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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, November 3, 2023

Brooklyn District Attorney Moves to Vacate Conviction of
Man Who Was Found Guilty Based on Unreliable Eyewitness

Defendant Was Paroled in April 2021 After Serving Nearly 35 Years in Prison

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that following a thorough reinvestigation by his Conviction Review Unit (CRU), he will move to vacate the conviction of Detroy Livingston, 59, who was convicted after a 1986 trial in connection with a murder that happened four years earlier inside a Bedford-Stuyvesant bodega. The reinvestigation found that the sole eyewitness was highly unreliable, having given numerous contradictory statements and being high on crack cocaine when she allegedly witnessed the incident. The CRU report is available here.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This old conviction was predicated on the testimony of a single witness who, based on a reinvestigation by my Conviction Review Unit, should have never been called to testify at trial. Her myriad inconsistent statements and newly discovered crack habit undermine this conviction and it must be reversed.”

The defendant will appear in court today at 11 a.m. before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew D’Emic in 320 Jay Street, 15th Floor.
The District Attorney said that on December 11, 1982, four men robbed a small grocery store in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn of marijuana. During the robbery, employee Jairam Gangaram was fatally shot, and another worker was shot but survived his injuries. Despite interviewing several witnesses, the police investigation was stalled until 1986, when the defendant and an alleged accomplice were arrested and indicted for the crime.

The defendant was convicted based on the testimony of a woman, who was 19 at the time, who claimed she saw him shoot the victim and later saw his alleged accomplice with marijuana bags with a stamp she had previously noticed in that store. The defendant, who earlier rejected a plea offer of six to 12 years in prison and consistently maintained his innocence, was convicted of murder, robbery, and related counts. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison and was paroled in April 2021.

The CRU reinvestigated the case after receiving a request from the deceased’s daughter who claimed the defendant was innocent. In interviews with the eyewitness, CRU found that she had little recollection regarding the case but stated that at the time she “was on crack, hard,” contradicting her hearing testimony that she only used to smoke marijuana.

An analysis of the witness’s 10 statements, given to police and in court, showed that she was inconsistent about the defendant’s role or whether he was involved at all, about where she was when she witnessed the crime, about whether she saw the assailants flee, and about hearing the suspects discuss the crime on a later date. When confronted by the defense about some of the inconsistencies, she claimed to not recall making those statements. Furthermore, her testimony was physically implausible as she claimed to have hidden behind a dumpster right outside the store and looked in through the window, but the window was largely blocked by objects (based on a crime scene photo that was never shown to the jury), and a security gate was almost certainly rolled down.

Her testimony at the codefendant’s subsequent trial was even more incredible and it appears that the jury disregarded her completely – it only convicted that individual of attempted murder and weapon possession, relying on testimony from the surviving store employee. Given all of these findings, the CRU concluded that the witness should have never been called to the stand and, since she was the only link between the defendant and the crime, the conviction should be vacated, and the indictment dismissed.
To date, the work of the Conviction Review Unit has resulted in 36 convictions being vacated since 2014. Currently, CRU has approximately 40 open investigations.

This case was investigated by Assistant District Attorney Rachel Kalman of the District Attorney’s Conviction Review Unit, under the supervision of Eric Sonnenschein, Deputy Chief of the Conviction Review Unit, and Charles Linehan, Unit Chief.

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Former Coney Island Amusement Park Worker Sentenced
to 13 Years in Prison for Attempted Murder

Defendant Shot Co-Worker in Chest During Dispute Over Customers and Profits at Jumbo Prizes Game Booth Before Fleeing to Pennsylvania

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a former Coney Island amusement park worker was sentenced to 13 years in prison for shooting a co-worker in the chest during an ongoing dispute over customers and profits at a game booth. Video surveillance captured the incident, including the defendant disposing of evidence inside of Nathan’s Famous before fleeing to Pennsylvania. He was convicted at trial in May.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This shooting at Coney Island’s Luna Park was an outrageous act of violence that nearly killed a man and put many more people in harm’s way. Gun crime will not be tolerated in Brooklyn, and today’s sentence ensures that the defendant has been held accountable for his deplorable actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Joseph Colon, 38, of, Coney Island, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Susan Quirk to 13 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. He was convicted of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree criminal use of a firearm, first-degree reckless endangerment, and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on May 31, 2023, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, both the defendant and the victim, a 38-year-old man, worked at the Jumbo Prizes game booth at Coney Island’s Luna Park. In the week prior to the shooting, the two men had repeatedly argued over customers and profits.

