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Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Rapper and Gang Leader Will Be Sentenced to Five Years in

Prison for Directing and Participating in Shootings

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

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

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

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

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

The District Attorney said that the indictment in this case was the result of a long-term investigation by the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau and the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division into shootings and gun possession incidents allegedly committed by members of the 8 Trey Crips and its affiliates, the 9 Ways gang, primarily in the 67^th and 71^st Precincts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 24, 2025

Brooklyn Financial Advisor Indicted for Allegedly Stealing

Approximately $1.24 Million from 10 Clients in Ponzi Scheme

Allegedly Promised High Returns on Business Investments,

Used Stolen Funds to Pay for Personal Expenses

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a licensed Brooklyn financial advisor has been arraigned on an indictment charging him with stealing close to $1.24 million from 10 people to whom he issued promissory notes with high rates of return.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars by persuading unsuspecting individuals to invest with false promises of high returns. Investors should be mindful that guaranteed high returns—especially without clear business details—are often a red flag. We will now seek to hold this defendant accountable and secure justice for those affected.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Marat Likhtenstein, 64, of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which he is charged with eight counts of second-degree grand larceny, two counts of third-degree grand larceny, two counts of first-degree scheme to defraud, and 10 counts of violating General Business Law Section 352-C (6). The defendant was released without bail and ordered to return to court on May 21, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, between November 2015 and March 2025, the defendant operated a fraudulent scheme using promissory notes to induce individuals to invest in purported business opportunities. He allegedly claimed he could not discuss the details of the business opportunities with the investors but promised to pay them 20 percent interest pursuant to the notes.

Furthermore, it is alleged, instead of investing the funds in business opportunities, the defendant used the money for personal expenses and to make partial payments to earlier victims of the Ponzi scheme.

At the time of the alleged scheme the defendant was a FINRA-licensed financial advisor and a New York State licensed insurance agent registered to sell securities and insurance products through Likhtenstein Financial Planning Inc. His office was located on Avenue V in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. The investigation began following a complaint to the District Attorney’s Action Center.

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 LikhtensteinComplaints@brooklynda.org.

Chief Financial Investigator Ludwig Sanchez and Financial Investigator Jose Carlos Covas, of the District Attorney’s Asset Forfeiture and Crimes Against Revenue Bureau, Intelligence Analyst Veranika Basak, of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, and KCDA Detective Investigators all assisted in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael Choi, Special Counsel for Complex Investigations, 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

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Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Former Brooklyn Teacher Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison Following

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

Solicited Photos and Videos and Engaged in

Graphic Conversations with Six Young Victims Attending Elite Schools

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 17, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for
Rape and Sex Trafficking of a Child

Defendant Groomed 13-Year-Old Girl He Met on Social Media 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an East Flatbush man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for the rape and sex trafficking of a young girl he met on social media and then arranged for her to have sex with men for money.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant preyed on a vulnerable child, manipulating and exploiting her in the most depraved way imaginable. Today’s sentence ensures that he is held accountable for his horrific actions, but it also underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting children from predators who use social media to lure and traffic victims. My office will continue to seek justice for survivors and work tirelessly to dismantle networks that profit from such exploitation.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Kal Kirby, 45, of East Flatbush, Brooklyn. Kirby was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to nine years in prison and five years’ post release supervision. He pleaded guilty to second-degree rape and sex trafficking of a child on January 22, 2025. He must register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

The case against his co-defendant, Jordan Shepard Burnham, 46 of Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, who is charged with second- and third-degree rape, endangering the welfare of a child, and related charges, is still pending.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, beginning in February 2022, the 13-year-old victim started communicating with Kirby on a social networking app called “Monkey” and then on Instagram. Shortly thereafter, they agreed to meet in person. Kirby sent a cab to pick up the victim at her Intermediate School and take her to his apartment. They played video games, ate fast food, and engaged in sexual intercourse. They continued to meet on a weekly basis through December 2022.

In September 2022, the victim went to Kirby’s apartment after school and there were four or five other men there. Each of the men engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim, who felt that she couldn’t refuse and complied, according to the evidence. She then left the apartment.

