Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 7, 2018

 

Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life for 2004 Murder of 17-Year-Old Bushwick Girl

DNA Found on Victim’s Fingernails Led to Conviction 14 Years After Homicide

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 40-year-old man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the 2004 murder of Sharabia Thomas, a teenager from Bushwick, Brooklyn. A DNA analysis of cells found on the victim’s fingernails, conducted in 2016, was a match to the defendant, leading to his arrest and conviction.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Thanks to DNA technology and hard work by Cold Case detectives and my prosecutors, we were able to obtain justice for Sharabia and bring a small measure of closure to her loved-ones, who have been waiting many years. I am determined to continue looking back into the past to hold violent offenders responsible for their crimes and to promote public safety.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Kwauhuru Govan, 40, formerly of Gates Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Joanne Quinones to 25 years to life in prison following his conviction last month of second-degree murder after a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, the naked body of Sharabia Thomas, 17, was discovered on the afternoon of February 11, 2004 inside two laundry bags on the side of an alleyway adjacent to 130 Palmetto Street in Bushwick. The victim suffered blunt force trauma to her head, face and torso and had visible ligature marks on her wrists and ankles. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia by neck compression.

The investigation determined that Sharabia did not go to school that day and was last seen alive earlier that morning when her siblings left for school. DNA testing in 2004, using swabs from the sexual assault evidence kit, yielded no results.

In June 2016, the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad and the District Attorney’s Cold Case Unit requested that fingernail clippings taken from the victim at the time of the autopsy be located and tested for DNA. A full male profile was developed from DNA that was discovered on multiple nails from both hands, the evidence showed. It was uploaded to the national DNA database which is maintained by the FBI and matched the defendant, whose DNA was entered into the database following a 2014 arrest for an armed robbery in Polk County, Florida.

The defendant was arrested in November 2016 upon his release from a Florida prison and was subsequently extradited to Brooklyn. In a statement, the defendant, who resided about two blocks from Sharabia’s home in 2004, denied knowing the victim.

A notebook found in his prison belongings contained a sketch of a chair-like device, designed by the defendant, that is meant to restrain women during sexual encounters. The ligature markings found on the victim matched the restraints in the design.

The defendant is also facing a separate indictment for the 2005 murder of 19-year-old Rashawn Brazell. That case is pending.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detectives Evelin Guiterrez and Jason Palamara of the NYPD Cold Case Squad, under the supervision of Lieutenant David Nilsen and Lieutenant Dennis Klein of the NYPD Cold Case Squad.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Danielle Reddan, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief, and Rachel Singer, Chief of the District Attorney’s Cold Case Unit.

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 7, 2018

 

 Brooklyn District Attorney Announces New Program to 
Erase Misdemeanor Marijuana Convictions

As the Vast Majority of Such Cases are No Longer Being Prosecuted in Brooklyn,  
DA Will Consent to Defense Counsel Motions to Vacate Past Convictions

First Opportunity to File Motions Will Be During Begin Again Event on
September 21-22, When Marijuana-Related Warrants and Other Summons Warrants 
Will Be Cleared; Community-Based Consultation Sessions to Follow

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that his Office will offer those with a low-level conviction for marijuana possession the opportunity to erase that criminal record completely in the first initiative of its kind in New York State. Under this program, anyone convicted of low-level marijuana possession (PL 221.15, PL 221.10 or PL 221.05) will be eligible to file a motion asking to vacate that conviction and dismiss the underlying charge. The District Attorney’s Office will consent to that motion.

The program – which is one of the recommendations DA Gonzalez adopted as part of his Justice 2020 Initiative – will run in partnership with The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, Brooklyn Law School and the Center on the Administration of Criminal Law at NYU School of Law. The first opportunity for individuals to get legal consultation and fill in the motion will take place during an upcoming Begin Again event on September 21-22, 2018. Additional community-based sessions will be held periodically in the coming months. Those eligible will not have to appear in court when a judge decides to vacate their past convictions on a later date. This program follows DA Gonzalez’s decision to stop prosecuting all but the most egregious cases involving possession and smoking of small amounts of marijuana.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “As we move away from criminalizing low-level possession and use of marijuana, we cannot forget those who carry a conviction for conduct that is no longer being prosecuted. That criminal record can seriously impede a person’s ability to get a job, education, housing and other important services. It is only fair to relieve these individuals of that burden and allow them to turn over a new leaf and move on with their lives. I encourage anyone who may be eligible for this important relief to take advantage of this opportunity.”