On September 10, 2021, at approximately 8 p.m., the defendant was working at Jumbo Prizes when the victim arrived for work. The defendant observed that the victim was unarmed, and then took a tactical position behind the booth, drawing an unlicensed handgun and firing a single shot at the victim, who was struck in the chest.

The defendant then exited the booth and briefly pursued the victim before ducking down Bowery Street. According to the evidence, the defendant was then seen on surveillance video on Stillwell Avenue removing his camouflage hoodie before walking into Nathan’s Famous where he tossed it in the garbage. The hoodie was subsequently recovered and tested for DNA that matched the defendant. The defendant then got into a vehicle and was taken to his apartment at 2926 West 25th Street. From there, according to the evidence, the defendant fled to Temple, Pennsylvania, where a relative lived. He was extradited back to New York by the United States Marshals Service and the NYPD’s Regional Fugitive Task Force.

The victim collapsed near the intersection of Stillwell and Mermaid Avenues. He was taken to NYU Langone Brooklyn where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the chest, a broken rib, a collapsed lung, a lacerated liver, and severe loss of blood. The victim was hospitalized for approximately a week before being released.

The District Attorney thanked Supervising Paralegal Aneudy Mata for assisting with the 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 Adam Ghalmi, also of the Green Zone, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Frank DeGaetano, Green Zone Bureau Chief.

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, October 23, 2023

Brooklyn Man who Fled Justice to Israel Sentenced to Prison
For Sexually Abusing Three Female Relatives

Indicted in Absentia in 2010 and Extradited in 2021

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 67-year-old Brooklyn man who fled to Israel in 2010 to escape charges that he repeatedly sexually assaulted young relatives has been sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to course of sexual conduct against a child.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s sentence, this defendant is being held responsible for his despicable acts, while sparing his victims from testifying against a relative. I hope that the resolution of this long-standing case brings them some solace and helps them cope with the trauma and hurt the defendant has caused. I would like to thank the NYPD, the Israeli National Police, the Justice Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance in bringing this fugitive to justice and ensuring accountability and closure in this case.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Gershon Kranczer, 67, of Midwood, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jill Konviser to nine years in prison and 10 years’ post release supervision, following his guilty plea in August 2023 to second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child. The defendant will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release. The plea was offered by the Court.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on multiple occasions from August 1996 to February 2003, in Midwood, Brooklyn, the defendant sexually assaulted a child from the time she was six years old to 13 years old. He sexually abused a second child between March 2001 and September 2002 when she was approximately 11 years old. A third victim came forward following his arrest in 2021 and reported that the defendant sexually abused her on multiple occasions between the ages of 5 to 15 starting in June 1998.

The defendant fled to Israel to escape prosecution the same day the abuse was first reported, in November 2010. He was returned to New York on November 3, 2021 by the United States Marshals Service.

The investigation was conducted by now-retired New York City Police Detective Steve Litwin, formerly assigned to the Brooklyn Special Victims Squad and to the Cold Case Squad.

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

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, October 20, 2023

East Flatbush Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Arson

Defendant Set Fire in Multiple Family Dwelling, Injuring Eight Tenants and a Firefighter

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an East Flatbush man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for starting a fire that spread from his apartment to two others in the building, causing injuries including bone fractures, smoke inhalation and burns.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This senseless early morning attack endangered numerous children and adults, leading to some life-threatening injuries. Thankfully, the victims have recovered. Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for his criminal actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Sedgrick Jacob, 32, of East Flatbush, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully to 10 years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted arson on October 3, 2023.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on May 25, 2021, at approximately 4:48 a.m., at 255 East 95^th Street in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, a two-story building with two apartments on each floor, the defendant set fire to a mattress in his first-floor apartment, then fled the apartment.

