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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

 

Red Hook Man Sentenced to 22 Years to Life in Prison

Following Conviction for Violent Assault of 60-Year-Old

Defendant Demanded Victim’s Valuables, Then Stabbed Him Repeatedly

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced today that a Red Hook man has been sentenced to 22 years to life in prison for robbing and stabbing a 60-year-old man outside a NYCHA development. The defendant was convicted in September for the violent assault, which left the victim in the hospital with multiple stab wounds and a broken leg.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Keeping the people of Brooklyn safe is my highest priority, and violent offenders like this defendant must face serious consequences. Today’s sentence holds the perpetrator of this senseless and brutal attack responsible and ensures he will not be able to victimize others in our communities.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Maurice Johnson, 38, of Red Hook, Brooklyn. The defendant, who was deemed a mandatory persistent violent felon, was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully to 22 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of first-degree assault and two counts of first-degree robbery on September 15, 2022, following a jury trial.

            The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on September 14, 2020, at approximately 10:40 p.m., the defendant approached the victim at a Citi Bike station located in front of 505 Columbia Street, part of the Red Hook Houses, and demanded his valuables. The defendant, who was wielding a knife, then punched the victim, causing him to fall and break his leg. The defendant then proceeded to rip a chain off the victim’s neck before stabbing him repeatedly in the face and torso as the victim lay helplessly on the ground. The defendant also stole items from the victim’s wallet before fleeing the scene.

The victim was taken to Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and treated for multiple stab wounds on his face, neck, and body, as well as a broken leg.

After an extensive video canvas, the defendant was arrested on September 22, 2020, at a nearby shelter. Officers from the New York City Police Department executed a search warrant at the location where they recovered clothing the defendant was wearing at the time of the robbery.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Henry Neumann of the 76^th Precinct Detective Squad. Senior Intelligence Analyst Christian Salazar of the District Attorney’s Crime Strategies Unit and Digital Evidence Lab assisted in the case.

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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

 

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Violent Home Invasion Burglary in Crown Heights

Defendant Allegedly Assaulted and Sexually Abused His 81-Year-Old Neighbor

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Crown Heights man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with sexual abuse, burglary as a sexually motivated felony, assault, strangulation, and other charges for allegedly violently attacking an 81-year-old woman in her apartment.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The violent and brutal assault of an elderly woman allegedly perpetrated by this defendant shocks the conscience and our prosecutors are committed to seeking justice and accountability. This kind of depraved conduct will not be tolerated, and our thoughts remain with the victim as she recovers from this horrifically traumatic crime.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Thomas Johnson, 50, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jill Konviser on a 16-count indictment in which he is charged with first-, second-, and third-degree burglary as a sexually motivated felony, second-degree strangulation as a sexually motivated felony, first-degree sexual abuse, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, second-degree assault as a sexually motivated felony, and related charges. The defendant is being held without bail and was ordered to return to court on December 1, 2022.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on September 27, 2022, at approximately 3 a.m., in Crown Heights, the 81-year-old victim awoke to the sound of a noise in her apartment. She walked to the kitchen and dining area, and she allegedly saw the defendant standing in her apartment. The defendant then allegedly strangled her until she was unconscious.

When the woman came to, she began to crawl towards her bedroom. The defendant allegedly emerged and began to strangle her. She lost consciousness a second time. When she woke up, she was bleeding from the mouth and nose and called out for help. The woman’s upstairs neighbors, who are related to the defendant, came down to help and called 911.

The victim suffered substantial pain to her neck, difficulty breathing, bloodshot eyes, swelling about the face, a dislocated jaw, bleeding from the mouth and nose, and injuries to her genitals.

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 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, October 19, 2022

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 12 to 24 Years in Prison in Connection to

Seven Separate Attacks on Women in East Williamsburg

 Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Hate Crime Charges for Targeting Light-Skinned Women

 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced today that an East Williamsburg man has been sentenced to 12 to 24 years in prison for a series of attacks on women in East Williamsburg, selecting his victims based on their gender and skin color.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s lengthy prison sentence holds this predator accountable for his terrifying spree of violent attacks on women and sends a strong message that we will not tolerate hate crimes in Brooklyn. My office remains committed to seeking justice for all hate crime victims, and I thank these very strong women for their courage and cooperation.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Khari Covington, 31, who resided in an East Williamsburg transitional housing center. The defendant, who was deemed a mandatory violent persistent felony offender, was today sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 12 to 24 years in prison. He pleaded guilty on September 7, 2022 to third-degree burglary as a hate crime, second-degree attempted strangulation as a hate crime and third-degree assault as a hate crime.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between August 5, 2020 and January 4, 2021, the defendant assaulted seven women, whom he targeted because they were women and light-skinned, according to his statements to investigators.

