Uncategorized

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Owner and Managers of Tobacco Processing Company Indicted for
Wage Theft for Allegedly Stealing Approximately $310,000 From
More Than Two Dozen Employees

 Defendants Allegedly Routinely Underpaid Workers, Failed to Pay Wages and Subjected Employees to Unsafe Working Conditions in Brooklyn Sweatshop

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, New York State Workers’ Compensation Board Chair Clarissa M. Rodriguez, and New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, today announced that the owner of Hothead Grabba, LLC, two managers and the company itself have been arraigned on a 74-count indictment in which they are variously charged with grand larceny, conspiracy, and related charges for allegedly withholding wages and violating New York State labor laws. More than two dozen employees who processed tobacco at the Cypress Hills plant were allegedly cheated out of more than $310,000 in wages.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “We allege that these defendants operated a business that profited by systematically underpaying their employees, denying them basic protections, and exposing them to hazardous and degrading conditions. These serious charges send a strong message that this kind of exploitation will not be tolerated in Brooklyn, and we will continue to use every available tool to hold unscrupulous employers accountable and seek restitution for workers. I thank our prosecutors and our enforcement partners for their work on this case.”

NYS DOL Commissioner Reardon said, “New York State has zero tolerance for anyone who cheats their workers out of hard-earned pay or forces them to work in dangerous and illegal conditions. I am proud of the New York State Department of Labor’s continued partnership with the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. Armed with expanded enforcement powers provided by Gov. Hochul’s 2026 budget, we will continue to fight worker exploitation in all its forms and put money back in the pockets of workers.”

NYS Workers’ Compensation Board Chair Rodriguez said, “The Board applauds the work of its task force members and all of the agencies that played a role in this investigation. Holding bad actors accountable underscores New York’s dedication to keeping workers safe and promoting compliance with the law.”

NYS Inspector General Lang said, “The exploitation of vulnerable workers through wage theft and unsafe labor conditions is both unconscionable and illegal. Every worker in New York deserves fair pay and a safe workplace, and in collaboration with our partners across federal, state, and local agencies, my office will continue working to ensure those rights are protected.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Hunter Segree, 28, of New Jersey; Isayed Rojas, 30, of Staten Island; Joshua Howard, 30, of Queens, and Hothead Grabba, LLC. They were arraigned today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a 74-count indictment in which they are variously charged with second-, third- and fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree conspiracy, petit larceny, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, first-degree scheme to defraud, first-degree falsifying business records, violation of Section 52 of the NYS Workers’ Compensation Law, second-degree reckless endangerment, Labor Law section 198-A (1) and Labor Law section 662 (1). They were released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 13, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, Hothead Grabba, LLC, is a company that produces and sells “grabba,” which is ground up tobacco that may be added to marijuana. Hothead Grabba processed tobacco leaves for that purpose at a factory located at 234 Chestnut Street in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn until March 26, 2024. On that date, a task force which included members from the New York State Department of Labor, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, and the New York State Inspector General’s Office, conducted a civil enforcement sweep at that location and the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board issued a stop work order for failure to maintain workers’ compensation insurance.

The closure of the Brooklyn location caused Hothead Grabba to move to a worksite in Queens where it continued to pay its employees by the pound, in violation of the minimum wage law. It sold the product to convenience stores and other retailers.

Many Hothead Grabba employees allegedly worked approximately 12 hours a day, six or seven days a week, cleaning and separating tobacco leaves from their stems, according to the investigation, and were paid according to the quantity of pounds they processed, and not on an hourly basis. It is alleged that the workers, mostly women, were paid approximately $7 a pound for processing approximately 15 pounds of the leaves per day. Because the work was so time consuming, their payment for the pounds of tobacco they processed equated to a rate which was far lower than that provided by the applicable minimum wage and overtime laws and regulations.

Furthermore, it is alleged, the defendants failed to pay the employees on a timely basis, sometimes failing to pay them at all for weeks at a time.

Additionally, it is alleged, the workers were made to work with no official lunch or other breaks, in a room with no windows or ventilation, and generally with no protective equipment, despite the negative health effects tobacco processing can have. Furthermore, there was only one exit at the factory, which was allegedly frequently obstructed by tobacco and other materials, and no signs marking that exit, if an emergency required the workers to evacuate the location.

