Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 11, 2022

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for
Sexual Assault of 13-year-old Girl

Defendant Forced Victim into Basement at the Breukelen Houses
Before Sexually Assaulting Her

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a West Midwood man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for a violent attack in which he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl on her way to pick up a younger sister at school.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s sentence, we are holding the defendant accountable for a horrific attack against an innocent child. I remain committed to punishing predators who commit such brutal acts of sexual violence against women and seeking justice for victims.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Tony Johnson, 20, of West Midwood, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today to 10 years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual act on June 1, 2022.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on October 8, 2019, at approximately 5:15 p.m., the defendant approached the 13-year-old girl from behind as she walked through the Breukelen Houses in Canarsie on her way to pick up her younger sister at school. The defendant grabbed the victim by the shoulder and demanded money and her cellphone. When he searched the victim’s bag and found no valuables, the defendant threatened to stab her and forced her into the basement of a nearby building located at 904 Williams Avenue, where he ordered her to take off her pants and underwear, then violently sexually assaulted her.

According to the evidence, the defendant then ordered the victim to stay in the basement until he fled the scene and threatened to hurt her and her family. After the defendant left, the victim went upstairs. A stranger saw her crying and called 911. The victim was taken to Kings County Hospital where she was treated for her injuries. A sexual assault evidence collection kit was also administered.

On October 9, 2019, the defendant was positively identified in a photo array. The defendant was arrested on October 10, 2019, by the Brooklyn North Warrants Squad. The defendant’s DNA was subsequently matched to the victim’s sexual assault evidence collection kit.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Christopher Mirabella, 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, August 9, 2022

 

Queens Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison
For Violently Attacking and Sexually Abusing His Girlfriend

 Defendant Broke into Victim’s Home, Killed Her Cat

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Queens man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison following his conviction on sexual abuse and related charges for viciously assaulting his girlfriend and killing her cat in the Brooklyn apartment where she lived with her four children.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant brutally and viciously attacked his girlfriend and killed her cat in front of her children in a fit of violent rage. This family continues to suffer from the trauma of this terrible assault and the devastating impact it has had on their lives. This sentence holds him accountable for his unconscionable behavior.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Edgar Guayan, 29, of Ridgewood, Queens. He was sentenced today to 11 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Claudia DePeyster. The defendant was convicted of first-degree burglary, first-degree sexual abuse, third-degree attempted aggravated sexual abuse, second-degree assault, criminal obstruction on breathing, aggravated cruelty to animals, and the overdriving, torturing and injuring of animals on July 20, 2022, following a bench trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on July 17, 2022, at approximately midnight, the defendant broke into the Prospect Lefferts Gardens apartment of his girlfriend and her four children after banging on and kicking the door. He then repeatedly hit her about the head, face and body with a closed fist, and placed his fingers in her mouth to prevent her from screaming. He then placed his hands around her neck and applied pressure and placed his mouth over her mouth and nose to prevent her from breathing.

Furthermore, he then sexually abused the victim and attempted to insert an object inside of her, but he was not successful because she kicked him away. When her cat scratched the defendant’s leg, he picked up the cat and threw it, causing the cat to die in front of her and her children. The defendant and the victim then went to bed, and he held his arm around her to prevent her from leaving. At approximately 4 a.m., she managed to break free, leave the apartment and call 911.

