About omar morhbi

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Crown Heights Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for
Fatally Shooting Teenage Girl at Party in East New York Apartment

Defendant Shot the Victim Once in the Chest After She Rejected His Advances

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Crown Heights man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for shooting a 17-year-old girl once in the chest and killing her at a party in 2022. The defendant was convicted of manslaughter in March.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This senseless shooting took the life of a young woman with a bright future. Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for his actions and is a measure of justice for the victim’s grieving family.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Javone Duncan, 24, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today to 15 years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Heidi Cesare. The defendant was convicted of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on March 25, 2024, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, at approximately 10:55 p.m., at 790 Elderts Lane, in East New York, Brooklyn, the defendant pointed a loaded gun at Raelynn Cameron, 17, pulled the trigger, shot her in the chest, and killed her. After the shooting, the defendant fled the scene without trying to help the victim, who had rejected his advances, according to the evidence.

Prior to the shooting, the defendant pointed the same gun at another young woman at the party and clicked the safety of the gun on and off, according to the evidence, and was told to stop pointing a loaded gun at people because it was dangerous.

The defendant was arrested on October 26, 2022.

The District Attorney thanked Homicide Paralegal Angelika Rostkowska and Victim Advocates Jennifer Rhoad, Vanessa Lozado, Kayla Richards, Sarah Obadeyi, and Shasha Dorsey for their work on the case.

Detective Investigators assigned to the District Attorney’s Investigations Bureau assisted in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Evan Hannay, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Miguel Rodriguez, of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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Thursday, May 16, 2024

Brooklyn District Attorney Moves to Vacate Conviction of Brooklyn

Man Who Served 23 Years for Homicide in Case of Mistaken Identity

Identification Procedure for the Sole Eyewitness Was Improper;

The Probable Real Culprit Had Implicated Himself on Secret Recordings

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that following a thorough reinvestigation by his Conviction Review Unit (CRU), he will move to vacate the conviction of Steven Carrington, 56, who was convicted of participating in a botched robbery of an East Flatbush lumberyard in 1995, where an employee was fatally shot. He served over 23 years in prison and was released in 2018. The reinvestigation found that Mr. Carrington did not commit the crime. The identification by the sole eyewitness, a customer who was a stranger to the defendant and saw him fleetingly, was not tested for reliability and should never have been admitted at trial. In addition, the CRU identified another person, who had implicated himself in a couple of surreptitious recordings, as the likely real accomplice to the fatal robbery. The CRU report is available here.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “A full investigation by my Conviction Review Unit concluded that this was a case of mistaken identity, where numerous red flags were ignored both before and after Mr. Carrington’s conviction. This case exemplifies the pitfalls of one witness identifications and highlights the lengths our CRU will go to unearth the truth. Mr. Carrington has proclaimed his innocence from Day One and, while we cannot undo the decades he spent in prison, today we are able to substantiate his claim and give him back his good name.”

The defendant will appear in court today at 2:15 p.m. before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew D’Emic at 320 Jay Street, 15^th Floor.

The District Attorney said that on January 2, 1995, at about 10:50 a.m., a man named Shannon France, armed with a gun, entered Lumber Headquarters on Church Avenue in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. After a struggle, he twice shot an employee, Lloyd St. George Campbell, killing him. He robbed the store’s cash box and told a customer to leave. But that man was held up by an accomplice – later identified as Carrington – who took his Seiko gold-colored watch and a pinky ring, before the two robbers fled.

The defendant was convicted, based on the testimony of the customer, of second-degree murder (for acting in concert with France) and of robbery and was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison. France was convicted of similar charges and sentenced to 25 years to life (he was released in 2021 and deported).

When the defendant was first interviewed by police, he stated that it was a case of mistaken identity. At trial, he put forth an alibi defense, claiming he was at home with his former girlfriend that morning, when he got a call from his wife that she had taken their young child to the hospital. She asked him to come there, and he did. The two women, the defendant, and his parents all testified to that, but prosecutors were able to rebut the claim by showing inconsistencies with the timeline they provided.