The indictment alleges the defendants withheld approximately $310,000 from a total of 25 employees between October 31, 2022 and July 15, 2024.

NYSDOL Chief Labor Standards Investigator Frank King and Senior Labor Standards Investigator Jorge Gordillo Alvarado and NYS Workers’ Compensation Board Senior Investigator Aleksandra Boyko assisted in the investigation.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Intelligence Analyst Yacelys Corona, Financial Analyst Veronica Beltran, and KCDA Detective Investigators for their work on the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Frank Longobardi, Chief of the District Attorney’s Construction Crimes and Labor Fraud Unit, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Sergey Marts of the Investigations Division, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides, Chief of the Frauds Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

#

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Gravesend Bookkeeper, Two Accomplices, Indicted for Stealing More than $1.1 Million Through Fake Payroll and Check-Cashing Scheme

Defendants Allegedly Created Fake Jobs and Inflated

Salaries to Cash Fraudulent Paychecks

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a bookkeeper and two accomplices have been arraigned on an indictment charging them with stealing more than $1.1 Million through a long-running fraud involving fake jobs, inflated salaries and business checks. The defendants allegedly used a former Brooklyn realty company to generate fraudulent payroll checks, which they deposited into accounts they controlled. They then used the stolen funds to pay personal expenses and debts.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant, along with two accomplices, allegedly carried out and coordinated an extended scheme to steal over a million dollars through lies and manipulation. By exploiting trust and fabricating work arrangements, they were able to siphon off money to cover personal expenses and business debts. We will now seek to hold them accountable for their alleged actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Maya Roytlender, 44, Ihor Dubno, 61, and Michael James, 33. The defendants were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phyllis Chu on an indictment in which Roytlender is charged with one count of first-degree grand larceny. Dubno and James are each charged with one count of second-degree grand larceny. The defendants were released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 13, 2025.

According to the investigation, between 2015 and 2020, Maya Roytlender, while working as an office manager for D. Malek Realty, LLC, allegedly orchestrated a scheme in which fraudulent payroll checks were issued to her co-defendants Michael James and Ihor Dubno, among others. James was placed on the company’s payroll despite never having worked there, and received salary payments to which he was not entitled. Dubno, who did work for the company, allegedly received inflated paychecks in excess of his actual compensation.

The checks were drawn from the company’s business accounts and deposited into accounts controlled by the defendants or their associates. The stolen funds were allegedly used to pay credit cards, auto lenders and other creditors — including Roytlender’s Capital One and Chase accounts, and toward Michael James’ personal debts.

The District Attorney thanked Supervising Financial Investigator Vincent Jones, Chief Financial Investigator Ludwig Sanchez and Intelligence Analyst Veranika Basak for their assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph DiBenedetto, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides, Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

#

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Two Gang Members Sentenced to Up to Life in Prison

For Execution-Style Shooting of Three Individuals That Killed One

Defendants Were “Spinning” Through Rival Gang Territory When They Spotted their Victims, Then Ambushed Them in Canarsie Intersection 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that two Choo gang members, including rapper Culture Bermudez, a.k.a., CoachDaGhost, were sentenced to 60 years to life and 25 years to life in prison for the broad daylight ambush shooting of three young men – killing one, a 17-year-old boy, and injuring two others, ages 19 and 20. The defendants were convicted at trial earlier this month.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Bryan Sanon was just 17 years old, with his whole life ahead of him, when he was ambushed and killed in a calculated act of gang violence that also left two other young men seriously wounded. These lengthy sentences reflect the severity of this horrific crime and make clear that we will not allow violent gang rivalries to endanger lives and destabilize our communities. My office remains firmly committed to protecting the people of Brooklyn by holding those who carry out this kind of senseless violence fully accountable.”

he District Attorney identified the defendants as Culture Bermudez, 31, a.k.a., CoachDaGhost, of Brooklyn, and Naquan Pruitt, 30, of Pennsylvania. Bermudez was sentenced today to 60 years to life in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht, and Pruitt was sentenced by Justice Hecht to 25 years to life in prison. The defendants were convicted of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder, on May 7, 2025, and May 5, 2025, respectively, following a two-jury trial.

he District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on the morning of March 13, 2021, the defendants, members of the Choo gang, were “spinning” in Woo gang territory in Brownsville and Canarsie, “hunting” for rivals, when they spotted Bryan Sanon, 17, and two other young men, ages 19 and 20. Pruitt, who was driving a rented Toyota Camry, “spun” around the block twice and then stopped the car at the intersection of East 82^nd Street and Farragut Road, waiting for Sanon and the others to walk into the ambush.