The victim was taken to Maimonides Medical Center where she was admitted for observation and treated for a fractured nose and bruising and swelling to the face and arms.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Elaine Albenda and Assistant District Attorney Hannah Laufer, of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michelle Kaminsky, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 29, 2022

 

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking of Teenage Girl

Defendant Allegedly Lured Victim to New York from Ohio with Promise of Video Shoots

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been arraigned on a 10-count indictment in which he is charged with sex trafficking, promoting prostitution and related charges for the alleged sex trafficking of an 18-year-old girl.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “We allege that this defendant lured a young woman from out of state to come to Brooklyn under false pretenses, then trafficked her for money in exchange for sex. I am committed to rescuing and protecting our at-risk teens from predators who seek to harm and exploit them.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Allen Barrington, 37, of East Flatbush, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Guy Mangano on an indictment in which he is charged with two counts of sex trafficking, one count of attempted sex trafficking, one count of second-degree promoting prostitution, two counts of third- and fourth- degree promoting prostitution, one count of third-degree assault and one count of third-degree attempted assault. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on August 16, 2022.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on June 3, 2022, the defendant allegedly responded to an online website posted on by an 18-year-old girl who was living in Ohio. He allegedly offered to pay for a Greyhound bus ticket for her to visit New York where he would help her get started in nude modeling on video.

When the girl arrived at the Port Authority Bus Terminal on June 5, 2022, he allegedly picked her up and brought her to an apartment in East New York, Brooklyn, where there was another girl that the defendant had recruited from Illinois to engage in prostitution. He allegedly told her she had to work in prostitution and took her to a track in East New York. When the victim refused, allegedly telling the defendant that this was not the agreement, the defendant threatened the victim and threatened to harm her grandparents back in Ohio.

It is alleged that, between June 5, 2022 and June 18, 2022, in addition to forcing her to work in prostitution in East Flatbush and East New York, the defendant was physically violent towards the victim and at one point attempted to taser her. She was allegedly forced to engage in prostitution on the track in East New York and was not allowed to stop until she earned a quota set by the defendant. The defendant allegedly took photos of the victim and the other woman and posted them on websites offering prostitution services.

Furthermore, it is alleged, the victim walked into the 75^th precinct to report the defendant on June 17, 2022. He was arrested in Ohio on July 6, 2022 and was extradited to Brooklyn on July 26, 2022.

The case was investigated by Detective Courtney Thorpe of the New York City Police Department’s Human Trafficking Squad, under the supervision of Sergeant Robert Duplessis, Lieutenant Amy Capogna and Captain Thomas Milano.

The District Attorney thanked Detective Christina Chavez and Detective Nicholas Cox of the Peoria, Illinois Police Department, Major Jeff Allen and Agent Kelly Jankowski from the Mahoning Valley Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, Eastern District of New York Probation Officer Dwight Brown and the Ohio State Highway Patrol for their assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney David Weiss, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit, along with Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Iorio, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Aurora Martinez and VSU/HT Social Worker Kirsty Carroll, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 28, 2022

 

Brooklyn Driver Sentenced to 3 to 6 Years in Prison for Running Red Light

And Fatally Striking a Deliveryman in Borough Park

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter in June

            Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Flatbush man has been sentenced to 3 to 6 years in prison following his guilty plea to manslaughter for fatally striking a deliveryman in Borough Park in 2020.

            District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant’s recklessness behind the wheel tragically took the life of a hardworking husband and father. He has now been held accountable for his actions. I am committed to keeping Brooklyn’s roads safe for all people.”

            The District Attorney identified the defendant as Valdez Heron, 31, of Flatbush, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht to 3 to 6 years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter on June 6, 2022.

            The District Attorney said that, on October 18, 2020, at about 11:50 a.m., the defendant was driving a 2015 Dodge Charger eastbound on 46th Street towards 9th Avenue when he ran a steady red light, striking deliveryman, Xiang Wu, 43, as he rode a Yamaha SMAX scooter through the intersection. The force of the impact sent the victim over the hood of the Dodge Charger and onto the pavement.

            The defendant then jumped out of the Dodge Charger while the car was still in drive, according to the investigation, and the Dodge Charger rolled down the street, striking a parked car before coming to a stop. The defendant was arrested at the scene. The victim was taken in critical condition to Maimonides Medical Center where he underwent multiple surgeries. On November 25, 2020, the victim was transferred to the Bedford Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. On December 21, 2020, the victim was found unresponsive and transferred to Woodhull Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The Office of the New York Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be complications of multiple blunt force injuries.