The fire, which spread to a second-floor apartment, rendered the fire staircase to the main door unusable causing two of the seven family members inside of the apartment, a 48-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man to suffer fractures after jumping from a window. Other family in the apartment included a 23-year-old woman, who suffered severe smoke inhalation and was intubated, and a 49-year-old man and three children ages 3, 7 and 11, who escaped from the second floor with the aid of passersby and responding firefighters. They suffered smoke inhalation and minor burns.

Another tenant, a 36-year-old man, was trapped in his first-floor apartment and was unable to escape. He suffered burns to his feet and heavy smoke inhalation, causing him to be intubated. One of the firefighters who responded to the scene suffered burns and was hospitalized.

Video surveillance from the building shows that shortly after the fire started the defendant exited the building and was then seen walking back and watching the smoke come out of the building. He is then seen fleeing the scene.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Steven Bravo, of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kin Ng, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, October 20, 2023

Maryland Man Indicted for Murder of Brooklyn Woman Following Dispute Over Parking at Home Depot Lot in Bedford-Stuyvesant

Defendant Also Charged with Shooting and Injuring Victim’s Boyfriend

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Maryland man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with murder and attempted murder for allegedly opening fire on a car, killing a young woman and injuring her boyfriend following a dispute over a parking space.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Imani Sharpless was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her. She died senselessly after this defendant allegedly callously opened fire on two innocent people over a minor dispute, leaving her family and friends heartbroken. We will now seek to bring the defendant to justice.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Quincy James Davis, 58, of, Gwynn Oak, Maryland. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Vincent Del Giudice on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The defendant was ordered held without bail and to return to court on January 19, 2024. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on September 9, 2023, at approximately 12:00 p.m., the defendant allegedly had a verbal dispute with a 35-year-old man over a parking spot at a Home Depot parking lot, located at 230 Nostrand Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. After parking his car, the man went into Home Depot. The defendant allegedly entered Home Depot and then turned around and left the store.

The man then left Home Depot and returned to his parked car, where his girlfriend, Imani Sharpless, 26, was waiting. He drove around the corner to Willoughby Avenue and Sandford Street. The defendant approached the victim’s car, walked toward the driver’s side of the vehicle and allegedly opened fire. The driver suffered a gunshot wound to his leg and a graze wound to his back. Ms. Sharpless suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was taken to Kings County Hospital. She died of her injuries on September 14, 2023.

The defendant was arrested on September 26, 2023 in Brooklyn following an investigation.

The District Attorney thanked Intelligence Analyst Austin Fedchock of the District Attorney’s Digital Evidence Lab and Paralegal James Morales of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau for their assistance on the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph Mancino of the Homicide Bureau and Senior Assistant District Attorney Jessica Wishart of the Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Chief of the Homicide Bureau.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, October 20, 2023

Brooklyn Man Arraigned for Unprovoked Killing of Innocent Activist

Fatally Stabbed Victim in the Heart; Incident Caught on Surveillance Video

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an 18-year-old Brooklyn man has been arraigned on an indictment charging him with murder for the random, unprovoked attack that killed Ryan Carson earlier this month. The attack was caught on video and additional evidence allegedly connected the defendant to the crime.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Ryan Carson was a promising and passionate man who worked to make our society better. Many of us watched the horrific video that showed his life being snuffed away senselessly, for no reason at all. We will now seek to hold his alleged killer fully accountable for this unspeakably brutal murder.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Brian Dowling, 18, of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on December 8, 2023. The defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on October 2, 2023, at approximately 3:50 a.m., outside of 57 Malcolm X Boulevard in Bedford-Stuyvesant, the defendant was allegedly walking angrily and kicking parked scooters. He observed the victim, who was walking behind him with his girlfriend.

According to the evidence, which includes a clear video of the incident, the defendant turned to the victim and started yelling at him, saying, in part, “I’m going to kill you.” He then allegedly swung a knife, striking the victim, who was trying to deescalate the confrontation. The victim attempted to flee but fell over a bus stop bench. The defendant then allegedly ran up to him and fatally stabbed him multiple times, striking his heart, as he lay on the ground.