Furthermore, it is alleged, that on October 14, 2022, Kirby allegedly sent a photo of the victim in her underwear to Burnham and said he “had a young thing I wanted to introduce.” Burnham allegedly liked the image. On October 27, 2022, Kirby allegedly sent a naked video of the victim to Burnham and later set up a meeting for Burnham and the victim to engage in sexual intercourse.

Finally, it is alleged, between November 1, 2022 and December 23, 2022, Burnham and the victim engaged in sexual intercourse on three occasions. After the second time, he allegedly gave her a pair of headphones and after the third time, he allegedly gave her $200. In subsequent communications on Instagram, Burnham allegedly requested and received lewd photos of the victim.

In late December 2022, the victim disclosed what had been happening to her foster mother and police were notified.

The New York City Police Department investigation was led by Detective Liam O’Hara of the NYPD’s Human Trafficking Squad, under the supervision of Sergeant Kevin Kavanagh, Lieutenant Amy Capogna and Captain Maripily Clase.

The District Attorney thanked Police Chief Christopher Searle, Lieutenant Nicholas Curelli and police officers from the Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts Police Department and the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the investigation.

The District Attorney thanked Paralegal Special Aurora Martinez for her assistance on the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Mary E. Monahan, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney David Weiss, Unit Chief, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the Special Victims Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 17, 2025

Brooklyn Man Arraigned on Indictment Charging Him With
Attempted Rape of Woman Jogging in Park

Defendant Fled After Motorcyclist Rode by the Scene

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with attempted rape, robbery as a sexually motivated felony and other charges for allegedly grabbing a woman jogger from behind, throwing her to the ground and attempting to rape her in Shirley Chisholm State Park.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant is alleged to have followed the victim during a daylight jog and attempt to rape her. Luckily, he was foiled by a stranger. Thanks to painstaking work of state troopers and my office he was identified and will now be brought to justice.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Amadou Kane, 22, of East New York, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Michael Kitsis on an indictment in which he is charged with first-degree robbery as a sexually motivated felony, first-degree attempted rape, first-degree attempted sexual abuse, attempted forcible touching, and related charges. Bail was set at $150,000 cash or $350,000 bond. The defendant was ordered to return to court on April 25, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on September 12, 2023, at approximately 4:30 p.m., the victim, a 51-year-old woman, was jogging in Shirley Chisholm State Park when she saw a man ride a bicycle towards her and then past her. Moments later, she was grabbed from behind, thrown to the ground, and punched multiple times. While wrestling with the man on the ground she pulled off his mask and allegedly recognized him as the man on the bicycle.

The defendant allegedly told the woman he had a knife and that he would kill her. He then allegedly told her to pull down her pants and he began to pull down his pants. The defendant fled when he heard a stranger approaching on a motorcycle, taking the victim’s Apple watch from her wrist. The victim called 911 and ran to a nearby park ranger for help. New York State Troopers conducted a canvass for surveillance video and captured the defendant fleeing the park on his bicycle to a nearby shop where he used Apple Pay to buy a bottle of water.

The defendant was identified following a lengthy investigation using financial records, cell site data and social media.

The District Attorney thanked Special Victims Bureau Paralegal Diamond Bertrand for her assistance on the case.

The case was investigated by Investigators Christopher Miller, Juan Orejuela and Dimitrios Papadatos of the New York State Troopers.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Chelsea Jacobi and Assistant District Attorney Christina Oddo, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Ebonie Legrand, Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Mother Indicted for Assault in Connection with Daughter’s Drowning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Reputed Gang member Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for
Shooting Rival During the West Indian Day Parade

 Arrived at Scene With Loaded Pistol Before Fight Broke Out
With Rival Gang; Convicted of First-Degree Assault

