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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 17, 2023

Brooklyn Residents Indicted for Making and Selling Fake OSHA and Buildings Department Safety Cards

Allegedly Sold Dozens of Counterfeit Safety and Training Certifications to New York Construction Workers Who Never Received the Required Training

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with the New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber, today announced that a 42-year-old woman and the owners of two Brooklyn companies that allegedly provide jobsite safety training and certification have been arraigned on separate indictments charging them with making and selling dozens of fake safety cards to New York construction workers who never received the required training.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Evading regulations that ensure worksite safety training and certification is inexcusable and puts people’s lives at risk. Today’s indictments should send a strong message that when alleged fraudsters offer dangerous shortcuts, or attempt to profit by getting around safety requirements, they will face serious repercussions. I thank DOI for their continued cooperation in investigating corruption cases.”

Commissioner Strauber said, “As charged, these defendants made and sold illegitimate documents that purported to certify construction workers had the required training when in fact they did not. City and federal agencies’ construction safety rules are not optional, and promoting work-arounds to rigorous courses and programs designed to ensure worker safety can and does lead to dangerous and tragic results. I thank the NYCHA employee who prompted this investigation by reporting discrepancies regarding a contractor’s safety card to DOI. And I thank District Attorney Gonzalez and his team for their continued partnership on investigating these important cases that hold accountable anyone who undercuts construction safety in New York City.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Latecia Moore, 42, of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn; Alex Kaushanskiy, 35, of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn; and Benedetto Bonello, 35, of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Moore is charged with ten counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, two counts of second-degree forgery, and four counts of first-degree falsifying business records. Kaushanskiy and his company, Odessa Safety, Inc., are charged with three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and three counts of first-degree falsifying business records. Bonello and his company, National Site Safety LLC, are charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. Defendants Kaushanskiy and Bonello are authorized OSHA trainers but, according to the investigation, did not provide the required trainings.

Bonello was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. He was released without bail and ordered to return to court on June 14, 2023. Moore and Kaushanskiy were arraigned on April 13, 2023 before Justice Chun. They were released without bail and ordered to return to court on June 13, 2023 and June 14, 2023, respectively.

The District Attorney said the investigation began in November 2021 after NYCHA reported to DOI that it had identified construction safety cards with discrepancies as part of a routine check.

Workers on larger and more complex construction projects requiring permits by the City’s Department of Buildings (DOB) are required to take safety courses approved by the U.S. Occupation Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and are required to carry a card reflecting that certification. OSHA provides for the issuance of a 10-hour training certification for entry-level workers and a 30-hour training certification for safety managers and coordinators.

Additionally, under Local Law 196 of 2017, New York City requires additional safety certifications for some construction workers, including the Site Safety Training certification (SST) for workers and supervisors. An SST card for workers can be earned by completing the OSHA 30-hour training program plus 10 additional hours of training. An SST card for supervisors can be earned by completing the OSHA 30-hour training program plus 32 additional hours of training that includes courses in fall prevention, scaffolding, drug and alcohol awareness, and site safety. The SST card contains a QR code, which, when scanned, displays a photograph of the holder, the SST ID number and other information regarding the training the cardholder has completed.

As part of the investigation, DOI executed a search warrant at Moore’s workplace and recovered computers, a card printer, and various counterfeit OSHA and SST cards. It is alleged Moore manufactured fake cards which were later sold to customers for between $200 and $650 per card. DOI also made an undercover purchase of a fraudulent OSHA-30 card and another type of fraudulent card from Bonello at his company, National Site Safety. Furthermore, according to the investigation, DOI conducted undercover buys of phony OSHA and SST cards from Odessa Safety. The undercovers were instructed to complete paperwork such as course attendance sheets and evaluation forms without having to attend any actual classes.

At DOI, the investigation was conducted by Deputy Inspector General Gregory Deboer, under the supervision of Inspector General for NYCHA Ralph M. Iannuzzi, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella and First Deputy Commissioner Daniel G. Cort.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Tammy Chung, also of the PIB, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Laura Neubauer, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

 

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An indictment is merely an accusation and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 10, 2023

Crown Heights Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking of 19-Year-Old Girl

   Defendant Also Allegedly Assaulted the Victim and Another Woman

  Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Crown Heights man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with sex trafficking, promoting prostitution, assault and other charges for the alleged sex trafficking and assault of a teenager as well as the assault of a 40-year-old woman.