The defendant allegedly flung the knife but returned moments later to retrieve it. A search revealed that a knife, believed to be the murder weapon, was hidden under greenery next to a nearby sidewalk.

The defendant turned himself in later that week. A subsequent search warrant of his apartment discovered multiple knives with similar handles to the handle of the knife that was recovered. Clothes matching the ones that the assailant was wearing in the video were also recovered.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, October 13, 2023

Long Island Man Indicted for Stealing $925,000 Through Deed Fraud

Involving Properties in Brooklyn and the Bronx

Defendant Allegedly Impersonated a CEO for One Theft,

Directed Someone Else to Impersonate a Deceased Homeowner for the Other

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Long Island man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with grand larceny for allegedly fraudulently transferring the titles of a property in Brooklyn and a property in the Bronx (where Lindbergh baby kidnapper Bruno Richard Hauptmann once resided) and selling them for a total of approximately $925,000. It is alleged the defendant went to elaborate lengths to perpetrate the two separate frauds, including using a variety of fraudulent documents and, in one case, had someone else impersonate a deceased Bronx homeowner at a closing. The defendant also allegedly attempted to steal nearly $300,000 in COVID-19 tax relief payments.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant allegedly filled his pockets with the ill-gotten gains of two separate real estate transactions in which he stole – then sold – the titles to two New York City properties while also attempting to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 tax relief funds. We will now seek to hold the defendant accountable and will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute deed fraud.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Salome Vega, 46, of Hempstead, New York. The defendant was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which he was charged with two counts of second-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal impersonation, and second-degree attempted grand-larceny. The defendant was ordered to return to court on December 6, 2023.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on August 6, 2019, the defendant allegedly sold the title to 1279 East 222^nd Street, a two-family house in the Bronx. At the closing, which was held at an office in Midwood, Brooklyn, the defendant had someone impersonate the property’s deceased owner when the defendant fraudulently sold the house to a buyer for $250,000. Bruno Richard Hauptmann, who was convicted of kidnapping Charles Lindbergh Jr., once resided in that East 222^nd Street house.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, six days later, on August 12, 2019, the defendant opened a business checking account for an entity with the same name as the decedent. On the same day, he allegedly deposited a $242,828 check from the sale of 1279 East 222^nd Street into the account. Over the next two months, the defendant allegedly emptied the account.

The title transfer was subsequently vacated by the Bronx County Public Administrator when it was discovered that the property owner of 1279 East 222^nd Street died on April 26, 2019, approximately four months before the closing.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, in February 2023, the defendant fraudulently sold 431-435 Autumn Avenue, which includes a two-family house attached to a vacant lot in East New York, Brooklyn, for $675,000. It is alleged the defendant did this by pretending to be the CEO of Merit Homes Inc., which owned the property. The defendant was not associated with Merit Homes Inc., nor was he authorized to sell the property. According to the investigation, the defendant, at the closing, requested that funds from the sale be made payable to him personally in amounts of $100,000, $200,000, $300,000, and $33,772 (the remainder of the funds went to closing costs). The defendant proceeded to cash the payments at various check cashing stores in Queens and Long Island.

It is also alleged that the defendant opened a fraudulent business account for a surveillance company on February 9, 2023. The following day, on February 10, 2023, the defendant, according to the investigation, caused a COVID-19 tax relief check from the IRS for $297,368.51 intended for the company to be deposited into this account at a TD Bank branch in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. An alert bank employee spotted the fraud and froze the account before any funds could be withdrawn.

The District Attorney thanked the KCDA Detective Investigators for their assistance on this case.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sergey Marts, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Frank Longobardi, Chief of the District Attorney’s Construction Crimes and Labor Fraud Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Richard Farrell, Chief of the District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit and Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides, Chief of the Frauds Bureau, and the overall 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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, October 4,  2023

Six Defendants Charged with Conspiring to Traffic Narcotics Following Undercover Investigation into Open-Air Drug Deals in Bedford-Stuyvesant

 Operation Began in Response to Numerous Community Complaints

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and New York City Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban today announced that six people have been indicted in connection with a narcotics trafficking ring that operated primarily in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Four of the defendants are charged with acting as a major trafficker.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This indictment reflects our commitment to responding to complaints from concerned neighbors and to take drug dealers off our streets. We allege that these defendants profited from the misery of addiction while upending the sense of safety in the community where they brazenly operated. Thanks to the hard work of my Detective Investigators, the NYPD and prosecutors from my office, we will now seek to hold them accountable for their criminal actions.”