            The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Roman Galper, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Jacob Uriel, Deputy Unit Chief of the District Attorney’s Street Safety Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 25, 2022

 

Queens Man Sentenced to 50 Years to Life in Prison for
Violent Sexual Assaults in Brooklyn

Attacked Three Women at Gunpoint during Early Morning Crime Spree

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Queens man has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting two women and attempting to assault a third woman, all at gunpoint, in three separate attacks in East New York in 2017. The defendant was convicted in March following a jury trial.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a violent and disturbing series of attacks that targeted and traumatized three innocent women. With today’s sentencing this defendant has now been held accountable for his actions, and our communities are safer now that he has been taken off the street. I remain committed to seeking justice for all victims of sexual assault in Brooklyn.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Keith Wiggins, 31, of South Ozone Park, Queens. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo to 50 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of four counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of first-degree burglary as a sexually motivated felony, one count of first-degree sexual abuse, one count of second-degree menacing, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child on March 23, 2022, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on October 10, 2017, at 6:45 a.m., in the vicinity of 609 Fountain Avenue, the defendant approached a 29-year-old woman as she was walking to work, displayed a silver firearm, and ordered her into a lot behind a van. He then ordered her to remove her clothing, raped her, and forced her to perform a sex act, while pointing a gun at her head. He then fled the location in a Dodge Caravan.

Shortly thereafter, at approximately 7:13 a.m., in the vicinity of 675 Lincoln Avenue, the defendant approached a 15-year-old girl as she was walking to school, displayed a silver firearm and ordered her to turn around or he would shoot her. The victim fled and the defendant left the area.

Finally, at 8:30 a.m., in East New York, the defendant approached a 30-year-old woman as she was walking to work, displayed a silver firearm and ordered her inside of her residence. Once inside the hallway, the defendant forced the woman to perform a sex act while pointing a gun at her head. He then fled the location in a Dodge Caravan.

The police tracked down the defendant attempting to return the Dodge Caravan to a rental agency at John F. Kennedy Airport later that morning.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 18, 2022

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for
Fatally Shooting 23-year-old Man Outside East Flatbush Home

Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter that Stemmed from Dispute

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an East Flatbush man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for fatally shooting a 23-year-old man during an argument outside of the defendant’s family’s home in 2019.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This senseless act of violence took the life of a young man. The defendant’s guilty plea and today’s sentence hold him accountable for his actions and offer a measure of justice for the victim’s loved ones. We will not tolerate gun violence in the streets of Brooklyn.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Taliby Kaba, 24, of East Flatbush, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice ¬Dena E. Douglas to 15 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on March 31, 2022.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on February 22, 2019, at approximately 4:45 p.m., the defendant got into an argument with his sister’s boyfriend, the boyfriend’s brother, and a friend, Kenny Joseph, 23, in front of the defendant’s family’s home on East 94th Street in East Flatbush. The defendant chased his sister’s boyfriend down the block with a handgun and ultimately fired a gunshot into the boyfriend’s brother’s car, striking Joseph in the chest. Joseph was taken to Brookdale University Hospital, where he later died.

The defendant fled the scene. He was apprehended on March 15, 2019, in Secaucus, New Jersey.