The CRU’s investigation uncovered a serious problem with the identification of the defendant. Both the customer and another employee who was outside the store in the lumberyard identified the defendant in a photo array. During a pre-trial hearing to determine whether the procedure was improperly suggestive, it came out that three of the fillers were used in another array shown to the employee two days earlier (of a different suspect whom he didn’t identify). The judge ordered another hearing for the employee to decide whether his observations provided an independent basis for the ID. (Unlike the customer, the employee didn’t identify the defendant in a lineup, so he wasn’t called to testify, and that second hearing never took place). When asked by the hearing judge if the customer also viewed the earlier array, both his lawyer and the prosecutor said that he did not. The judge ruled that the photographic array procedure wasn’t suggestive.

A thorough review of police reports led the CRU to establish that the customer did, in fact, view the earlier array and therefore, by process of elimination, picked out the defendant from only three photos, instead of six. Had the judge ordered an independent source hearing for him as well, the fact that the traumatized customer initially gave a general description of a stocky black man would have likely precluded him from identifying defendant at trial, leaving prosecutors without adequate evidence to prove the case. At trial, the lead detective testified that both witnesses viewed both arrays, and the police reports confirming that were available to all sides, but no one alerted the new trial judge about the hearing judge’s mistaken ruling.

A few years after the conviction, the defendant provided a name of the person who allegedly committed the robbery with France. The DA’s Office investigated that claim but concluded that that person was incarcerated at the time of the crime. However, the CRU was able to discover that he was actually on a 14-week work release program that ended two days after the murder, wherein he was furloughed six days a week and likely residing in his neighborhood of East Flatbush.

In addition, the CRU was provided with two recordings of this alternative suspect. One was a mini cassette recording of a barely audible phone conversation from 1999 that was likely recorded by the defendant’s mother, with France on the line from prison. In it, the alternative suspect mentioned the lumberyard, said “we messed up,” and described the Seiko watch as not being made of gold and the small pinky ring – details that were not known to the public. The second was a videotape from the same year, where that person was coaxed into sharing details about the incident and at some point said, “I don’t feel good. I always think about it,” and acknowledged that the wrong man was imprisoned for the crime.

The CRU also interviewed a man who was inside a pharmacy across the street from the lumberyard and claimed that the alternate suspect was France’s true accomplice – recalling that he would see him in the neighborhood around that time and watched him flee the lumberyard at the time of the murder. Finally, in a 2012 affidavit and in subsequent parole hearings, France took responsibility for his role and repeatedly stated the defendant was not involved.

For these reasons, particularly the flawed identification procedure that was compounded by errors from the hearing judge, the prosecutor, and defense counsel, the CRU recommended that Carrington’s conviction should be vacated, and his indictment dismissed. Subsequently, the office investigated the possibility of charging the alternative suspect. Regrettably, legal hurdles unique to prosecuting a crime that occurred nearly three decades ago and for which another individual was convicted at trial render prosecution of the that suspect unviable.

To date, the work of the Conviction Review Unit has resulted in 38 convictions being vacated since 2014. Currently, CRU has approximately 60 open investigations.

This case was investigated by Assistant District Attorney and CRU Editor-in-Chief, Lori Glachman, under the supervision of Charles Linehan, Unit Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 13, 2024

Bushwick Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

for Illegal Possession of Ghost Guns

Defendant Assembled Arsenal of 13 Weapons Including AR-15 Style Rifles

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 10 years in for prison for assembling an arsenal of illegal and untraceable firearms known as ghost guns. The defendant was convicted of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and other related charges in April after authorities recovered 13 weapons from his Bushwick apartment, including assault weapons, handguns, and rifles.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Ghost guns are a threat to New Yorkers everywhere, and my Office is working tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement to stop their proliferation. Today’s sentence should send a message to anyone who, like this defendant, would try to evade critically important background checks and registration requirements to manufacture and stockpile these dangerous weapons. Every ghost gun we take off the street is a win for public safety.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Dexter Taylor, 53, of Bushwick, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Abena Darkeh to 10 years in prison. He was convicted of two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon; three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; five counts of criminal possession of a firearm; unlawful possession of pistol ammunition; and prohibition on unfinished frames or receivers on April 16, 2024, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, following an investigation, members of the New York City Police Department identified Taylor as having ordered numerous ghost gun kits and component parts from various online retailers that were shipped to the defendant’s address on Eldert Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