New York City Public Advocate Letitia James said, “Far too often, arrests for committing low-level offenses follow our young people – mostly black and brown men – throughout their lives, causing them to lose out on critical resources they need to survive. This new initiative allows for individuals who have misdemeanor marijuana convictions to get the fresh start they deserve. I thank Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez for his leadership in ensuring New York City is on the path to becoming a fair and equal City for all.”

Kassandra Frederique, New York State Director at the Drug Policy Alliance, said, “It is encouraging to see the Brooklyn DA take this much-needed step to address the legacy of New York’s marijuana arrest crusade. Addressing low-level marijuana arrest records that continue to haunt New Yorkers for decades is a critical component of marijuana policy reform that truly acknowledges the immense harm caused by prohibition. We hope this proactive shift by DA Gonzalez will spark similar efforts from District Attorneys across the state. Marijuana legalization is coming, but we don’t have to wait for legalization to begin efforts to correct the serious harms that communities and individuals experienced because of biased enforcement.”

Dawn Ryan, Attorney-In-Charge of the Brooklyn Trial Office at The Legal Aid Society, said, “Today’s announcement from the Brooklyn District Attorney will afford thousands an opportunity to start anew who were struggling with the blemish of a marijuana conviction on their record. This is very much an encouraging step towards righting the wrongs of the failed war on drugs that has primarily targeted communities of color. We look forward to working with the DA’s Office on this important initiative over the coming weeks and months.”

Lisa Schreibersdorf, Executive Director of Brooklyn Defender Services, said, “Brooklyn Defender Services is pleased to work with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office to begin eliminating past convictions for marijuana possession. We look forward to actively pursuing vacating of these past cases, so members of the Brooklyn community are no longer prevented from getting jobs and stop facing serious consequences like disqualification from student loans or deportation.”

Courtney Oliva, Executive Director of the Center on the Administration of Criminal Law, said, “The Center is proud to partner with and support the Brooklyn DA in his Office’s efforts to help communities remove barriers to employment, housing and other important benefits by erasing past marijuana convictions. We hope that this necessary step is taken by other prosecutorial offices and agencies.”

Kate Mogulescu, Co-Director of the Center for Criminal Justice at Brooklyn Law School, said, “The Center for Criminal Justice recognizes this effort as an important step in eliminating the significant obstacles faced by individuals who have been arrested, and have criminal records, for marijuana possession.  The burden of decades of policing of low-level marijuana offenses has fallen squarely on communities of color and caused disenfranchisement and marginalization. Brooklyn Law students, faculty and staff look forward to working with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and our defender colleagues to bring this critical relief to as many people as possible.”

Under the new program, those with a past conviction for one of the specified offenses will meet with a defense lawyer, who will counsel them and assist in filling out a motion. After a review by the DA’s Office, the case will subsequently be called in court, where the DA’s Office will consent to the motion and ask that the conviction be vacated, and the underlying charge dismissed. Individuals will also have the option of waiving their appearance in court if they so choose. Exceptions to eligibility include individuals with other convictions for certain violent felonies or sex offenses. It is estimated that about 20,000 people have been convicted in Brooklyn for one of the specified offenses since 1990.

The first opportunity to meet with a defense lawyer and fill out the motion to vacate will be at a Begin Again event that will be held on September 21^st and 22^nd between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Lenox Road Baptist Church at 1356 Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn. Additional sessions will be held periodically in future dates.

The District Attorney announced that during the event – in which people with outstanding summons warrants are encouraged to show up and safely clear those warrants – he will also vacate 3,438 open summons warrants stemming from marijuana offense that were issued before September 1, 2018. The DA said that, as the NYPD adjusts its enforcement policies of low-level marijuana offenses, he intends to clear the deck in Brooklyn and erase outstanding warrants. In that spirit, the DA encouraged individuals with misdemeanor warrants stemming from marijuana-related arrests to show up at the upcoming Begin Again to get advice on clearing those warrants as well.