The case was prosecuted by Senior District Attorneys Daniel Murphy and Viviane Dussek, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Bureau Chief.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 15, 2022

 

Brooklyn District Attorney Moves to Vacate Unjust Convictions of
Three Defendants Who Confessed as Teenagers to Horrific Murder of
Clerk Whose Token Booth was Set on Fire and Exploded

Will Bring Number of Exonerees Since the Conviction Review Unit Was Established to 33

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that following a thorough investigation by his Conviction Review Unit (CRU), he will move to vacate the convictions of James Irons, Thomas Malik and Vincent Ellerbe for the 1995 murder of token booth clerk Harry Kaufman, citing problematic identifications and false and contradictory confessions. Each of the defendants was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Malik and Irons remained incarcerated, and Ellerbe was paroled in late 2020. The complete CRU reports on their cases are available here, here and here.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The horrific murder of Harry Kaufman shocked our city and devastated a loving family, but the findings of an exhaustive, years long reinvestigation of this case leave us unable to stand by the convictions of those charged. Above all, my obligation is to do justice, and because of the serious problems with the evidence on which these convictions are based, we must move to vacate them and acknowledge the harm done to these men by this failure of our system. My heart aches for the Kaufman family and my office remains resolute in our commitment to seek justice for victims, while ensuring fairness to all.”

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

The District Attorney said that on November 26, 1995, at about 1:40 a.m., inside of the subway station at Kingston Avenue and Fulton Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, two men approached the token booth where Kaufman was working. One of the men poured gasoline from a clear plastic soda bottle into the coin slot, then he or his accomplice lit a book of matches, igniting the gasoline and causing the token booth to explode. Kaufman was blown out of the booth.

A witness reported seeing three men exit the station and flee the scene. Kaufman emerged from the station engulfed in flames and passersby helped to extinguish the flames. He suffered burns over 80 percent of his body and died of his injuries two week later.

Subsequently, New York City Police Department detectives, including lead case detectives Stephen Chmil and Louis Scarcella, identified the defendants as suspects. All three defendants confessed to taking part in the crime and each was convicted by a jury at trial largely based on those confessions.

More than 25 years later, following a reinvestigation of the case, the DA’s Office cannot stand by the convictions. Among many reasons are the problematic circumstances of the identifications, the myriad factual contradictions between the confessions and the evidence recovered at the scene, and the material contradictions between the confessions themselves.

The review found that Scarcella and Chmil fed key details to Irons, who was 18 years old at the time, showing him photographs of evidence found at the crime scene, including a rifle, and either describing or showing him a photograph of a gasoline container, before Irons said anything meaningful about either item. these details were used to argue at trial that the confession was so detailed it could be relied on by the jury. Furthermore, details of his confession were false, including that he was shot in the leg a year earlier, even though he was not, or physically impossible, such as he was able to see his accomplices enter the getaway car, which was parked a block away and around the corner. He also claimed that gasoline was squirted on the door of the token booth, but this fact was negated by expert testimony from a fire marshal at one of the co-defendant’s trials, who said the gasoline was poured into the coin slot opening and nowhere else.

Malik, who was also 18 years old at the time, was identified by a witness as someone she saw holding the bottle of gasoline and entering the subway with another man, even though she had earlier identified Scarcella’s and Chmil’s top suspect, a different person (who was not charged) as holding the bottle. Notably, she was screaming, crying, and shaking, saying she would never forget his face, referring to the person who was not charged. Another detective working on the case later put Malik in a lineup, dressed in a red shirt (the only person in the lineup in a red shirt) and the same witness identified him as holding the bottle. The jury never heard that the witness made numerous material inconsistent pretrial statements, involving among other things, the location of her vehicle which would have undermined her credibility about what she claimed to have seen, impacted her ability to identify Malik, and raised doubts about other testimony she provided relating to the getaway car.

Finally, Ellerbe, who was 17 years old at the time, made a confession that was inconsistent with the facts and the evidence. He said in his statement that he used a spray bottle to spray gasoline, to actually spray his street name, Teff, on the front of the token booth in direct contradiction to the fire marshal who said that the gasoline was poured into the coin aperture. There is no evidence that a spray bottle was used, and CRU determined that if the booth had only been sprayed it would not have exploded. Also, Ellerbe said in his confession that four people stood in front of the token booth, though the victim told police there were two people.

To date, the work of the Conviction Review Unit has resulted in 33 convictions being vacated since 2014. Currently, CRU has approximately 50 open investigations.