A search warrant was executed at the defendant’s apartment on April 6, 2022, and numerous items were recovered, including four AR-15 style assault weapons, five handguns, four rifles and over 50 rounds of ammunition in addition to gun powder, shell casings, triggers, a 3D printer, and various upper and lower receivers used to build firearms. The weapons were being stored in an unlocked safe as well as a closet.

According to evidence presented at trial, the defendant spent approximately $40,000 to obtain the ghost guns parts and tools. The defendant did not have a gun license.

The investigation was conducted by the New York City Police Department’s Major Case Field Intelligence Team and Detective Investigators from the District Attorney’s Investigations Bureau.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Omar Harding and Senior Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Visotzky, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Alfred De Ingeniis, VCE Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Three Hoolie Gang Members Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms for Violent Crimes Including the Death of One-Year-Old Davell Gardner Jr.

Defendants Were Engaged in Gang War with Rival Street Gang;

Responsible for Three Murders and Six Shootings in Which the Victims Survived

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that three defendants variously convicted in a series of gang-related homicides and shootings, including the shooting death of Davell Gardner Jr., who was just 22 months old when he was shot and killed during a cookout in Bedford-Stuyvesant, have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms. A fourth defendant will be sentenced at a later date.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s lengthy sentences must send a message to those engaged in gun violence that it will not be tolerated in Brooklyn. Senseless gang rivalries perpetrated by these defendants left six people injured and three people dead, including Davell Gardner Jr., who was shot in the abdomen. Little Davell never got to celebrate his second birthday. My heart breaks for his mother and father and all the families and victims affected by such devastating gun violence. I commend my prosecutors and the NYPD for their determination to bring these defendants to justice.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Travis Scott, 36, of Bedford-Stuyvesant; Dashawn Austin, 28, of Canarsie; Jayquan Lane, 31, of Bedford-Stuyvesant; and Akeem Artis, 27, of Bedford-Stuyvesant. The defendants were variously convicted of first-degree manslaughter, second-degree murder, and other charges (see defendant addendum) following a six-month jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. The defendants were sentenced today by Justice Chun as follows: Scott was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison; Austin was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison; Artis was sentenced to 40 years in prison; Lane’s sentencing was adjourned to June 18, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, the defendants are members of a violent street gang known as Hoolies, primarily based in and around the Roosevelt Housing Development in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The evidence presented at trial showed that the reason for Hoolies to commit acts of violence include retaliation against rival gangs and to display the gang’s strength.

Between May 2018 and May 2021, the Hoolies territory included 721 Willoughby Avenue and 303 Vernon Avenue, as well as the New York City Housing Authority Roosevelt Houses development and the surrounding area from Kosciuszko Street to Pulaski Street in between Marcus Garvey Boulevard to Stuyvesant Avenue.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on July 12, 2020, Dashawn Austin was seen entering the passenger seat of an Audi driven by Akeem Artis that turned on to Madison Street, near a park where there was a cookout. Austin fired into the park, striking Davell Gardner Jr., 22 months old, who later died, and three other people. Austin was convicted of second-degree murder and Artis was convicted of first-degree manslaughter for that shooting death. Austin was convicted of three counts of second-degree attempted murder and Artis was convicted of three counts of first-degree attempted assault in connection with the other three innocent victims struck in the park shooting. Artis was also convicted of one count of second-degree attempted murder in connection with a June 24, 2020, shooting.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, on March 3, 2020, Dashawn Austin and Jayquan Lane entered the Kinanm Lounge on Atlantic Avenue where alleged gang rival Janile Whitted was in attendance. They followed him when he left the lounge, and Austin fired several shots into his chest at close range, killing him. Austin and Lane were convicted of second-degree murder in that shooting death.