When the victims reached the intersection, Bermudez, who was seated in the backseat and armed with a handgun, and another man, who was seated in the front passenger seat and armed with a handgun, jumped out of the car, and opened fire, shooting all three victims multiple times. The 19-year-old was shot in both legs, the 20-year-old was shot in the face, and Sanon was shot multiple times, including a gunshot to his chest that caused his death.

Following an investigation, Pruitt was arrested in Pennsylvania on May 25, 2021, and returned to New York in June 2021, and Bermudez was arrested in Georgia on July 6, 2021, and returned to New York in December 2021.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Detective Investigators, the Digital Evidence Lab, and Homicide Paralegal Sarah-Jane Quashie for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Steven Bravo, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Amanda Schaefer, of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Chief of the Homicide Bureau.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for
Fatal Stabbing Woman Who Tried to End Relationship

Defendant Stabbed Victim 35 Times; Fled the State After the Killing

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced today that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for fatally stabbing a Brooklyn woman outside his Sunset Park home in 2019. The defendant, who had been having an extramarital affair with the victim, launched a campaign of harassment after she attempted to end the relationship. He fled the state following the killing but was later apprehended and extradited back to New York.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a deeply disturbing case of domestic violence that ended in a brutal killing. After months of harassment, the defendant ambushed the victim and attacked her in front of his teenage son. I hope today’s sentence brings a measure of justice and closure to the victim’s loved ones.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Sheng Mao Chen, 48, of Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He was convicted of first-degree manslaughter on May 1, 2025, following a bench trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. The defendant was sentenced today to 25 years in prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the victim, Xiu Rong Zheng, 46, and the defendant were involved in an extramarital affair, which she ended. The defendant responded by harassing her and her husband over the course of several months.

On the evening of July 22, 2019, at approximately 10 p.m., the victim confronted the defendant outside his Sunset Park home. As she stood at his front steps, the defendant stabbed her 35 times, including five wounds directly to the heart. The attack was witnessed by the defendant’s 17-year-old son. The victim suffered numerous defensive wounds to her hands and arms, indicating she was attempting to protect herself and escape the attack. She also suffered numerous stab wounds to her back as she tried to flee. She died at the scene.

The defendant fled New York immediately after the attack but was later apprehended in Indiana during a traffic stop and returned to face justice.

The District Attorney thanked Homicide Paralegal Meghan Brancato for her work on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Ernest Chin of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau and Senior Assistant District Attorney Tara Kelly of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Chief of the Homicide Bureau.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, May 23, 2025

Eight Individuals Indicted for Conspiracy and Sex Trafficking

Defendants Variously Charged in Superseding Indictment in Connection with Trafficking of

 Four Minors and One Adult in Brooklyn and North Carolina 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that six men and two women are variously charged in a 19-count superseding indictment and a separate five-count indictment with conspiracy, sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a child, promoting prostitution and related charges.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s indictments are the result of a continuing investigation into an allegedly widespread, multi-state sex trafficking ring. Five defendants were initially charged earlier this year, yet further investigation revealed the alleged involvement of three additional defendants and two additional minor victims. My office is committed to protecting   all young women from this type of exploitation and to holding traffickers accountable.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Mylord Williams, 26, of the Bronx, Terrel Chery, 27, of Nassau County, and Kinard Oliver, 27, of Brooklyn. Chery and Williams are charged in a five-count indictment for the alleged sex trafficking of a 17-year-old girl in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in 2022.

Defendants Williams and Chery, as well as Oliver are named in a 19-count superseding indictment along with defendants Layquan Highsmith, 30, of Brooklyn; Ronasia Robinson, 31, of Troy, New York; Tyshawn Crawford, 29, of Brooklyn; Richard Baker, 45, of Brooklyn; and Eyecess Chapman, 24, of Brooklyn that variously charges them with promoting prostitution, sex trafficking of a child, conspiracy, and related charges.