This case was investigated by Assistant District Attorney Eric Sonnenschein, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Post-Conviction Justice Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Lori Glachman, Editor-in-Chief of the Conviction Review Unit, under the supervision of Charles Linehan, Chief of the Conviction Review Unit.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 1, 2022

 

Brooklyn Scaffolding Company and its Foreperson Indicted for Reckless Endangerment and Criminal Mischief in Scaffolding Collapse

Allegedly Failed to Remove Unsecured Scaffolding from Park Slope Construction Site, Despite Safety Concerns and Industry Protocols, Leading to Collapse that Left Woman Seriously Injured

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 Eric Ulrich, today announced that the foreman of a Brooklyn scaffolding company and the company have been arraigned on an indictment in which they are charged with reckless endangerment and criminal mischief for failing to remove unsecured scaffolding from a 12-story building under construction in Park Slope. High winds caused the scaffolding to collapse and plummet from the roof, striking a woman below in the courtyard of an adjacent bar.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This is a tragedy that never should have happened. The defendant allegedly ignored industry safety protocols by failing for days to either secure or remove the scaffolding at this site. His alleged inaction has had a profound and devastating impact on a young woman who will suffer the consequences for the rest of her life. We will now seek to hold him accountable for his reckless, irresponsible and criminal behavior.”

Commissioner Strauber said, “These charges make clear that disregard of New York City’s building code can have tragic consequences. As alleged, this foreman and his company knowingly failed to secure or remove roof scaffolding that posed a serious danger, and that ultimately caused injuries to individuals on the street below, including a young woman who suffered significant and permanent brain injuries. This tragedy was entirely preventable, and the charged conduct is not just unprofessional and irresponsible, it is criminal. We are committed to continuing to work with our law enforcement partners at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and the City Department of Buildings to identify and prevent this type of dangerous misconduct.”

Commissioner Ulrich said, “Choosing not to perform required safety work on a construction site can have tragic and devastating consequences. If proper precautions were taken, this incident might have been avoided. I would like to personally thank our partners at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and at the Department of Investigation for bringing criminal charges in this important case.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Zeke Fagan, 26, of Woodmere, New York, and Silvercup Scaffolding, of 29 Lorimer Street, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The defendants were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully on an indictment in which they are charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and fourth-degree criminal mischief. They were ordered to return to court on August 11, 2022. Each of the misdemeanor counts they were charged with carries a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on June 30, 2019, at approximately 3 p.m., support scaffolding on the roof of a 12-story building located at 243 4th Avenue in Park Slope, which was left largely disconnected from the bulkhead and which still had its netting attached, fell from that roof onto Mission Delores, an adjacent bar with an outdoor patio directly below the rooftop of 243 4th Avenue. Three patrons were struck by the debris, including a 32-year-old woman who suffered serious, permanent brain injuries. Two other women suffered minor injuries. In addition, pieces of scaffolding, including metal pipes and wooden planks, shattered panes of glass in the bar’s atrium area.

The scaffolding was initially secured to the building by “tie backs,” which are metal rods that are connected to the building through a hole created in the wall. The scaffolding was also interconnected to itself and surrounded the entire bulkhead creating four interconnected sides to provide further support. Therefore, it was connected to the building and interconnected to itself, as required by the building code.

However, according to the investigation, on June 12, 2019, a subcontractor doing stucco work disconnected the tie backs of the scaffolding to fill in the holes created by the tie backs. That contractor allegedly immediately informed the general contractor’s construction superintendent to make sure the scaffolding was dismantled by Silvercup the following day. Fagan, Silvercup’s foreman, who was responsible for overseeing the scaffolding, was allegedly informed of this by the superintendent on June 14, 2019. Also, on that date, the superintendent texted Fagan a photograph of the scaffolding coming apart on the roof’s bulkhead.

