebrate the death of Theodore Senior and the injuries of the five other shooting victims.

Furthermore, it is alleged that Williams, who rented a large house in Short Hills, New Jersey during the conspiracy period, used the earnings from his music career to fuel gun violence in Brooklyn, by offering money and giving expensive jewelry to those who committed acts of violence. Williams’ involvement went beyond merely offering money to commit acts of violence. It is alleged that in one shooting incident, Williams coordinated a group of three shooters, drove those shooters to the crime scene, and then acted as the getaway driver.

The District Attorney thanked Paralegal Tania Lopez, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, for her assistance with the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sapna Kishnani of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gillian DiPietro, VCE Deputy Bureau Chief, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Cilia, VCE First Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Alfred DeIngeniis, VCE Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Former Brooklyn Teacher Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison Following

Guilty Plea to Use of a Child in Sexual Performance and Endangering the Welfare of Children for Coaxing Teens to Send Him Sexual Images

Solicited Photos and Videos and Engaged in

Graphic Conversations with Six Young Victims Attending Elite Schools

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a former math teacher who pleaded guilty to use of a child in a sexual performance as a sexually motivated felony and five counts of endangering the welfare of a child was sentenced to seven years in prison and must register as a sex offender upon his release. The defendant admitted to enticing or trying to entice teenage students from four Brooklyn independent schools to send him images of nudity and sexual performances. A former teacher at Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn Heights, he pretended to be a young teen and fellow student when engaging in conversations of a sexual nature over the messaging application Snapchat.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a sickening betrayal of trust by a schoolteacher who solicited students into sending him graphic and nude photos. Today’s sentencing holds him accountable for his actions while sparing the young and vulnerable victims from having to relive this emotional abuse in court. I commend the prosecutors and investigators who brought this defendant to justice, and the young survivors who bravely stepped forward.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Winston Nguyen, 38, of Harlem, New York. He was sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phillip Tisne to seven years in prison and 10 years’ post-release supervision. He pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of use of a child in a sexual performance as a sexually motivated felony and five counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He must register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant presented himself as a young teen while having conversations with children on Snapchat. He was charged with crimes against six children who went to various elite independent schools in Brooklyn.

The charged incidents took place between October 2022 and May 2024, when the victims were between the ages of 13 and 15 years old. The defendant used two Snapchat accounts, hunterkristoff and haircutbongos, to contact the victims, pretending to be a teenage boy. The defendant sent nude images and videos that depicted a teenage boy masturbating to the victims.  The defendant also used the accounts to engage in prolonged conversations that described and depicted various sexual acts and got the victims to send images and videos of the victims engaged in sexual performance to him through the Snapchat accounts.

According to the investigation, the two Snapchat accounts mentioned above were connected to IP addresses associated with the defendant, including his Harlem residence, other evidence includes digital communications and images, and accounts from victims.

The case was investigated by KCDA Detective Investigators, with the assistance of Senior Digital Forensic Analyst Sourov Talukder and Digital Forensic Analyst Richard Rojas, of the District Attorney’s Digital Evidence Lab.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Daniel Brian Newcombe, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kevin O’Donnell, Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Olatokunbo Olaniyan, First Deputy Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Mother Indicted for Assault in Connection with Daughter’s Drowning

Six-Year-Old Girl Died After Defendant Allegedly Held Her Underwater in Bathtub

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn woman has been indicted for assault, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly holding her daughter’s head under water in a bathtub.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This innocent child had her whole life ahead of her when the person she depended on allegedly drowned her in a bathtub. This is a distressing and unspeakable case, which we continue to investigate to ensure that this defendant is held fully accountable. My thoughts are with the child’s heartbroken father and other family members at this time.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Karla Espinal, 26, of East New York, Brooklyn. She was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo on an indictment charging her with second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. She was ordered held without bail and to return to court on May 15, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on February 7, 2025, at 165 Elton Street, in East New York, Brooklyn, the defendant allegedly submerged her six-year-old daughter, Madeline Tavarez, underwater in a bathtub.