Chery was arraigned yesterday, and Williams and Oliver were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. Chery and Williams were remanded without bail and Oliver was ordered held in lieu of $100,000 bail or $1 million bond. All were ordered to return to court on August 13, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, in July 2022 Williams allegedly rented two rooms in East New York, Brooklyn, and along with Chery, allegedly sex trafficked a 17-year-old girl, posting commercial sexual advertisements of her and collecting all the money she made by engaging in prostitution through October 2022.

A separate investigation began in November 2024, when a 19-year-old woman called 911 in Wilmington, North Carolina, and reported being forced to engage in prostitution in Brooklyn and North Carolina. She allegedly identified Highsmith, Robinson, Crawford, Baker, and Chapman in the illegal scheme.

Furthermore, it is alleged, a 15-year-old victim who had also been sex trafficked was identified, and further investigation revealed that Williams, Chery, Oliver, Highsmith, Crawford and Robinson, engaged in a conspiracy to engage in the sex trafficking of additional minors in Brooklyn and North Carolina. The conspiracy charges them with trafficking three minors from 2024 to 2025.

The defendants are variously charged in connection with the following additional incidents:

• Williams and Oliver allegedly sex trafficked a 17-year-old victim in Brooklyn in August 2024. That victim texted a friend asking for help and NYPD officers responded to the location. The investigation revealed that her trafficking had allegedly been going on since the beginning of February 2024.
• In October 2024, Chery, Oliver and Robinson allegedly transported a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old female to North Carolina where they engaged in prostitution in various cities and were required to give a portion of their earnings to Chery and Oliver.
• In mid-October 2024, after they came back from North Carolina the first time, Chery was complaining that the 15-year-old victim was not earning enough money for him so he then allegedly gave her to Highsmith, who then, along with Robinson and Crawford allegedly brought her, the two additional minors, the 19-year-old victim and other young adult women back to North Carolina to engage in prostitution.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Kevin Deleon, along with now retired Detective James Rufle of the joint FBI-NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and citywide Human Trafficking Squad, under the supervision of Lieutenant Amy Capogna, Lieutenant Joseph Picarello, Sergeant Kevin Kavanagh, and Captain Maripily Clase, commanding officer of the Human Trafficking Squad, and the overall supervision of Chief Carlos Ortiz. Detective Investigators from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office contributed to the investigation.

The District Attorney thanked Police Officer Tim Dewyngaert of the Wilmington, N.C., Police Department, Detective Joseph Wechsler of the Henrico, Virginia Police Division, Police Officer Sean Kehoe, Counselor Jacquelyn Wells and Sergeant Charles DePrima, of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department Youth Services Unit, Investigator Sean Tashjian of the New York State Police, Detective Jonathan Castro, of the Newark Police Department, and Undersheriff Tracey Quinn of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.

Additionally, the District Attorney thanked Deputy Chief Janette Lukowsky of the District Attorney’s Law Enforcement Assistance Unit, Human Trafficking Unit Deputy Chief Mary E. Monahan, Paralegal Specialist Aurora Martinez, Paralegal Aaliyah Antrobus, Social Worker Raquel Alger and Digital Evidence Lab Digital Forensic Analyst Taylor Mumley for their work on the case.

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

#

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 22, 2025

Two Men Indicted for Sophisticated Financial Scam That Allegedly Used 17
Stolen Social Security Numbers to Open Accounts and Get Fake Loans

Took in About $416,000 From Lenders; One Defendant Additionally Charged
With Allegedly Stealing $52,000 by Fraudulently Applying for COVID Relief

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that two men have been indicted for allegedly stealing 17 social security numbers and using them to create a full identity profile for each of them – including driver’s licenses, bank statements, email addresses and more – then using the fake documents to apply for loans in the victims’ names, which they quickly withdrew and never repaid.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These defendants allegedly perpetrated a sophisticated scam that used stolen identities to defraud financial institutions. The health of our banking system depends on honest dealings and my office will continue working with other partners to ensure that fraudsters are stopped and held responsible. I commend all the investigators who built this case for their meticulous and persistent efforts and am committed to using the evidence they gathered to obtain accountability.”