For more information about Begin Again, visit http://www.brooklynda.org/begin-again

Starting in the spring of 2018, the DA gradually expanded his policy of not prosecuting low-level marijuana possession cases to include cases involving smoking in public, which are charged under the same statutes as possession (PL 221.10 and 221.05). The only individuals currently prosecuted for these offenses are those who pose a threat to public safety (e.g. driving with burning marijuana), create a genuine nuisance (e.g. smoking on public transportation or in a schoolyard where children are exposed to smoke) or are involved in violent criminal activity (i.e. “drivers of crime”).

Following the policy change, the number of marijuana possession cases that were accepted for prosecution this year declined from 349 in January to 29 in June – a drop of 91.6%. Cases that were declined prosecution now stand at over 70% of arrests and the number of arrests over that time period also decreased by about 60%. In July and August, less than a dozen such cases per month were accepted for prosecution. DA Gonzalez has called for the issuance of civil summonses as a response to low-level marijuana use and possession, as opposed to criminal summonses that make up the current response to most low-level marijuana offenses.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 4, 2018

 

Bedford-Stuyvesant Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Stabbing Death of His Pregnant Girlfriend

Victim Stabbed 22 Times, Left Under Blanket in Williamsburg

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 34-year-old Bedford-Stuyvesant man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for stabbing his 35-year-old girlfriend to death. The victim, who was a mother of two, was approximately 12 weeks pregnant with the defendant’s child when she was killed.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant brutally stabbed a pregnant woman, robbing her two children of their mother. He has now been held accountable for his actions and will spend many years in prison.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Alex Jeffrey, 34, of Bedford-Stuyvesant. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice William Harrington to 20 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty in July to first-degree manslaughter.

According to the investigation, the defendant and the victim, a mother of two, had a three-year relationship. They had no children together and did not live together. However, at the time the victim was killed, she was pregnant with the defendant’s child and the defendant was married to another woman.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on October 28, 2013, at approximately 7 p.m., the defendant stabbed 35-year-old Merceda Young 22 times about the body while she was seated in his jeep near Kent and Division Avenues in Williamsburg. The defendant then drove the jeep onto Division Avenue in Williamsburg, where he removed the victim’s body from his vehicle and placed the body at the end of a dead-end street near the East River. According to the investigation, the defendant then threw the knife, his jacket and some of the victim’s belongings into the water. The victim’s body was discovered the following day by a passerby.

During the investigation, police interviewed the victim’s 14-year-old son, who told them about the victim’s boyfriend and described his jeep. Detectives arrested the defendant on October 30, 2013 near his residence in Bedford Stuyvesant.

Following his arrest, the defendant admitted to stabbing the victim. He admitted to removing the victim from his jeep and placing a blanket over her dead body. The defendant further stated that he went to work the next morning and got his jeep detailed at a car wash.

According to the investigation, bloody paper towels and traces of the victim’s blood were found in the defendant’s jeep. One of the defendant’s coworkers also found a bag wrapped in duct tape with the victim’s cell phone, wallet and credit cards.

The defendant’s cellphone location data placed him within a block or two of the location of where the victim’s body was found. Google searches on defendant’s phone also showed that prior to his arrest, he searched for ways to remove blood stains.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sabeeha Madni, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michelle Kaminsky, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 31, 2018

 

Landlord Who Allegedly Stole Over $8,000 from Brooklyn Tenant After Illegal Eviction Charged with Grand Larceny

Defendant extradited from Florida

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Mark G. Peters and New York City Sheriff Joseph Fucito, today announced that a Florida man who acted as the landlord and manager of several buildings in Brooklyn and Yonkers has been charged with grand larceny for allegedly stealing $8,500 in security deposits and first month’s rent collected from a tenant who he evicted approximately two weeks after the tenant moved into an East New York apartment.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The defendant is an alleged scam artist who has a history of allegedly evicting vulnerable tenants, stealing their hard-earned money and damaging the apartments they rented to prevent them from moving back in. We will now hold him accountable for his unscrupulous and unlawful actions.”