When the child’s father arrived home, shortly thereafter, he found his daughter in the bathtub with the defendant and unresponsive. The girl was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where she was declared dead at 2:42 p.m. The case may be superseded when the Medical Examiner finishes its investigation and makes a final determination of a cause and manner of death.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Daniel Brian Newcombe, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Olatokunbo Olaniyan, First Deputy Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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

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Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison for

Stabbing Death of Ex-Girlfriend in Broad Daylight

Defendant Lay in Wait for Victim Near Her Residence,

Victim was Stabbed More Than a Dozen Times

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend with a knuckle knife in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The defendant was convicted of murder following a jury trial.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a brutal and premeditated attack in broad daylight that took an innocent woman’s life in a shocking act of cruelty. With today’s sentence, the defendant is being held accountable, and our hearts remain with the victim’s family as they grieve this unimaginable loss.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as James Brown, 65, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Warin to 25 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon on January 23, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on May 15, 2022, at approximately 11 a.m., the defendant waited on the corner of Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Van Buren Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, facing the apartment building of Cynthia McLeod, 55, his former girlfriend. When the victim walked to the intersection where the defendant was standing he pulled a knuckle knife from his backpack and stabbed her twice: once in the neck and once in the face, according to the evidence.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, the victim quickly walked into a corner bodega and asked a friend to call 911. The defendant followed the victim into the bodega and behind the counter, grabbed the victim, threw her to the ground and stabbed her more than 10 times about the face, neck and torso, killing her. Meanwhile, police responded to the 911 call and apprehended the defendant, who claimed the victim owed him money.

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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, February 28, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Life in Prison Without the Possibility

Of Parole for Execution-Style Killing of Livery Cab Driver in East New York

Defendant Convicted of First-Degree Murder following Jury Trial

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for fatally shooting a livery cab driver in East New York, Brooklyn. The defendant forced the driver out of the car and onto his knees before shooting him twice in the head.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The victim in this case was a dedicated son and brother who worked overnight shifts to earn extra money. His life was destroyed when this defendant cruelly and needlessly executed him while trying to rob him. My thoughts are with his heartbroken family and friends. I remain committed to keeping people safe from violence such as this, which devastates so many lives.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Terrence Reece, 32, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Eugene Guarino to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The defendant was convicted of first-degree murder on January 31, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on July 26, 2019, at approximately 3:30 a.m., the defendant got into the victim’s cab and coerced him to drive to a remote street corner in East New York, in the vicinity of Atlantic Avenue and Williams Avenue, after arguing with him about the cost of a fare.

The evidence showed that the defendant ordered the victim, Noman Saleemi, 29, out of his car, knelt him down, shot him once through the cheek, waited a period, and then shot him in the back of the head while he lay on the ground. The defendant then stole the victim’s wallet, which contained less than $100, and fled in the vehicle to his wife’s residence where he had her dispose of the murder weapon.

The victim’s car was found later that same day parked outside of his wife’s residence and his DNA and latent print were lifted from the driver’s area of the vehicle. The defendant was arrested on August 16, 2019, following further investigation.

The District Attorney thanked Homicide Paralegals John Homnick and Suleimy Santos for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher Mirabella, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Jourdan Thompson, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 3 to 9 Years in Prison for Running Red Light

and Killing Pedestrian While Speeding and Driving Drunk in Cobble Hill

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter for Fatal Crash

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 3 to 9 years in prison following his guilty plea to manslaughter after he sped through a red light while driving drunk in Cobble Hill, killing a 31-year-old who was crossing the street. Investigators subsequently determined the defendant was driving 72 m.p.h. with a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit of .08.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant made a disastrous decision when he got behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated. In doing so, he caused an innocent woman to be killed and endangered many others in Brooklyn that night. He has now been held accountable for his criminal conduct. I remain committed to keeping our borough’s streets safe for all people.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Erick Taxilaga Trujillo, 29, of Borough Park, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Christopher Robles to 3 to 9 years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter on January 27, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on April 16, 2023, at approximately 9:56 p.m., the defendant was driving a 2012 Volvo S60 west on Atlantic Avenue at a high rate of speed when he ran a red light at the intersection of Clinton Street and struck a pedestrian, Katherine “Katie” Harris, 31, in the crosswalk. The defendant then rear-ended another car, causing both vehicles to crash into an outdoor dining shed.