New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said, “This was a calculated and shameless scheme. These individuals allegedly stole identities, forged documents, and scammed lenders out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent loans and COVID relief funds. New Yorkers rely on the integrity of their financial institutions, and the NYPD remains committed to identifying and arresting those who seek to exploit them. I commend our investigators, the Secret Service, and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for shutting this scheme down and holding these fraudsters accountable.”

Patrick J. Freaney, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge at the New York Field Office, said, “The volitional criminality allegedly carried out by these defendants yielded massive fraudulent gains at the expense of unwitting victims. Such lucrative schemes require disruption — and that is exactly what this investigation brings. My thanks to our partners at the NYPD and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for building a compelling case and bringing accountability to this syndicate.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Dacson Sears, 42, of Coney Island, Brooklyn, and Raymond Lyles (aka L.A. Ray), 41, of Mount Vernon, NY. Sears was arraigned yesterday, and Lyles was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. Both are variously charged in an indictment with fourth-degree conspiracy, second-degree money laundering, first-degree scheme to defraud, third- and second-degree grand larceny, 17 counts of first-degree identity theft, 62 counts of first-degree falsifying business records, and other related charges. The defendants were released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 6, 2025.

The District Attorney said that between January 1, 2022 through January 1, 2024, the defendants allegedly obtained the names and social security numbers of at least 17 individuals. They formed an identity profile for each individual by creating fraudulent documents in that person’s name such as a driver’s license, bank account statements, payroll stubs, utility bills, real estate deeds, and tax return forms. They also often opened or used email addresses in those persons’ names that were under the defendants’ control.

It is alleged that after creating these identity profiles, the defendants opened new online financial accounts with various creditors and applied for personal loans through the new accounts without the consent or knowledge of the true persons. The creditors approved the loans, and the loan proceeds were thereafter disbursed. The defendants also allegedly applied for and received debit cards that were mailed to addresses under their control. The funds from the loans were either quickly withdrawn using the debit cards or transferred to various other bank accounts the defendants controlled. They never paid back the loans, causing financial loss to the creditors.

The loan amounts ranged from $15,000 to $36,000, the evidence shows, with the total sum allegedly stolen from financial institutions adding up to approximately $416,000.

In addition, the indictment alleges that in July 2022, Sears, using the stolen identity of a person whose name he was using to lease his Ocean Drive apartment, stole about $52,000 by applying for COVID relief for rental arrears with the NYS Office of Disability and Temporary Assistance. The fraudulent application was approved, and the funds were disbursed to his landlord, causing a loss to the state.

The case was investigated by Detective Marcelo Razzo, of the NYPD’s Financial Crimes Taskforce, Special Agent Haley Hoffman, of the Cyber Crimes Taskforce at the United States Secret Service, USSS Intelligence Analyst Jessica Ryan, together with Detective Investigators from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, Financial Investigator Vincent Jones and Intelligence Analyst Alexia Dolphy of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, with assistance from Senior Digital Forensic Analyst Mauricio Suarez-Marquez and other members of the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Digital Evidence Lab.

The District Attorney thanked Yann Du, Senior Investigator, Financial Crimes and Intelligence, at Municipal Credit Union of New York, Detective Donald Wilhelm, of the Sheriff’s Office of Loudoun County, VA, and the Washington Field Office of the USSS, specifically Special Agent Lance Tate, Special Agent Willis Cheng, and Investigative Analyst Mary Epstein

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Deidre Moskowitz, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

#

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 19, 2025

Woman Sentenced to 23 Years to Life in Prison for Execution-Style Murder

Of Another Woman on Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights

Defendant Approached Victim from Behind and Shot Her in the Head,

Then Shot Her Several More Times as She Lay Dying on the Sidewalk

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a woman has been sentenced to 23 years to life in prison for fatally shooting Delia Johnson in the head at point blank range during a candle-lighting ceremony for mourners in the hours after a funeral for a mutual friend of the victim and the defendant.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This shooting was a cold-blooded execution of a woman who was attending a ceremony to honor a late friend. It is especially shocking that the defendant was so brazen as to carry out this murder among a crowd of mourners, causing chaos and fear as they ran from the gunfire. My thoughts are with Delia Johnson’s friends and family who are heartbroken by this senseless loss of life.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Claudia Banton, 46, of Allenwood, Georgia. She was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Margaret Martin to 23 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on April 3, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on August 4, 2021, at approximately 9:40 p.m., the defendant approached Delia Johnson, 42, a former friend, from behind as she chatted with a group of people in the vicinity of Franklin Avenue and Prospect Place in Crown Heights. The group was attending a candle-lighting ceremony in the hours after a funeral for a mutual friend.