Commissioner Peters said, “This defendant allegedly swindled his tenant of thousands of dollars in rent before evicting her and making the apartment uninhabitable, according to the charges. DOI and its partners will hold unscrupulous landlords who steal tenants’ money and force them from their homes accountable for their actions.”

Sheriff Fucito said, “The Sheriff’s Office treats housing crimes seriously. All New Yorkers are entitled to live safely in their homes and free from landlord harassment. The Sheriff will use all the office’s authority to ensure obedience to the law. Our partnerships with the Kings County District Attorney and United States Marshal’s Service Fugitive Task Force have brought some measure of justice in this matter.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Yaniv (Ben) Erez, 46, of Miami, Florida. He was arraigned today in Brooklyn Criminal Court on a criminal complaint in which he is charged with third- and fourth-degree grand larceny. He was ordered held on $10,000 cash bail or $15,000 bond and to return to court on September 27, 2018. The defendant was also remanded for 30 days on a previous criminal contempt conviction.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on July 12, 2015, the defendant met with the tenant at the tenant’s residence to rent 385 Warwick Avenue, a single-family house in East New York. The tenant handed the defendant $6,000 in cash for two months security deposit and a month’s rent. The tenant also gave the defendant a signed blank check to cover the cost of renting the basement of 385 Warwick Avenue. According to the investigation, the tenant instructed the defendant to make out the check for $1,500, which included two months security and one month’s rent to rent the basement.

It is alleged that the defendant wrote out the check for $2,500 instead of $1,500. When the check bounced, the tenant provided the defendant with another signed check and instructed the defendant to write it out to the agreed upon amount of $1,500. However, the defendant allegedly again made the check out for $2,500. That check cleared.

According to the investigation, the tenant moved into the location on or about July 16, 2015 after receiving a lease and keys to the residence. On August 4, 2015, an employee of the defendant informed the tenant that the defendant had “something that will force” the tenant to vacate the location. When the tenant refused to move out, the defendant arrived at the location shortly thereafter with police officers and a copy of an order to vacate. The police ordered the tenant to leave the location because of the vacate order. When the tenant returned to the location on August 5, 2015, the residence was uninhabitable. The tenant’s personal belongings were also damaged. The defendant allegedly kept the tenant’s security deposit.

Official records of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) show that a vacate order was issued on May 20, 2015, and later lifted on June 12, 2018, after the agency determined that 385 Warwick Avenue was a hazard for human habitation. It is alleged that the defendant used the vacate order to illegally evict the tenant and previous occupants.

Records from Kings County Housing Court show that the defendant was held in contempt on February 16, 2016 and sentenced to 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for illegally evicting and destroying the apartment of another tenant at 385 Warwick Avenue. According to the complaint, he has been out on a warrant since February 6, 2016.

The case was investigated by DOI’s Inspector General for HPD, specifically Confidential Investigator Noko Soumahoro-Ali and Special Investigator Raymond Li under the supervision of Inspector General Jessica Heegan, Associate Commissioner Jay Flaherty, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Susan Lambiase and First Deputy Commissioner Lesley Brovner.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Dovid Wolosow, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gavin Miles, Counsel to the Frauds Bureau, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division.

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A criminal complaint is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 30, 2018

 

New Jersey Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Fatally Stabbing His Live-in Girlfriend in their Flatbush Apartment

Victim Ran to Neighbor’s Door to Seek Help After Attack

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 55-year-old New Jersey man was sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to fatally stabbing his 53-year-old girlfriend. The attack happened two weeks after the defendant moved into the victim’s Brooklyn apartment.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant responded to a woman’s rejection with rage and brutality, then left her to die. He has now been held responsible for his actions, and my Office will continue to vigorously prosecute all instances of intimate partner violence.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Arthur Wyche, 55, of Neptune, New Jersey. He was sentenced yesterday by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 22 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in May.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on August 31, 2015, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the defendant stabbed Dorina Webster, 53, multiple times in the chest and both legs after she told him to move out of her apartment in Flatbush. Wyche and the victim met online and dated on and off for three years before moving in together. After the defendant left the apartment the victim sought help from a neighbor who called 911.