Travis Scott was also convicted of second-degree murder for the December 4, 2018 shooting death of Tyree Walker, 35, who was not a rival, as he walked towards his home on Myrtle Avenue, and of second-degree attempted murder for shooting and paralyzing a 23-year-old man that same night.

The case was prosecuted by Executive Assistant District Attorney and Chief of Staff Nicole L. Chavis, Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Trial Division Joseph P. Alexis, and Senior Assistant District Attorneys Michael Diamond and Fabiola Marrufo, of the District Attorneys Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau.

DEFENDANT ADDENDUM:

Akeem Artis

• • Manslaughter in the 1^st
  • Assault in the 1^st – 3 counts
  • Attempt Murder in the 2^nd
  • Reckless Endangerment in the 1^st
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2^nd – Intent
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2^nd – Outside the home or place of business
  • Conspiracy in the 4^th

Jayquan Lane

• • Murder in the 2^nd degree
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2^nd – Intent
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2^nd – Outside the home or place of business
  • Conspiracy in the 2^nd
  • Conspiracy in the 4^th

Travis Scott

• • Murder in the Second degree
  • Attempt Murder in the Second Degree
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2^nd – Intent ( 2 counts)
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2^nd – Outside the home or place of business (2 Count)
  • Conspiracy in the 2^nd
  • Conspiracy in the 4^th

Dashawn Austin

• • Murder in the 2^nd(2 counts)
  • Attempted Murder in the 2^nd (3 counts)
  • Reckless Endangerment in the 1^st
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2^nd – Intent (2 Count)
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2^nd – Outside the home or place of business (2 Counts)
  • Conspiracy in the 2^nd
  • Conspiracy in the 4^th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 2, 2024

Brooklyn Man Convicted of Selling Exotic Animal Body Parts 

Defendant Sold Mounted Cougar Head, Other Items, to Undercover Officer

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar today announced that a Brooklyn man pleaded guilty to violating New York State Environmental Conservation Law by selling a prohibited wild animal part – a cougar head – to an undercover officer. The defendant additionally turned over other prohibited contraband in his possession under the terms of the plea.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “We’re committed to stopping the illegal wildlife trade in our communities, and by prosecuting cases like this, we’re not just enforcing the law—we’re sending a strong message that protecting endangered species from harm is a priority. I appreciate our strong partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the hard work of our prosecutors in securing this conviction.”

Interim Commissioner Mahar said, “Cracking down on the illegal wildlife trade in New York State helps save the lives of animals often targeted by brutal poachers. DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement explores every tip, chases down all leads, and fully investigates claims regarding the international illegal wildlife trade and its facilitators in New York State to ensure lawbreakers are held accountable for their crimes and animals are protected. DEC is proud to work with our partners in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and advance this investigation that led to a successful prosecution.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Usher Weiss, 26, of Borough Park, Brooklyn. He pleaded guilty today to violating Environmental Conservation Laws before Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Dale Fong-Frederick. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and to surrender the additional contraband in his possession.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on November 2, 2023, at approximately 8:15 p.m., an undercover investigator for the NYS DEC met the defendant at a building on 49^th Street in Borough Park. In the basement of the building the undercover gave the defendant $900 in exchange for a cougar head mount. The defendant then offered the undercover a full cheetah head mount for $10,000.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, on December 5, 2023, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the undercover met the defendant at a building on 53^rd Street in Borough Park. The defendant handed the undercover a cheetah head mount, the skull of a big cat, the skin of a pinniped pup, and a bird mount.

Finally, according to the investigation, Weiss had several other illegal items in his possession in violation of the Environmental Conservation Law, including: a full alligator taxidermy, a tiger skin, a cheetah skin, and an elephant foot. He bought the items on websites, including Craigslist and OfferUp, and surrendered the items to the DEC last month.