Commissioner Caban said, “Drug trafficking is a scourge not tolerated in New York City, neither by law enforcement nor the people we serve. And together with our partners at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, the NYPD will continue working toward a city whose neighborhoods are free of illegal narcotics and those who seek to profit from their proliferation.”

Three of the defendants, Lance Spearman, Herbert Bazemore and Larry Childress were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo on an indictment in which they are variously charged with acting as a major trafficker, second- and fourth-degree conspiracy, second- and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Acting as a major trafficker is an A-I felony. Spearman was ordered held without bail; Childress was ordered held on $500,000 cash bail or $1 million bond; Bazemore was ordered held on $1 million cash bail or $1.5 million bond. All of the defendants were ordered to return to court on December 8, 2023.

Three additional defendants will be arraigned on a later date. Jermalee Reese is charged as part of the above-mentioned conspiracy indictment. Steve Rich and Travis Davis are each charged in separate indictments with criminal sale of a controlled substance and other related counts. [See defendant addendum.]

It is alleged that over the course of the investigation, from May 2022 to October 3, 2023, the narcotics dealers operated primarily in the vicinity of Putnam Avenue and Nostrand Avenue in the 79^th Precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The investigation began following detailed community complaints about open-air drug dealing at the specified location. Detective Investigators from the District Attorney’s office and NYPD detectives from Narcotics Borough Brooklyn North conducted the investigation, which included making a total of 25 undercover narcotics purchases from the six defendants.

It is alleged that the defendants variously sold quantities of crack cocaine and heroin (which was packaged in distinctive green glassines). The investigation was conducted with the use of undercover detectives and physical and electronic surveillance.

In addition, following a car stop on September 23, 2023, police allegedly recovered approximately 60 green glassines of heroin from defendant Herbert Bazemore’s pocket. Each glassine sells for approximately $10 and are packaged in bundles of 10. After obtaining a search warrant for his vehicle, 59 bundles consisting of 590 glassines and more than $5,000 were recovered from inside the car.

In the wake of today’s takedown, the Brooklyn DA’s Office reached out to local elected officials, neighborhood leaders and community-based organizations to apprise them of the law enforcement action. The office will partner with them to provide support and services to help those experiencing substance use disorder get the help they need, while working together to deter others from filling the supply gap created by today’s prosecutions.

The investigation was conducted by KCDA Detective Investigators and New York City Police Detectives and Officers assigned to the Narcotics Borough Brooklyn North.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Investigative Assistant District Attorney Matthew Bennett, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Theresa Robitaille, of the District Attorney’s Organized Crime and Racketeering Unit, Senior Assistant District Attorney Anne Volk of the District Attorney’s Crime Strategies Unit, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Radiyah Dobre, also of VCE, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gillian DiPietro, VCE Deputy Chief, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Cilia, VCE 1st Deputy Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Alfred De Ingeniis, VCE Chief, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney David Klestzick, Deputy Chief of the Trial Division and Gregory Thomas, Senior Executive for Law Enforcement Operations.

Defendant Addendum:

1. Lance Spearman, 43, of East New York, Brooklyn.
2. Herbert Bazemore, 43, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
3. Larry Childress, 49, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
4. Steve Rich, 58, of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
5. Jermalee Reese, 53, of East New York, Brooklyn.
6. Travis Davis, 34, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

 

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

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 30 Years to Life in Prison

For Killing Another Man in Dispute Over Money

Key Witness Traveled to U.S. from Poland with Help from Federal Authorities

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 55-year-old Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for killing a man outside of a homeless shelter during a dispute over money in 2015. The defendant was convicted in a retrial where a new witness testified after being located in Poland. That witness traveled back to the U.S. with help from the District Attorneys Detective Investigators assigned to the Homicide Bureau and agents from Homeland Security Investigations.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant senselessly took the life of another man and, with today’s sentence, has been held responsible for this inexcusable crime. I am grateful to the dedicated prosecutors in my office, and to Homeland Security that assisted in securing a key witness, for ensuring that justice was done in this case.”

Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, New York, said, “HSI New York’s global reach and commitment to rectifying injustices was instrumental in securing Brannon’s conviction for his heinous crimes. This sentencing is a testament to the cooperation between the HSI New York Document & Benefit Fraud Task Force and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and showcases their shared pursuit of justice.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Keith Brannon, 55, formerly of East New York, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht to 30 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and first-degree attempted robbery on September 14, 2023 following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on August 8, 2015, outside of a Brownsville homeless shelter on Sackman Street between Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street, the defendant tried to rob and then fatally shot Christopher Tennison, 32, striking him once in the chest from pointblank range. Text messages before the murder showed that the defendant was demanding money from the victim.

A resident of a Bronx shelter where the defendant resided later found a gun under the defendant’s bed and turned it over to the authorities. The defendant’s DNA was found on the gun and ballistics proved it was the same gun used in the homicide.

The defendant was convicted in 2017 after multiple eyewitness testified, but the case was reversed on appeal due to a judicial error.

Before the retrial, investigators from the District Attorney’s Office were able to locate numerous former shelter residents, including that former shelter resident who found the gun and did not testify at the first trial. He lived in Poland and lacked the necessary resources and documentation to travel to the U.S. for the trial. Detective Investigators from the DA’s Office  and members of the NYPD DA Squad traveled to Poland and, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, helped secure emergency documentation and facilitate the witness’s return so he could testify.

The District Attorney thanked HSI New York’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, KCDA Detective Investigators, NYPD DA Squad detectives, and Special Counsel for Immigrant Affairs David Satnarine, for their assistance on the case, especially their work in securing the aforementioned witness and other witnesses. Homicide Paralegals Amanda Connolly and Angelika Rostkowska, and Senior Intelligence Analyst Christina Stewart also provided assistance with the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Andrew Gruna, of the District Attorney’s Orange Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Chief.

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 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Sunset Park Man Arraigned for Hammer Attack

That Killed Mother and Critically Injured 2 Children

Defendant Faces Up to 25 Years to Life in Prison If Convicted of Second-Degree Murder

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Sunset Park man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder for an alleged attack in which he bludgeoned and strangled a 43-year-old mother to death and critically wounded her 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter with a hammer.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a horrific, harrowing, and unspeakably brutal attack on an innocent mother and her two defenseless young children. With this prosecution, we will seek justice for Zhao Zhao and her son and daughter, as well as their heartbroken family, friends, and neighbors.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Liyong Ye, 47, of Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The defendant was ordered held without bail and to return to court on November 8, 2023. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on August 23, 2023, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the defendant allegedly attacked Zhao Zhao, 43, and her two children inside an apartment at 531 52^nd Street shared by the two families and two roommates. The defendant and Zhao had previously argued over living conditions inside the apartment.

According to the investigation, the defendant allegedly called one of his roommates, shortly after the attack, and told him to pick up the defendant’s 5-year-old son. When the roommate returned to the apartment, he found the floor and walls of the kitchen covered with blood. The defendant was allegedly holding a bloody hammer in his hand and standing over the bodies of Zhao and her children. The roommate went outside and called 911. The defendant was arrested outside of the building.

Zhao was taken to Lutheran Hospital where she was pronounced dead from massive blunt force trauma to the head and body. Her children were treated at the Pediatric Trauma Unit at Bellevue Hospital and subsequently transferred to a long-term rehabilitation facility where they continue to recover from their critical injuries.

The District Attorney thanked Office Manager Jannette Ayala of the Homicide Bureau for their assistance on the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Chow Yun Xie, Deputy Chief and Assistant District Attorney Daphney Gachette of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau Senior, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Chief of the Homicide Bureau.

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