When the neighbor opened the door, Webster, who was bleeding, identified Wyche as her attacker. She was taken to Kings County Hospital where she underwent surgery. While in the intensive care unit, the victim told friends and the investigating detective that it was Wyche who stabbed her. Wyche also texted the victim to check on her condition while she was in the hospital.

Webster died due to complications from the stab wounds on September 3, 2015, at Kings County Hospital.

Detectives arrested Wyche on September 5, 2015, at a bus station in New Jersey with a one-way bus ticket to Philadelphia. He was tracked by warrants detectives with help from the New York City Police Department’s Technical Assistance Response Unit.

Following his arrest, Wyche made a video statement admitting to stabbing the victim when she told him to pack his belongings and move out. His DNA was recovered from under the victim’s fingernails and the defendant had a scratch on his forearm.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sabeeha Madni and Assistant District Attorney Jaclyn Quiles, 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
Tuesday, August 28, 2018

 

Mill Basin Man Who Allegedly Scammed Investors
Out of $440,000 Indicted on Grand Larceny and other Charges

Defendant Allegedly Stole Money he Offered to Invest for Friends, Family and Others

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Mill Basin man was arraigned today on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree grand larceny and other charges for allegedly stealing more than $440,000 that he was supposed to invest in securities for at least 22 people, including his friends, family, neighbors and others.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The defendant is charged with stealing the hard-earned money of people who put their trust in him. We will now do all that we can to hold him accountable for the devastating losses they suffered while he was allegedly living the high life with their savings.”

The District Attorney said that the defendant, Joseph Casertano, 56, of Mill Basin, Brooklyn was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a 43-count indictment in which he is charged with first-degree scheme to defraud, second- and third-degree grand larceny, general business law, and first-degree falsifying business records. The defendant was ordered held on bail of $500,000 bond or $200,000 cash and to return to court on October 10, 2018.

The District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, between October 1, 2011 and July 31, 2017, the defendant allegedly told people that he had an investment company, Shelter Island Leverage, and convinced 22 people to invest in multiple initial public offerings (IPOs) in increments beginning at $12,500.

After the initial investment, the defendant allegedly reported high rates of return and some of the victims were given account numbers and statements showing various stock trades and account balances. Many of the victims opted to reinvest and continued to give the defendant more money, believing that the investment was highly profitable. The defendant’s first alleged victim was a man he met at a local gym. Some of the investors convinced their friends and family to invest in the scheme. Among the victims were the defendant’s relatives, lifelong friends and neighbors.

It is alleged that when people attempted to withdraw money the defendant would tell them they were precluded from withdrawing due to securities regulations. In some instances, it is alleged, he would give small amounts of money back as proof that the accounts were real.

Financial records show that the defendant never made any investments or opened any accounts, according to the investigation, but would instead deposit the investment checks into one of three accounts that he controlled. All expenditures from those accounts were personal, including vacations, restaurants and personal credit card payments. He also allegedly made cash withdrawals totaling more than $200,000.

The case was investigated by the District Attorney’s Investigations Bureau.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Pamela J. Murray of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 27, 2018

 

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Allegedly Forging Marshal’s Notice
To Illegally Evict Tenants

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been indicted for allegedly using a forged New York City Marshal’s notice to trick the New York City Police Department into helping him evict two tenants from a property in Stuyvesant Heights that he allegedly purported to own. In fact, the property, a three-family building, belongs to an absentee landlord.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant is an alleged con man who pretended to be a property owner with the right to collect rents and evict people at will. This is just one of many types of housing scams that I am warning property owners to beware of as Brooklyn continues to soar in popularity.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Raymond Lewis, 54, of Stuyvesant Heights, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a six-count indictment in which he is charged with three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, one count of third-degree falsely reporting an incident and two counts of unlawful eviction. He was ordered held on bail of $75,000 bond or $25,000 cash and to return to court on October 24, 2018.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on February 23, 2018, the defendant initiated a landlord tenant proceeding in Housing Court against two tenants who rented rooms from him at 791 Lexington Avenue in Stuyvesant Heights. In the notice of petition, he listed himself as the prime tenant and the others as the under tenants. Prior to the filing, the two tenants stopped paying rent to the defendant because they found out he was not the landlord and because the building needed repairs. The first court date for that proceeding was scheduled for March 28, 2018.