Harris was pronounced dead at the scene.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, when police officers arrived, they observed the defendant had red eyes, slurred speech, and an odor of alcohol on his breath. The defendant was administered a blood test at Methodist Hospital, which showed the defendant had a blood alcohol level of .17, greater than the legal limit of .08.

Data from the black box of the defendant’s Volvo was recovered by the NYPD. According to the investigation, the box showed the defendant going 72 m.p.h. in the 25-m.p.h. zone.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael McGee Jr., of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Kaitlin Kinsella, also of the Blue Zone, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kin Ng, Chief of the Blue Zone.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, February 21, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for
Fatally Stabbing Innocent Young Man Walking Home with Brother

 Victim was Stabbed Multiple Times About the Body in Unprovoked Attack

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for stabbing a 21-year-old man multiple times in the torso and killing him. The victim was walking home with his 24-year-old brother when they were attacked by the defendant and several unapprehended men.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This heartbreaking and senseless act of violence stole the life of Tyler Kobe Nichols, a young man with his entire future ahead of him. His family’s unimaginable loss is something no parent or sibling should ever have to endure. While no sentence can ever make up for their pain, today’s outcome ensures that the defendant is held accountable. My heart is with the Nichols family as they continue to grieve and honor Tyler’s memory.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Javokhir Nematov, 22, of Midwood, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today to 19 years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Tomlinson. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on January 16, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, at approximately 7:50 p.m., on December 23, 2020, in the vicinity of Turner Place and Coney Island Avenue in Kensington, Brooklyn, Tyler Kobe Nichols, 21, and his brother, 24, were walking home from a barber shop when they passed the defendant and several others in a parked car. The defendant and others stated words to the effect of “what are you looking at?” and jumped out of the vehicle and attacked both brothers.

The victim was stabbed five times in the torso and suffered injuries to his heart, lung, liver, and kidney. He was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.

The attackers fled the scene. The defendant was stopped by police on March 5, 2021, driving a Blue Honda Fit for having excessively tinted windows, the same vehicle at the scene of the stabbing. He was charged with the victim’s death the next day following an investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Robert Schwartz, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Omar Harding, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Unprovoked Killing of

Innocent Activist in Stabbing Caught on Surveillance Video

Will Be Sentenced to 20 Years to Life in Prison for Murder of Ryan Carson

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 20-year-old Brooklyn man pleaded guilty for the random and unprovoked murder of Ryan Carson, a social justice activist who was stabbed to death in Bedford Stuyvesant in 2023. The defendant accepted the judge’s offer of 20-years to life in exchange for his guilty plea. 

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Many of us still shudder when recalling the horrific video showing this defendant viciously attacking Ryan Carson and stabbing him to death for no reason at all. Such an unconscionable crime requires the separation of this defendant from our society for a very long time, which is ensured by the promised sentence he’s now facing. Ryan was passionate about making our city a better place and I hope that today’s outcome will bring his loved ones a small sense of closure.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Brian Dowling, 20, of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun and accepted the judge’s offer of 20 years to life in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for February 19, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on October 2, 2023, at approximately 3:50 a.m., outside of 57 Malcolm X Boulevard in Bedford-Stuyvesant, the defendant was walking angrily and kicking parked scooters. He observed the victim, who was walking behind him with his girlfriend.

According to the evidence, which includes a clear video of the incident, the defendant turned to the victim and started yelling at him, saying, in part, “I’m going to kill you.” He then swung a knife, striking the victim, who was trying to deescalate the confrontation. The victim attempted to flee but fell over a bus stop bench. The defendant then ran up to him and fatally stabbed him multiple times, striking his heart, as he lay on the ground.

The defendant flung the knife but returned moments later to retrieve it. A search revealed that the murder weapon was hidden under greenery next to a nearby sidewalk.

The defendant turned himself in later that week. A subsequent search warrant of his apartment discovered multiple knives with similar handles to the handle of the knife that was recovered. Clothes matching the ones that the assailant was wearing in the video were also recovered.