The defendant shot Johnson in the head, and then shot her again after she fell to the ground. The defendant fired at least five shots at the victim. She then fled in a vehicle that was double parked nearby.

The defendant was apprehended in Jacksonville, Florida, on November 8, 2021, by United States Marshals.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Michael Diamond, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Zachary Safrin, of the District Attorney’s Orange Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

For Shooting Man Twice in Chest at Point Blank Range

Defendant Shot Unarmed Victim in Broad Daylight on Labor Day Weekend

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a 2022 shooting in broad daylight in Sunset Park that left a man seriously injured.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant shot an unarmed 20-year-old man in the chest, leaving him with serious long-term injuries. His life will never be the same. We have no tolerance for violence and this sentence sends a clear message that gun violence in Brooklyn will be met with serious consequences.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as John Carter, 56, of Park Slope, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Adam Perlmutter to 12 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant was convicted of second-degree attempted murder, first- and second-degree assault, first- and second-degree criminal use of a firearm, and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on November 14, 2024, following a jury trial.

His co-defendants were identified as Lamount Barrott, 37, Walter Lindsay, 49, and William Parez, 42. Barrott pleaded guilty to third-degree robbery and second-degree attempted assault and was sentenced to 3.5 to seven years in prison. Lindsay pleaded guilty to third-degree robbery and was sentenced to one to three years in prison. Parez pleaded guilty to fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and was sentenced to six months in jail.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on September 4, 2022, at approximately 3 p.m., on Third Avenue, between 19^th and 20^th Street, the defendant and three accomplices were searching for an individual with whom they had a dispute when they came across his car. But that individual was not in the car. The person seated in the car, who was watching YouTube videos on his cell phone, was another individual, a 20-year-old man.

The three accomplices surrounded the car and one of them punched the victim. Carter then approached and joined the assault. He pistol-whipped the victim, they grabbed his phone, and ordered him out of the car. The victim exited the car to retrieve his phone and the defendant shot him twice in the chest.

The victim was taken to Methodist Hospital, where he remained for a week. His gallbladder had to be removed and he sustained injuries to other vital organs, according to trial testimony. He has bullet fragments and shrapnel lodged in his body and is unable to work.

The defendant and his accomplices were arrested following an investigation.

The District Attorney thanked Supervising Paralegal Andy Mata and Paralegal Elizabeth Torres, as well as Discovery Support Director Lisa Santapaul for their assistance on this case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael Boykin, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Green Zone Trial Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Gabrielle Tielman-Fenelus, also of the Green Zone, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Frank DeGaetano, Bureau Chief.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Ringleader of ATM Burglary Ring Sentenced to Up to 12
Years in Prison; Five Accomplices Previously Pleaded Guilty

All Six Men to Serve Prison Terms; Charged for Series of
Break-ins to Stores in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that the ringleader of an ATM burglary ring that was charged with 14 separate heists was sentenced to six to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to burglary. His accomplices have previously accepted guilty pleas in exchange for carceral sentences. From June 2022 until January 2023 the group broke into numerous businesses and removed ATM machines that were later forced open. Many of the break-ins were captured on video surveillance.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This brazen group of criminals caused serious financial damage across the city. I am proud of investigators and prosecutors from my office who, after receiving a complaint, exposed this burglary ring, built a strong case with the NYPD, and helped bring these defendants to justice. Protecting small businesses from thieves is an important priority for my office, and we’ll continue to focus on prosecuting serial shoplifters, career burglars and others who violate our laws and hurt commerce.”