On Saturday, March 10, 2018, the defendant allegedly called 911 and claimed the Marshal previously evicted the tenants and that the tenants returned and were trespassing at the location. When police responded, he showed them two eviction notices, one for each room. The notices listed the defendant as landlord and the tenants as tenants. The police were unable to contact the Marshal’s office to verify the eviction because it was closed. Because the notices appeared valid, the police ordered the tenants to vacate the premises.

The following Monday, March 12, 2018, the tenants called the Marshal’s office and determined there was no record of any eviction. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the notices of eviction the defendant showed police were actually associated with a February 5, 2018, eviction at a building on nearby Tompkins Street, according to a docket number on the notices.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Dovid Wolosow, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gavin Miles, Counsel to the Frauds Bureau, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy 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
Tuesday, August 21, 2018

 

Man Convicted 0f 2004 Cold Case Murder Of 17-Year-Old Bushwick Girl

Identified through DNA Found on Victim’s Fingernails

 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 40-year-old man has been convicted of the murder of Sharabia Thomas, a teenager from Bushwick, Brooklyn who was killed in 2004. A DNA analysis of cells found on the victim’s fingernails, conducted in 2016, was a match to the defendant, leading to his arrest and conviction.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Sharabia’s bravery when she fought for her life helped bring her killer to justice and he has now been held responsible for this brutal years-old murder. Today’s verdict is a testament to the importance of my Cold Case Unit that’s working tirelessly with the NYPD to solve old crimes using the latest technology.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Kwauhuru Govan, 40, formerly of Gates Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn. He was convicted today of second-degree murder following a jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Joanne Quinones. The defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison when he’s sentenced on September 7, 2018.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, the naked body of Sharabia Thomas, 17, was discovered on the afternoon of February 11, 2004 inside two laundry bags on the side of an alleyway adjacent to 130 Palmetto Street in Bushwick. The victim suffered blunt force trauma to her head, face and torso and had visible ligature marks on her wrists and ankles. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia by neck compression.

The investigation determined that Sharabia did not go to school that day and was last seen alive earlier that morning when her siblings left for school. DNA testing in 2004, using swabs from the sexual assault evidence kit, yielded no results.

In June 2016, the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad and the District Attorney’s Cold Case Unit requested that fingernail clippings taken from the victim at the time of the autopsy be located and tested for DNA. A full male profile was developed from DNA that was discovered on multiple nails from both hands, the evidence showed. It was uploaded to the national DNA database which is maintained by the FBI and matched the defendant, whose DNA was entered into the database following a 2014 arrest for an armed robbery in Polk County, Florida.

The defendant was arrested in November 2016 upon his release from a Florida prison and was subsequently extradited to Brooklyn. In a statement, the defendant, who resided about two blocks from the Sharabia’s home in 2004, denied knowing the victim.

A notebook found in his prison belongings contained a sketch of a chair-like device, designed by the defendant, that is meant to restrain women during sexual encounters. The ligature markings found on the victim matched the retrains in the design.

The defendant is also facing a separate indictment for the 2005 murder of 19-year-old Rashawn Brazell. That case is pending.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detectives Evelin Guiterrez and Jason Palamara of the NYPD Cold Case Squad, under the supervision of Lieutenant David Nilsen and Lieutenant Dennis Klein of the NYPD Cold Case Squad.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Danielle Reddan, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief, and Rachel Singer, Chief of the District Attorney’s Cold Case Unit.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 17, 2018

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to up to 25 Years in Prison
For Sexually Assaulting a Child Over Seven Years

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to up to 25 years in prison following his conviction last month on charges of course of sexual conduct against a child for the repeated abuse of a young girl over a seven-year period, starting when she was eight years old.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant’s shameful actions are shocking and disturbing. I commend the victim in this case for the bravery she showed in coming forward and facing this predator in the courtroom, ensuring by her testimony that he was held accountable. This case also underscores my Office’s commitment to holding sex offenders responsible whenever possible despite the passage of time.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Guede Ble, a.k.a., Ble Guede, 66, of East New York, Brooklyn. The defendant was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Deborah Dowling to the maximum term of 12 ½ to 25 years in prison. He was convicted of first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child following a jury trial in June.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, over a seven-year period beginning in January 1995 and continuing through November 2001, during which time the victim was between the ages of 8 and 14, the defendant repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim at various residences in Brooklyn.