The District Attorney thanked the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Law Enforcement, specifically Captain Sara Komonchak, Captain Jesse Paluch, Lieutenant George Wilber and the investigators involved, for bringing about this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jessica White, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Pamela J. Murray, Deputy Chief of the Frauds Bureau, Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides, Chief of the Frauds Bureau, Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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Monday, April 29, 2024

East Flatbush Man Indicted for Murder of Neighbor’s Three-Year-Old Son

Defendant Allegedly Lured Toddler to Vacant Apartment Before Beating and Drowning Death

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder and kidnapping for the alleged beating and drowning death of a three-year-old boy. The child’s mother had left the boy in the care of the defendant’s stepfather, a next-door neighbor, when the defendant allegedly lured the child into a vacant apartment next door and killed him.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Denim Brown was an innocent child whose life ended in unthinkable violence, allegedly at the hands of this defendant. We are determined to see that this defendant is held responsible for this crime. Our hearts are with the boy’s mother and loved ones as they grieve this horrific loss.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Kevin James, 29, of Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo on an indictment in which he is charged with two-counts of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree kidnapping, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree assault, and luring a child. The defendant was ordered held without bail and to return to court on June 20, 2024. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on March 17, 2024, the mother of three-year-old Denim Brown left him in the care of the defendant’s stepfather. The families live in the same building on New York Avenue in East Flatbush and the stepfather frequently babysat for the boy. At approximately 7 p.m., the defendant was allegedly seen leaving his family’s fourth-floor apartment with Brown.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, when the stepfather realized the boy was missing, he and other family members began to frantically search the building for him. At approximately 9:30 p.m., Brown was found face down in a bathtub full of water inside a vacant apartment down the hall.

The child, who showed signs of being severely beaten, was rushed to Kings County Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, the defendant’s credit card was allegedly discovered inside the vacant apartment near the boy’s body.

An autopsy by the Office of the New York City Medical Examiner concluded that Brown’s cause of death was drowning with a contributing factor of blunt force trauma to the head and body.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Brooklyn Lawyer Indicted for Allegedly Stealing

Nearly $3.8 Million from Four Clients to Fund Lavish Lifestyle

Defendant Allegedly Kept Home Sale Proceeds and Estate Funds, Allegedly Spent Funds on Expensive Restaurants, Hotels, a BMW, and a Battery Park City Apartment;

Charged in Similar Scheme in December for Allegedly Stealing Almost $1.5 Million

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that Brooklyn lawyer Salvatore Strazzullo has been arraigned on an indictment charging him with stealing close to $3.8 million from four clients he represented in real estate and estate proceedings in connection with five properties in Bensonhurst, Kensington, Dyker Heights, and Borough Park.

The defendant was charged in a separate indictment in December 2023 with stealing approximately $1.5 million from three other clients following the sale of properties in Bensonhurst and Borough Park. That case is still pending.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant is accused of stealing a tremendous amount of money that represents the nest eggs of his victims, senior citizens who trusted him to handle their affairs. Instead, he allegedly violated his ethical duty as an attorney, betrayed their trust and broke the law. We will now seek to hold him accountable.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Salvatore Strazzullo, 51, whose law office is located at 7101 18^th Avenue in Bensonhurst. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which he is charged with one count of first-degree grand larceny, four counts of second-degree grand larceny and one count of first-degree scheme to defraud. The defendant was released without bail and ordered to return to court on May 29, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant represented an 86-year-old man and an 81-year-old woman on the sale of their family residence on 70^th Street in Bensonhurst between August 16, 2023 and March 26, 2024. The defendant allegedly stole the $1,298,035 proceeds of the sale, which were deposited into his escrow account to be given to his clients. He never distributed the funds, it is alleged, and did not respond to calls and emails from his clients.

It is also alleged that the defendant represented a 90-year-old man and an 88-year-old woman in the approximately $1.6 million sale of their family residence on McDonald Avenue in Kensington between April 27, 2022 and March 26, 2024. The proceeds were deposited into the defendant’s escrow account to be distributed to the clients. The clients allegedly received $750,000 from the defendant over a 19-month period after which the payments ceased. The defendant allegedly stole the remaining $933,120 of the proceeds.