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced today that a 25-year-old Brooklyn man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting a rival gang member during a confrontation at the Western Indian Day Parade in 2023. Trial evidence showed that the defendant came to the scene with a loaded pistol, looking for violence, and that his group confronted the rival gang upon seeing them.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This case demonstrates the dangers our communities face from gang members who have no regard for human life and are willing to open fire amid a crowded parade. My office is determined to keep holding those who commit shootings fully responsible, as we have in this case. This uncompromising approach is part of the reason that Brooklyn experienced the safest year in terms of gun violence in 2024, with shootings and homicides continuing to decrease this year.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Ricardo Brown, 25, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Laura Johnson to 10 years in prison and five years’ post release supervision. The defendant was convicted last month of first-degree assault after a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on September 4, 2023, just before 5:20 p.m., the defendant and a group of up to 10 young men left a building near Sterling Place and Utica Avenue in Crown Heights that’s known to be the headquarters of the Stain Gang. That crew, which the defendant belongs to, has an ongoing rivalry with a gang called 487.

The evidence showed that the defendant, armed with a loaded .380 caliber pistol, went to the parade with his group and confronted the victim and a group of his friends in front of 1187 Eastern Parkway, which is 487 territory. A fight broke out almost immediately after the two groups saw each other. The defendant pulled out his gun and fired two shots – one struck the victim in the back and the second hit the windshield of a passing fire truck. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of people in the immediate vicinity of the shooting.

The victim was treated almost instantaneously by first responders who were stationed along the parade route, likely saving his life. The bullet entered his back, exited the stomach and was lodged in his hand, and he also suffered fractured ribs and a lacerated liver from the through-and-through gunshot wound, requiring surgery, intubation and hospitalization.

The defendant fled immediately after the shooting, tossed the pistol in a driveway between two daycares and ultimately returned to the Stain Gang headquarters. A man attending the parade found the gun and informed responding officers. Ballistic analysis matched the weapon to the two shell casings recovered at the scene.

Paralegal Jamal Marshall, of the District Attorney’s Orange Zone Trial Bureau, and Forensic Analyst Tina Razack, of the District Attorney’s Digital Evidence Lab, assisted in prosecuting this case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Barg and Assistant District Attorney Shelby Mitchell of the District Attorney’s Orange Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Trabulsi, Deputy Bureau Chief, and Danielle Eaddy, Bureau Chief.

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Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison for

Stabbing Death of Ex-Girlfriend in Broad Daylight

Defendant Lay in Wait for Victim Near Her Residence,

Victim was Stabbed More Than a Dozen Times

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

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

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

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

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

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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 3, 2025

Former Brooklyn Teacher Pleads Guilty to Using Child in
Sexual Performance and Endangering the Welfare of Children
For Coaxing Teens to Send Him Sexual Images

Will Be Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Soliciting Photos and Videos and Engaging in
Graphic Conversations with Six Young Victims Attending Elite Schools

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 38-year-old former math teacher pleaded guilty to use of a child in a sexual performance as a sexually motivated felony and five counts of endangering the welfare of a child in exchange for a seven-year prison sentence and sex offender registration. With this plea, the defendant admitted to enticing or trying to entice teenage students from four Brooklyn independent schools to send him images of nudity and sexual performances. A former teacher at Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn Heights, he pretended to be a young teen and fellow student when engaging in conversations of a sexual nature over the messaging application Snapchat.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s plea holds this defendant responsible for his disturbing and predatory conduct while sparing young and vulnerable victims from ever having to testify about their traumatic experiences. This kind of exploitation of children, made even more distressing by the fact that the defendant was a trusted school figure, will never be tolerated in Brooklyn and we will continue to expose and root it out. I would like to acknowledge the detectives and prosecutors from my office who investigated this complicated case and ensured that justice is done.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Winston Nguyen, 38, of Harlem, New York. He pleaded guilty today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phillip Tisne to one count of use of a child in a sexual performance as a sexually motivated felony, and five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, in exchange for a promised sentence of seven years in prison, 10 years’ post-release supervision and sex offender registration. Sentencing was scheduled for March 17, 2025.

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

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

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

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

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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, February 28, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Life in Prison Without the Possibility

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

Defendant Convicted of First-Degree Murder following Jury Trial

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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