  District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant’s allegedly violent and exploitative abuse of women for profit shocks the conscience and we are committed to seeking justice on behalf of the victims and anyone impacted by human trafficking. We have no tolerance for this kind of reprehensible conduct in Brooklyn and will continue our vigorous and multi-pronged efforts to protect the most vulnerable.”

  The District Attorney identified the defendant as Samuel Tucker, 39, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was arraigned Friday afternoon before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice E. Niki Warin on a 27-count indictment in which he is charged with sex trafficking, second-, third- and fourth-degree promoting prostitution, second- and third-degree assault, second-degree attempted assault, first-, second- and third-degree coercion, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. If convicted of the top count, he is facing a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender. The defendant was ordered held on bail of $200,000 cash or $750,000 bond and to return to court on May 10, 2023.

  The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the 19-year-old victim was homeless and living in a shelter in Brownsville when she was introduced to the defendant, who allegedly enticed her with promises of cash and drugs if she would engage in prostitution for him. The victim allegedly moved into the defendant’s apartment in Crown Heights, where she slept on an air mattress in the living room and allegedly engaged in prostitution in the bedroom with dates that the defendant arranged for her. He also allegedly posted photos of her on in a prostitution advertisement on OneBackpage.com.

  The defendant allegedly instructed her how much to charge and all the money she earned was immediately turned over to him.

  It is alleged that on one occasion, the defendant allegedly beat her with a can of corn that he placed in a sock, hitting her about the body repeatedly and causing bruises to her chest and back. In another instance, it is alleged, the defendant heated a spoon using the burners on the stove and then held it to her feet, burning her.

  On another occasion, it is alleged, the defendant allegedly hogtied another woman, age 40, who was also engaging in prostitution for the defendant, and placed her in a hotel room bathtub filled with scalding hot water and repeatedly held her head beneath the water in the presence of the 19-year-old victim.

  In another instance, the defendant allegedly forced the 19-year-old victim to watch as he beat the 40-year-old victim about the head and body with a firearm. He then instructed her to clean and bandage the older woman’s wounds.

  On January 18, 2023, the victim allegedly ran away from the defendant and contacted the New York City Police Department.
The New York City Police Department investigation was led by Detective Paul Mastronardi of the NYPD’s Human Trafficking Squad, under the supervision of Sergeant Robert Duplessis, Lieutenant Amy Capogna and Captain Thomas Milano.

        The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Mary E. Monahan, of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney David Weiss, Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Aurora Martinez and HTU Social Worker Kirsty Carroll, and under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the Special Victims Bureau.

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

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 10, 2023

Queens Man Sentenced to Prison for Stealing School Bus,

Crashing into Numerous Vehicles and Causing Injuries to Other Drivers

   Defendant Ignored Police Orders to Stop, Fled with Officers Holding on to Bus

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Queens man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for stealing a school bus in East Flatbush and driving recklessly across multiple police precincts, damaging property and other vehicles, and injuring other drivers. The defendant pleaded guilty to attempted assault last month.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s sentence holds this defendant accountable for his brazenly reckless conduct that caused mayhem across several communities and put countless lives at risk. Thankfully there were not more serious injuries to the police officers and the public.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Anthony Reyes, 44, of Jamaica, Queens. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully to seven years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted assault on February 10, 2023.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on December 2, 2021, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the defendant stole an unoccupied school bus, with keys in the ignition and the engine running from the driveway of a house on East 51^st Street in East Flatbush in the 67^th precinct. A call was placed to 911 to report the stolen bus, along with its GPS location.

Within a short period of time police officers saw the bus parked in the 75^th precinct, near 138 Jackie Robinson Parkway, with the defendant in the driver’s seat. Police approached the vehicle and the defendant started to drive away, even though one officer was holding on to the vehicle. Eventually, the officer let go as the defendant fled in the bus.