The scaffolding was never properly dismantled and remained in a precarious, unsecured condition for over two weeks, including days where there were high winds. On June 30, 2019, gusts of high winds swept through Park Slope and caught the netting of the scaffolding, causing a sail-like effect lifting the scaffolding up and away from the building. Notably, the extreme weather condition had been forecasted and advisories about it were sent out by the DOB.

The scaffolding then fell from the bulkhead over the side of the building and into the courtyard of Mission Dolores, a bar that was located at 249 4th Avenue, where numerous patrons were seated, including the 32-year-old woman who was struck in the head by a piece of the scaffolding and sustained serious injuries, including a fractured skull and permanent neurological trauma. Two other women seated in the courtyard sustained less severe injuries.

The case was investigated by DOI Assistant Inspector General Robert Miller, under the supervision of Inspector General Gregory Cho, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella and First Deputy Commissioner Daniel G. Cort.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorneys T. Peter Choi and Rina Lee of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gregory C. Pavlides, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief.

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

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 27, 2022

 

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Three Sexual Assaults of Two Victims

Allegedly Assaulted Woman Walking in Crown Heights, Then Attacked Her Again;
Defendant is also Charged with Raping a 13-Year-Old Girl

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been indicted for sexually assaulting a woman twice last month and for raping a 13-year-old girl in September 2021. Both victims were strangers to the defendant.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant is charged with three horrific and violent sexual offenses, including raping an innocent child and repeatedly sexually assaulting a stranger. We will vigorously prosecute this alleged serial sexual predator to keep the people of Brooklyn safe.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Miguel James, 42, of Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jill Konviser on two indictments in which he is charged with first-degree criminal sexual act, second-degree assault, first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree robbery, forcible touching, second-degree rape, endangering the welfare of a child and related charges. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on August 10, 2022.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on May 27, 2022, at approximately 2 a.m., in the vicinity of St. Marks Avenue near East New York Avenue, the defendant, who was in a car, offered a 52-year-old woman who was walking home a ride. After she declined, the defendant allegedly got out of his vehicle, a black Acura, pushed her to the ground, and forced her to perform a sex act.

The defendant then got into his car and left the scene, but approximately 15 minutes later, as the victim was walking in the vicinity of St. Marks Avenue and Howard Avenue, the defendant allegedly spotted her, got out of his vehicle, sexually assaulted her again and stole her cell phone.

Later that morning, the victim told a neighbor about the assault and the neighbor called police. The victim was taken to Brookdale Hospital. She was treated for a broken wrist and other injuries.

Following an investigation by police, the defendant was arrested on June 1, 2022. He was also charged with raping a 13-year-old girl in his apartment on September 8, 2021. The victim’s friend was an acquaintance of the defendant.

The cases are being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Paul Hershan of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under 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.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 27, 2022

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for
Shooting a FedEx Driver in the Back at Point Blank Range

Attempted Murder in Brownsville Housing Development Was Captured on Video

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man was sentenced to 40 years in prison for shooting a FedEx employee in the back as he walked out of a Brownsville building. The incident was caught on surveillance video.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant has a long and violent criminal history, and the people of Brooklyn are safer with him in prison. While we believe in second chances, we have no tolerance for callous gun violence, and I hope this sentence allows the victim some solace.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as J’von Johnson, 25, of Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht to 40 years in state prison following his conviction last month on charges of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on December 7, 2020, at 395 Livonia Avenue, which is part of the Van Dyke Housing Development, at approximately 11:15 a.m., the defendant fired a handgun from close range at a uniformed FedEx employee who was leaving the building. The bullet entered the victim’s right shoulder and exited from his throat. He has since recovered.

Video surveillance captured the entire incident, showing the shooting and the defendant walking away. After getting arrested, the defendant gave police a statement in which he identified himself in the video and admitted to committing the shooting.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Farin Chasin, of the District Attorney’s Orange Zone Trial Bureau, under the 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.