The District Attorney said that ringleader Alexander Torres aka “Chacho,” 52, was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Kim Petersen to six to 12 years in prison following his guilty plea in March to two separate counts of third-degree burglary. His brother Francisco Torres aka “Fusion,” 53, was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to five years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of second-degree burglary. Jesus Cedeno aka “Capone,” 54, was sentenced last week to five to 10 years in prison following a guilty plea to third-degree burglary and attempted third-degree burglary. Angel Barbosa aka “Pucci,” 46, pleaded guilty in March to second-degree assault in exchange for a promised sentence of five years in prison; he’s scheduled to be sentenced on May 14. Luis Villanueva aka “Cholo,” 54, and Chris Moustakos aka “Chris the Greek,” 54, who each participated in only one charged incident, were sentenced last year to one and a half to three years in prison following their guilty pleas to attempted third-degree burglary.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, from June 23, 2022 to January 18, 2023, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to steal ATMs from various stores. They used apartments in Clinton Hill and East New York to prepare for the burglaries. Based on the recovery of police scanners and other evidence, the ring used to assign a member to monitor police scanners during the heists, so they could alert the others if police were approaching and to evade detection.

The investigation, which included a review of surveillance footage, revealed that members of the ring used bolt cutters and other tools to gain access to stores and then rocked the ATM machines back and forth to dislodge them. Their roles in the burglaries varied, according to video surveillance, but, generally, Alexander Torres would break the bolts securing the ATMs and then helped carry them out of the stores. Francisco Torres was frequently the driver and helped to break stores’ doors. Barbosa and Cedeno typically acted as lookouts and helped with breaking into stores.

On October 26, 2022, Angel Barbosa was arrested for possession of a police scanner. Days later, on November 1, 2022, he was arrested in possession of two stolen ATMs, after he attempted to flee apprehension and drove into an occupied unmarked police car, injuring two officers.

The ring grew more cautious after that but continued the heists, the investigation found. On January 18, 2023, Alexander and Francisco Torres, Cedeno and Moustakos burglarized a bodega in South Richmond Hill, Queens, and were exposed by investigators. They then led the authorities on a high-speed chase from there, past Kennedy Airport and ended when their Ford van crashed into a barrier in LaGuardia Airport. The four were arrested and charged in connection with that burglary.

A total of nine incidents that were charged in the indictment took place in Brooklyn, four in Queens and one in the Bronx. The exact stolen amount in most of the incidents is not known.

The case was investigated by Detective Investigators assigned to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorneys Nicole Lauterbach and Corey Hardin, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Pamela Murray, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Fraud Bureau and Gregory Pavlides, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, and Patricia McNeill, Chief.

#

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 5, 2025

Bronx Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Brutal Beating of Elderly Man

Defendant Repeatedly Attacked 67-Year-Old Who Tried to
Protect Woman From Harassment in East New York

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced today that a 30-year-old Bronx man has been sentenced to seven years in prison following his conviction for violently attacking an elderly man who intervened to stop the defendant from harassing a woman in East New York.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a vicious and senseless assault on a senior citizen who stepped in to defend a woman in need. The defendant had multiple opportunities to walk away, but instead chose to return again and again to inflict serious, lasting injuries. Today’s sentence holds him accountable and reinforces that this kind of wanton violence has no place in Brooklyn.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Ryan Lawrence, 30, of the Bronx. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Adam Perlmutter to seven years in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree assault on April 2, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on July 22, 2023, at approximately 4 a.m., the defendant, holding a weapon, approached a homeless woman who was sleeping outside a building on Liberty Avenue. After she pushed him away, the defendant briefly walked off, but soon returned and again advanced toward her.

A 67-year-old man who witnessed the encounter from his nearby apartment came outside to intervene and followed the defendant to the corner of Liberty Avenue and Fountain Avenue. The man threw a single punch, which the defendant dodged. The defendant then punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground, and launched a prolonged and brutal assault.

As the victim lay on the ground, the defendant grabbed his shirt and threw him down again. Throughout the attack, the defendant punched the victim in the face at least 11 times, kicked him in the face at least eight times and stomped on his head. Despite efforts by bystanders to stop the attack, the defendant repeatedly returned to continue beating the victim.

The victim suffered a traumatic brain injury, facial fractures and permanent vision loss in one eye. As a result, he required extensive facial reconstructive surgery.

The defendant fled the after the assault but was arrested on November 8, 2023..

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Salvatore Prince and Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Parrish, of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Karla Watson, Chief of the Red Zone.

#