Within approximately 30 minutes, in the confines of the 73^rd and 75^th precincts, the defendant rammed into the side of a building and continued driving. He then rammed into multiple vehicles, both parked and in the middle of the street stopped at a traffic light. Two of the vehicles still had individuals inside during the impact. One of the vehicles he struck was occupied by a woman, and police managed to pull her out of the vehicle before the defendant struck it a second time, dragging the vehicle down the street. Eventually, the defendant was apprehended by police in the confines of the 75^th precinct. used in the shooting was recovered from a trashcan in front of a nearby building.

As a result of the incident, multiple people suffered minor injuries.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Aleena Peerzada and Assistant District Attorney Kaitlin Kinsella, 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

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison

for Shooting and Wounding NYPD Detective

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Attempted Murder in January

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bedford-Stuyvesant man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison following his guilty plea to second-degree attempted murder for opening fire on four New York City Police Officers in 2018. The defendant fired six shots at the officers and wounded one of them, a detective, in the leg.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The six shots this defendant fired at officers as he fled could have killed them and highlights the risks our police partners take every day on the job. We will never tolerate violence against law enforcement in Brooklyn, and today’s sentence holds this defendant accountable for his deplorable crime.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Kelvin Stichel, 37, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Justice Claudia Daniels-DePeyster to 16 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder on January 26, 2023.

The District Attorney said that on July 7, 2018, at approximately 6:40 a.m., Detective Miguel Soto, a member of the NYPD’s Warrant Squad in Brooklyn North, and three other officers were driving an unmarked car on Fulton Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant when they saw the defendant walking on the sidewalk.

According to the evidence, the officers recognized the defendant from an investigation card for an alleged armed robbery. The defendant saw the officers making a U-Turn and fled the scene, turning onto Tompkins Avenue and then Decatur Street. The officers, who chased the defendant in the car and then on foot, identified themselves and ordered him to display his hands. The defendant then pulled out a .45-caliber handgun. The defendant fired six times at the officers, striking Detective Soto in the right leg. Officers returned fire and struck the defendant once in the left arm.

The defendant was later apprehended at 39 Kingston Street. The .45-caliber handgun used in the shooting was recovered from a trashcan in front of a nearby building.

Detective Soto, a decorated, seven-year-veteran of the NYPD, was taken to Kings County Hospital where he was treated and released.

The defendant was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Andrea Orlando, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau and Senior Assistant District Attorney Jessica Wishart, of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Robert J. Walsh, Chief of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Kin Ng, Chief of the Blue Zone.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, March 31, 2023

Defendant Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Attempted Murder of Former Girlfriend, who was Beaten, Stabbed and Left for Dead

Defendant Located in California and was Returned to Brooklyn Five Years After Attack 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a former Brooklyn resident was sentenced to 17 years in prison for beating his former girlfriend over several hours, repeatedly stabbing her, and slashing her throat. He fled from New York following the 2016 attack, was arrested in California in 2021 and convicted at trial last month.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a life altering assault that the victim survived because of her will to live for her children.  She showed tremendous courage by coming to court and testifying against her abuser and detailing the many physical and emotional traumas she suffers to this day. I also commend our prosecutors for their commitment to bringing the defendant to justice.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Jun Zhang, 59, formerly of Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice E. Niki Warin to 17 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant was convicted of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon on February 1, 2023, following a jury trial. The judge also issued a 30-year full order of protection.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, the victim, a 49-year-old woman, and the defendant, her ex-boyfriend, managed Relax Spa, a massage parlor located at 5911 7^th Avenue, in Sunset Park, at the time of the incident.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, on August 23, 2016, at approximately 4 a.m., inside of Relax Spa, the defendant accused the victim of cheating on him, pushed her onto a couch, pulled her hair, picked up a knife, threatened her and prevented her from leaving.

The abuse continued over several hours, according to the evidence, with the defendant eventually throwing the victim to the floor, punching her in the face, stomping on her body, stabbing her in the chest, and slicing her throat multiple times with a knife. He then dragged her into a massage room and left her on the floor. When he eventually returned, he placed his fingers under the victim’s nose, but she held her breath and pretended to be dead.