The incidents include the following:

• An assault on August 5, 2020 at approximately 9:45 a.m., inside 20 Morgan Avenue.
• An assault on November 17, 2020, at approximately 8 p.m., inside the Morgan Avenue train station.
• An assault on December 11, 2020 at approximately 9:15 p.m. at the Morgan Avenue train station.
• An assault on December 28, 2020, at approximately 5 p.m., inside the Morgan Avenue train station.
• An assault on January 1, 2021, at approximately 8:35 p.m., inside the Morgan Avenue train station.
• An assault on January 2, 2021, at approximately 9:50 p.m., inside the Morgan Avenue train station.
• An assault on January 4, 2021, at approximately 5:10 p.m., inside a smoke shop located at 12 Wilson Avenue.

Paralegal Michael Chung of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau assisted in the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adriana Rodriguez, Deputy Chief of the Blue Zone Trial Bureau (formerly of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau) and Senior Assistant District Attorney Sharmalee Brooks-Gordon, of the Hate Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kelli Muse, Chief of the Hate Crimes Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, October 13, 2022

 

 

Brooklyn Man Charged with Murder and Assault for Killing Woman and Injuring Four Others While Allegedly Driving Recklessly, Evading Police

Was Allegedly Speeding and Weaving into Oncoming Traffic;

Decedent’s 8-year-old Grandson Suffered Serious Brain Injuries

  

            Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been indicted for depraved indifference murder, assault, and related charges for causing the death of a woman, seriously injuring her grandson, and wounding three others when he allegedly fled a police officers’ car stop at a high rate of speed, ran red lights and crashed into a cyclist, pedestrians, another vehicle and a bodega, before fleeing the scene on foot.

           District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant’s alleged recklessness behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle cost a beloved grandmother her life and injured others as he fled from a traffic stop. Everyone in Brooklyn deserves to feel safe on our streets, and we will now seek to hold this defendant accountable for his horrific alleged crimes.”

            The District Attorney identified the defendant as Tyler Green, 22, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dena Douglas on a 35-count indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, second-degree manslaughter and other related counts. The defendant was ordered held without bail and to return to court on November 2, 2022. He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count.

            The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on June 25, 2022, at about 7:10 p.m., the defendant was driving a stolen Honda HR-V when police officers stopped him at the corner of Ralph Avenue and Chauncey Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant after observing him run a stop sign and determining that the license plate did not match the vehicle.

            The defendant allegedly took off at a high rate of speed and drove four blocks, to the intersection of Ralph Avenue and Macon Street, where he weaved around cars that were stopped at a red light and entered the intersection against the light and against traffic. He then struck a 28-year-old cyclist who was going in the opposite direction, causing the cyclist to suffer a fracture to his leg.

            The defendant also struck Lyn Christopher, 68, who was crossing Ralph Avenue with the light, along with her 8-year-old grandson who was visiting from Atlanta. The grandmother died at the scene and the boy suffered traumatic head injuries and is still hospitalized. The defendant kept going, allegedly running another red light one block away, T-boning a vehicle and injuring its 24-year-old driver who suffered a fractured collar bone. His car then jumped the curb and crashed into a bodega, causing minor injuries to a 43-year-old bodega employee who was standing outside.

            The defendant then allegedly jumped out of the car, along with his passenger, and fled on foot. The entire incident was captured on video and additional videos showed the defendant running back to his home on Gates Avenue, about a mile away. DNA matching the defendant was recovered from the deployed airbag of the Honda.

            The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sarah Jafari, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau and formerly of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Nocella, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Street Safety Bureau, and under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Courtney Hogg, Deputy Chief of the Grey Zone, and Assistant District Attorney Robert Walsh, Bureau Chief.

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

 

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