Furthermore, it is alleged, that in June 2021 the defendant represented a 54-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman in the sale of two Brooklyn properties, one was their residence on 80^th Street in Bensonhurst and one on 70^th Street in Dyker Heights was the home of the man’s 86-year-old parents.  The defendant allegedly stole a total of approximately $693,273 from the proceeds of both sales. The defendant allegedly stopped returning phone calls and emails from the clients.

Finally, it is alleged that in May 2023, the defendant represented a 75-year-old man as executor of the estate of his cousin, in the sale of his sole asset, a property located on 59^th Street in Borough Park. A portion of the proceeds of the $1.9 million sale, approximately $871,250, were deposited in the defendant’s escrow account to be distributed to the client, but allegedly were not, despite numerous requests.

It is alleged that, between June 9, 2021 and March 26, 2024, the defendant used his escrow account to engage in a Ponzi scheme, using some of the stolen funds from one client to pay money owed to other clients, while living a lavish lifestyle that included $50,000 worth of meals at restaurants including Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, Cipriani and Ponte Vecchio; almost $100,000 for a BMW and a driver; approximately $60,000 for hotels in Paris and Miami; about $406,000 for a $13,000-a-month apartment in Battery Park City; approximately $470,000 in American Express payments and cash withdrawals totaling approximately $970,000.

People who believe they have been victimized by this defendant are encouraged to contact the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Action Center at 718-250-2340 or to send an email to StrazzulloComplaints@brooklynda.org.

Supervising Financial Investigator Susan Ryan, of the District Attorney’s Asset Forfeiture and Crimes Against Revenue Bureau, and a Detective Investigator assigned to the DA’s Detective Bureau assisted in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Laura Neubauer, Chief of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, Deputy Bureau Chief, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Defendant Sentenced to up to Seven Years for Operating a Ponzi Scheme,

Stealing Almost $1 Million from Nine Victims

Defendant Told Victims that She Would Buy Discounted Properties

For Them at a Private Auction, Which Did Not Exist

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a defendant has been sentenced to 3 ½ to 7 years in prison for stealing approximately $959,000 from nine victims in a fraudulent real estate investment scheme in which victims were told their money would be used to purchase discounted Brooklyn properties at a private auction. Instead, no properties were ever purchased, and the defendant reimbursed some money to older investors using money from more recent investors.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s sentencing this defendant has been brought to justice. The defendant sought to take advantage of Brooklyn’s rising real estate values to steal money from investors. I would caution individuals to carefully consider with whom they invest their savings.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Regine Norman, a.k.a., Regine Ellis, 69. She was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 3 ½ to 7 years in prison. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $842,000. She pleaded guilty to six counts of second-degree grand larceny and three counts of third-degree grand larceny on January 31, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between May 2018 and September 2020, the defendant engaged in a real estate fraud scheme in which she told her victims that she had access to buy properties located in Brooklyn and in the surrounding New York area, at a discount, usually by falsely claiming that she was a member of a private real estate auction. She then convinced her victims to wire her money for down payments on the properties.

After obtaining the down payment, the defendant provided her victims with fraudulent contracts of sale, which often included the forged signature of the actual property owner, and never used the funds to purchase any property. Among the properties were more than a dozen located in Brooklyn.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, the Department of State has no record of any business entity called “NY Private Auction Inc.,” the private auction company the defendant claimed to be a member of. The defendant provided her victims little information about the private auction, telling many victims that they could not attend or speak to anyone at the auction because only members had access.

Moreover, the actual owners of the various properties the defendant claimed were being auctioned never put their properties up for sale at auction and never retained the defendant as a broker or agent with the authority to buy or sell their properties.

Over the course of the defendant’s scheme, several victims suspected they had been defrauded and repeatedly demanded the defendant return their money. The defendant, after holding on to victims’ money for an extended period of time, returned the full amount of the stolen funds to four victims using money stolen from more recent victims and paid a portion of the stolen funds to three other victims. The defendant has not returned any funds to seven of the victims.