When the defendant finally left the massage parlor, according to the evidence, the victim managed to make it out on to the street, where she collapsed. Two calls were made to 911, indicating that a woman covered in blood was sitting on some stairs on a sidewalk. Emergency medical technicians responded, and she was rushed to the hospital where she was intubated and remained for a month. She was treated for brain bleeding, a liver laceration, collapsed lungs, deep lacerations to her neck and puncture wounds to her chest. A doctor testified at trial that she had lost 30 to 40 percent of her blood.

The defendant fled New York, but on May 10, 2021 he was arrested in connection with a shooting in California. That case was not prosecuted because the victim did not cooperate. His fingerprints, however, triggered the New York warrant for his arrest and he was extradited to Brooklyn to stand trial.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Shaun Prunotto, of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Amanda Fisher, Deputy DV Bureau Chief, with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Michele Guo, also of the DV Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kori Medow, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Staten Island Man Sentenced to Prison for LGBTQ Hate Crime

Defendant Struck Two Victims with Metal Object and Shouted Anti-Gay Slurs

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Staten Island man has been sentenced to up to four years in prison for assaulting two people outside of a deli in Flatbush, one of whom was an acquaintance.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Attacks victimizing the LGBTQ+ community have surged nationwide, and we have no tolerance for this abhorrent violence in Brooklyn. Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for this senseless and unprovoked attack and sends a strong message that those who commit hate crimes will face serious consequences.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Aaron Richard, 33, of Staten Island, New York. He was sentenced yesterday to two to four years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht. The defendant pleaded guilty to third-degree assault as a hate crime on March 15, 2023.

The District Attorney said that, on July 8, 2022, at approximately 5:45 p.m., in the vicinity of 533 Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn, the defendant approached a 22-year-old man with whom he was acquainted as he stood in front of a deli with another person and shouted: “Yo, you f—–s got to go. Let’s get these f—–s out of here. You need to move off this corner.”

The defendant then struck the man in the face with a metal object, causing a laceration. When the second person tried to intervene, that person was struck in the hand with the metal object and suffered a cut.

The defendant was located and arrested on August 30, 2022.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Katherine Gardzalla, of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Kelli M. Muse, Chief of the Hate Crimes Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Couple Sentenced for Stealing Identity of Army Veteran,
Applying for Benefits and Bail Jumping; Ordered to Pay $35,000 Restitution

Defendants Sentenced to Five Months in Jail,
Victim of the Scheme is the Ex-Husband of the Female Defendant

 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber today announced that a man and woman have been sentenced to five months in jail and five years’ probation for using the identity of a U.S. Army veteran to apply for government benefits, including through the Veterans Administration, for Section 8 housing in Brooklyn.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s sentence holds the defendants accountable for stealing the identity of a U.S. Army veteran and receiving benefits to which they were not entitled. Thanks to the hard work of my prosecutors and our law enforcement partners, we were able to restore this veteran’s good name.”

Commissioner Strauber said, “These defendants preyed upon a U.S. Army veteran, stealing his identification to fraudulently obtain government benefits that included more than $35,000 in rent subsidies for their New York City Housing Authority apartment. Today’s sentence shows that committing identity theft to steal public funds has serious consequences, and I thank the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Kevin Middleton, 41, and Tonni Chapman, 50, formerly of Brooklyn. They were sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to five months in jail and five years’ probation. The judge also executed a Judgment Order of Restitution in the amount of $34,399 for which the defendants are jointly liable. On March 15, 2023, Middleton pleaded guilty to first-degree identity theft and second-degree bail jumping and Chapman pleaded guilty to first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and second-degree bail jumping.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, in February 2018, Kevin Middleton posed as Kevin Chapman and obtained a non-driver’s license identification card from the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles in Kevin Chapman’s name. The I.D. card was issued in Chapman’s name and with his date of birth, but with Middleton’s photograph.

Middleton also obtained a replacement Social Security card in Chapman’s name under his Social Security number, and he forged Chapman’s signature onto the card. The defendant also obtained a New York State identification card in Chapman’s name, but with the defendant’s photograph.

Furthermore, the defendant posed as Kevin Chapman in May 2018 and went to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs office in Manhattan and applied for a replacement VA card in Kevin Chapman’s name. He used the fraudulently obtained non-driver’s license, NYS I.D. card and Social Security card as proof of identity. A replacement VA card was mailed to the defendant in Brooklyn, with his photo and Kevin Chapman’s name and date of birth on it.