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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, January 10, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 18 Years to Life in Prison for Shooting and Killing Man at the Kingsborough Houses in Crown Heights

Victim Was a Father Who Died Defending His Daughter

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 18 years to life in prison following his conviction on two counts of murder for fatally shooting a man at the Kingsborough Houses in Crown Heights. The victim, a 43-year-old father, died defending his teenage daughter from the defendant and an alleged co-defendant during an armed burglary attempt.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The viciousness of the defendant’s actions cannot be overstated, and the lengthy prison term to which he has been sentenced holds him accountable for killing an innocent man in cold blood. While nothing can fill the void left by this tragedy, I hope this outcome brings a measure of justice and peace to Mr. Scarlett’s family and loved ones. As Brooklyn ended last year as the safest on record for gun violence, my office remains committed to protecting our communities and bringing perpetrators to justice.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Waki Bullock, 33, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today to 18 years to life in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht. The defendant was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder on December 9, 2024, following a jury trial.

A co-defendant, Rashawn Brown, 28, of Crown Heights, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder, one count of first-degree attempted burglary, and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. His case is pending, and his next court appearance is February 6, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on January 13, 2019, at approximately 1:30 p.m., inside 219 Kingsborough 2 Walk, a building within NYCHA’s Kingsborough Houses, in Crown Heights, the defendant and his alleged co-defendant shot and killed 43-year-old Phillip Scarlett. Scarlett was expecting a visit from his 14-year-old daughter, who was coming to the sixth-floor apartment to get laundry money. As the girl approached the entrance, the defendant and his alleged co-defendant, who were standing in the hallway wearing masks and armed, grabbed her before she could enter. The girl yelled out for her father who in response ran to the door and was able to pull the girl away from the masked men. The victim used his body to shield his daughter from the defendant and alleged co-defendant by pushing her back into the apartment. The defendant and alleged co-defendant then grabbed the victim, dragged him down the staircase where, according to the evidence, they shot him in the hip and thigh.

The victim was taken to Interfaith Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The defendant fled to Georgia and was later apprehended and returned to Brooklyn on July 10, 2021.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Digital Evidence Lab Intelligence Analyst Zoë Feygin and Unit Chief Jingu Chong for their work on this case.

The District Attorney also thanked Homicide Paralegal Angelika Rostkowska and Blue Zone Paralegal Sharlesia Agaga.

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

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Friday, January 3, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

For Shooting and Wounding Man in Bedford-Stuyvesant

Defendant and Victim Had a Dispute Outside Bar on Tompkins Avenue

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bedford-Stuyvesant man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison following his conviction for second-degree attempted murder for opening fire outside a neighborhood bar and striking a man in the leg. The defendant was convicted last month following a jury trial.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that senseless acts of gun violence have no place in Brooklyn. The defendant’s decision to open fire over a petty argument not only caused serious harm to the victim but endangered innocent lives in our community. This brazen disregard for safety is unacceptable. As Brooklyn reached the lowest number of shootings ever recorded last year, we remain steadfast in our commitment to holding individuals who perpetrate gun violence accountable to ensure our borough remains a safer place for all.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Hajj Lovick, 48, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully to 12 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant was convicted of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and first- and second-degree criminal use of a firearm on December 11, 2024, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on June 15, 2023, at approximately 1:40 a.m., the defendant stepped out of Lover’s Rock, a bar located at 419 Tompkins Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, with the victim, a 51-year-old man, and the two men engaged in a verbal dispute. The defendant was armed with a knife and feinted use of that knife against the victim, as if he was going to stab him. The victim was unarmed.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, after the dispute cooled down the defendant left the vicinity of Lover’s Rock and entered a nearby building. Minutes later, according to the evidence, the defendant returned with a gun and fired twice toward the victim and several bystanders. The victim was struck once in his right shin. No one else was struck. Video surveillance captured the moments before the shooting, the shooting, and the aftermath of the shooting.

The victim was taken to Kings County Hospital and was treated and released.

The defendant fled the scene and was arrested on June 19, 2023, following an investigation. A knife was recovered from the defendant at the time of his arrest.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Alejandro Vera and Senior Assistant District Attorney Natalie Riether, 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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