The case was investigated by Detective Investigators assigned to the District Attorney’s Investigations Bureau.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Richard Farrell, Chief of the Real Estate Fraud Unit, and Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gregory C. Pavlides, Chief of the Frauds Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Park Slope Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

For Sexually Assaulting Two Teenage Girls

Assaults Were Captured on Video Surveillance Footage Recovered from Defendant’s Home

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Park Slope man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting two teenage girls in his apartment after giving them drugs. The assaults were captured on video surveillance footage recovered from the defendant’s home.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “I remain committed to seeking justice for all victims of sexual violence and to protecting children and teens from predators who are intent on exploiting them. With today’s sentence, this defendant, who preyed on two young girls, offering them drugs and subjecting them to sexual assault, has now been held accountable. Brooklyn is safer with this defendant behind bars.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Christopher Chabrier, 40, of Park Slope, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Heidi Cesare to 20 years in prison and 20 years‘ post–release supervision. He must register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The defendant was convicted of two counts of use of a child in a sexual performance as a sexually motivated felony; third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon; third-degree rape; third-degree criminal sexual act; second-degree attempted rape; and possession of a sexual performance by a child, among other charges, on February 13, 2024, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on August 30, 2020, the defendant approached the victims, who were 14 and 15 years old, at a park in Carroll Gardens. The defendant gave the victims what he told them was MDMA, Xanax, cocaine, and marijuana. Later, the victims and a friend smoked marijuana inside the defendant’s vehicle. The defendant gave each of the teens $20 before they exited the vehicle.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, on August 31, 2020, the defendant picked up the victims near Carroll Park and drove them to his apartment on Jackson Place in Park Slope. The defendant gave the victims what he told them was MDMA, cocaine, and marijuana. Both victims began to feel dizzy. One of the victims was so affected that she was unable to stand and began to crawl, at which point the defendant subjected both teenagers to various sexual acts, resulting in injuries to one of the victims.

Afterward, the defendant gave the victims $200 and $100, respectively.

One of the victims disclosed the assault to her father who took her to a nearby hospital where she was treated for lacerations and bruising. A sexual assault evidence collection kit was also completed.

The defendant was arrested on September 15, 2020. A search warrant executed at his apartment turned up two loaded firearms; several knives and tasers; boxes of ammunition; and a large quantity of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, LSD, Psilocybin, Clonazepam, and Alprazolam, among others. Investigators also recovered video surveillance footage from security cameras throughout the residence that captured the sexual assaults of August 31, 2020.

Paralegals Kenneth Walker and Julia Holman of the Special Victims Bureau assisted in the prosecution.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sapna Kishnani, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Kevin O’Donnell, Deputy Bureau Chief, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 40 Years to Life

in Prison for Fatally Shooting a Man outside Red Hook Houses

27-Year-Old-Victim Was Expecting Birth of First Child;

Died Three Weeks Later from Gunshot Wound to Head

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison following his conviction for shooting a man outside the Red Hook Houses in 2020. The victim died three weeks later from a gunshot wound to the head.

        District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The life of Elvin Fernandez, a young man expecting the birth of his first child, was cruelly and senselessly cut short when the defendant shot and killed him in cold blood. My heart goes out to Mr. Fernandez’s family and friends, who hopefully find a measure of solace with today’s lengthy sentence.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as David Gorham, 32, of Red Hook, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Raymond L. Rodriguez to 40 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on December 6, 2023, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on June 1, 2020, at approximately 5:50 p.m., outside the Red Hook Houses at 484 Columbia Street, the defendant saw Elvin Fernandez, 27, ride past in the backseat of a car. The defendant then proceeded to wait inside a nearby candy store while the victim and the victim’s pregnant girlfriend exited the vehicle.  The defendant walked over, reached into a bag and pulled out a handgun. He fired once, striking the victim in the head. The defendant then went into a nearby building, changed his clothing, and fled the area. Police arrested him on June 18, 2020.

The victim was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Brooklyn Methodist where he remained in critical condition before dying of his wounds on June 24, 2020.

Investigators later determined that a friend of the defendant had been feuding with the victim’s girlfriend.

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

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Chelsea Toder, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Michael McGee Jr., 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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