Kevin Chapman, the victim in this case, is a U.S. Army veteran and the former husband of defendant Tonni Chapman.

The defendants applied for benefits pursuant to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) using Kevin Chapman’s identity and received approximately $1,000 in benefits from May 31, 2018 and January 13, 2020.

The defendants, using Kevin Chapman’s identity, received social services from the VA to which they were not entitled while living in a homeless shelter. In approximately September 2018, social workers from the VA assisted Middleton with his application for Section 8 housing, in Kevin Chapman’s name, which the New York City Housing Authority expedited because of his status as a military veteran. The application was granted and in November 2018 the couple moved into the apartment and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development paid more than $35,000 to subsidize the defendant’s rent at the Boulevard Houses in East New York.

Furthermore, on June 8, 2019, police went to the apartment in response to a 911 call involving a domestic dispute and were told by Tonni Chapman that her assailant (who was not home at the time) was Kevin Chapman. The next day, the police returned to the apartment and arrested Kevin Middleton, who was posing as Kevin Chapman. When he failed to appear in court in July 2019, a bench warrant was issued for Kevin Chapman.

In 2021, following an investigation, the defendants were indicted in connection with the impersonation of Kevin Chapman and they were arrested. After failing to appear in late 2022, the defendants were arrested in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 24, 2023 and charged with bail jumping. They were returned to Brooklyn on February 9, 2023.

The case was investigated by Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph DiBenedetto of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau and Detective Investigators from the District Attorney’s office, who located and apprehended the defendants.

The District Attorney thanked the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General for their assistance with the case.

At DOI, the investigation was conducted by Chief Investigator Robert Joyce, Assistant Inspector General Briglantina Bujaj and Deputy Inspectors General J. Graham Forbes and Jeremy Reyes, under the supervision of Senior Inspectors General John Bellanie and Ralph Iannuzzi, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella and First Deputy Commissioner Daniel G. Cort.

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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

 

ATM Burglary Ring Indicted for Alleged Theft of

19 ATMs and Other Items from Stores and Bodegas

Six Men Charged for Break-ins in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx;

Allegedly Monitored Police Scanner to Evade Detection

              Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell, today announced that six men have been variously charged with burglary, grand larceny, conspiracy and other counts in connection with a scheme to break into stores and steal ATMs and other property. The 92-count indictment covers incidents from June 2022 until January 2023, when four of the defendants were arrested in LaGuardia Airport following a 30-minute high-speed chase. Many of the heists were captured on video surveillance.

            District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s indictment, we have dismantled a brazen and persistent alleged burglary ring that targeted small businesses throughout the city. It took meticulous work to build this case and I am thankful to the investigators and prosecutors who put it together. Protecting businesses from break-ins and larceny is an important mission of my office and this case shows our commitment to spending the time and resources necessary to stop criminals from victimizing store owners.”

            Commissioner Sewell said, “These charges put an end to the multi-borough burglary-and-theft spree that potentially netted the defendants tens of thousands of dollars. This lucrative scheme undermined public safety in New York City, and today’s indictment is the next step toward holding these men accountable for their numerous crimes. I commend and thank the NYPD investigators and prosecutors of the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office who worked closely on all aspects of this important case.”

           The District Attorney identified the defendants as follows: Alex Torres aka “Chacho,” 50, charged with 80 crimes relating to 17 incidents; Francisco Torres aka “Fusion,” 51, charged with 62 crimes, relating to 13 incidents; Jesus Cedeno aka “Capone,” 52, charged 55 crimes relating to 12 incidents; Angel Barbosa aka “Pucci,” 44, charged with 48 crimes relating to 11 incidents; Chris Moustakos aka “Chris the Greek,” 52, charged with eight crimes relating to one incident; and Luis Villanueva aka “Cholo,” 52, charged with six crimes relating to one incident. The defendants all reside in Brooklyn, except for Moustakos whose address is in Roosevelt, LI.  Charges against additional individuals who have assisted the ring are possible.