The victim never reported the abuse to her family or law enforcement out of fear of reprisal from the defendant, according to trial testimony. She did confide in an assistant basketball coach at the age of 18, but asked her not to report the abuse to police for fear of the defendant, according to trial testimony. When the victim was 29, she called the New York City Police Department’s Sex Crimes Report Line to report the abuse and an investigation was launched by detectives assigned to the NYPD’s Special Victims Bureau. The defendant was arrested on June 28, 2016.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Andrea Mauro and Assistant District Attorney Artur Jagielski, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 8, 2018

 

Coney Island Man Indicted for Posing as Immigrant Assistance Service Provider and Filing Dozens of Allegedly Fraudulent Asylum Applications

Targeted Immigrants of Eastern European Descent and Allegedly
Charged Up to $3,000; Victims Never Received Immigration Benefits

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 42-year-old Brooklyn man has been indicted for scheme to defraud, grand larceny, immigrant assistance services fraud and other charges for claiming to be an Immigrant Assistance Service Provider authorized to prepare immigration applications and filing as many as 35 asylum petitions with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which were flagged as fraudulent.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “As the federal government puts in place unprecedented hurdles on immigrants and asylum seekers, it is more important than ever to make sure that con men don’t take advantage of the desperation and fear. This defendant allegedly did just that: he presented bogus credentials and charged vulnerable newcomers thousands of dollars for immigration services he never delivered. My Immigrant Affairs Unit will continue to protect all Brooklyn residents, regardless of status, from fraud and abuse, and I urge everyone to be cautious and diligent when seeking immigration assistance.”

“It is particularly despicable when scammers prey on those in their own community, taking advantage of the trust placed in them to prepare immigration applications and petitions,” said United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) New York Asylum Office Director Patricia A. Menges. “Today’s indictment is a reminder to those seeking to defraud the government that they will be brought to justice by the local and federal agencies tasked with preserving the integrity of our immigration system.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Vadim Alekseev, 42, of Coney Island, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a 21-count indictment in which he is charged with first-degree scheme to defraud, first-degree immigrant assistance services fraud, fourth-degree grand larceny, tampering with physical evidence and practicing or appearing as attorney-at-law without being admitted and registered. He was ordered held on $15,000 bail and to return to court on October 3, 2018. The defendant faces up to four years in prison if convicted on the top count.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between August 2014 and December 2017, the defendant filed 35 asylum applications with the Department of Homeland Security, which were flagged as fraudulent by the agency. He targeted immigrants of Eastern-European descent, presented himself as a licensed paralegal authorized to prepare immigration applications and advertised his services in Russian newspapers and websites.

It is alleged that that the defendant charged the victims in advance between $1,000 and $3,000 and, after filing their applications, became unresponsive and refused to answer phone calls and text messages. In total, the defendant obtained at least $30,000 as a result of his alleged scheme. The USCIS found that all the applications he filed were “strikingly similar” and deemed them to be fraudulent. None of the victims received asylum status or other benefits, the investigation found.

The grand larceny and immigrant assistance services fraud charges pertain to five specific victims who all reside in Brooklyn and arrived at the U.S. from Eastern Europe in 2016 and 2017. All met with the defendant and paid him between $1,250 and $3,000 to file asylum applications on their behalf. None of the victims were granted asylum or other immigration status.

The District Attorney thanked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Fraud Detection and National Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, New York Asylum Office, for its assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Immigration Counsel David Satnarine, of the District Attorney’s Immigrant Affairs Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney José Interiano, Deputy Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division.

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