           The defendants are variously charged in a 92-count indictment with second and third–degree burglary, second-, third-, and fourth–degree grand larceny, possession of burglar’s tools, criminal mischief and other related counts. Alex Torres, Cedeno, Barbosa and Villanueva were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun, who ordered them held on bail and to return to court on June 7, 2023. Francisco Torres and Moustakos will be arraigned on a later date.

          The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, from June 23, 2022 to January 18, 2023, the defendants allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to steal ATMs from various stores. It is alleged that 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 allegedly assigned a member to monitor police scanners during the heists, so they could alert the others if police were approaching and to evade detection.

           Based on the investigation, which included review of surveillance footage, members of the ring allegedly 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 alleged burglaries varied, according to video surveillance, but, generally, Alex Torres allegedly broke the bolts securing the ATMs and then helped carry them out of the stores. Francisco Torres allegedly was frequently the driver and helped to break stores’ doors. Barbosa and Cedeno allegedly generally acted as lookouts and also helped with breaking into stores. Moustakos allegedly participated in the final burglary. Villanueva allegedly participated in an early burglary.

            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 alleged heists, the investigation found. On January 18, 2023, Alex and Francisco Torres, Cedeno and Moustakos allegedly 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. The indictment supersedes both the November 1^st and January 18^th charges and adds numerous other crimes pertaining to most of the defendants.

          A total of 11 incidents charged in the indictment took place in Brooklyn, seven in Queens and one in the Bronx. The exact stolen amount in most of the incidents is not known. The largest known amounts are over $60,000 stolen from a wireless store and its ATM in Ridgewood, $20,000 stolen from an ATM from a Bushwick deli, and $6,000 stolen from a cash register of a Cypress Hills mini mart.

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

         The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorneys Abigail Rosen and Nicole Lauterbach, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Michael Chachura, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Gregory Pavlides, Frauds Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, and Patricia McNeill, Chief.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, March 24, 2023

Doctor and Office Manager at Brighton Beach Medical Clinic

Indicted for $700,000 Healthcare Fraud

Defendants Allegedly Billed Medicaid for Non-Existent Services While Selling $500,000 Worth of Prescriptions for Opioids, Narcotics and Other Controlled Substances

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Department of Social Services Acting Commissioner Molly Wasow Park, today announced that a doctor and office manager at a Brighton Beach medical clinic have been arraigned on an indictment in which they are charged with grand larceny and healthcare fraud for allegedly defrauding Medicaid out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. In total, the defendants are alleged to have stolen more than $700,000 over a four-year period by fraudulently billing Medicaid for non-existent services and by selling prescriptions for narcotics, opioids, and other controlled substances to patients they were not treating.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “As the opioid epidemic continues to claim the lives of thousands of New Yorkers each year, it is unconscionable that these medical professionals allegedly endangered their patients’ health, trafficked in controlled substances, and stole hundreds of thousands from Medicaid. Anyone who contributes to the growth of prescription drug abuse, imperils the health and safety of Brooklyn residents, or rips off the taxpayers will be held accountable.”

Department of Social Services Acting Commissioner Park said, “The alleged conduct of these individuals is absolutely unacceptable and a clear violation of their duties as trusted medical professionals. We thank the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and our own DSS Investigators for thoroughly investigating this case and demonstrating that those who exploit our vulnerable neighbors and endanger our communities will face repercussions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Dr. Alexander Ivanov, 66, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and Svetlana Kozlovskaya, 64, of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. They were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which they are charged with second- and third-degree grand larceny and healthcare fraud. The defendants were released without bail and ordered to return to court on May 31, 2023.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, from approximately 2017 to 2020, the defendants ran a psychiatry practice and pain management clinic at 115 Brightwater Court in Brighton Beach where they allegedly billed Medicaid and other healthcare administrators for more than $200,000 worth of psychotherapy sessions that were never administered. Additionally, it is alleged that Dr. Ivanov wrote over $500,000 worth of prescriptions for controlled substances to patients in exchange for cash. The controlled substances included suboxone, alprazolam, amphetamine, clonazepam, diazepam, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and tramadol. According to the investigation, many of the doctor’s patients were, in fact, substance abusers who were not receiving any kind of treatment or examination at the clinic. Furthermore, it is alleged there was no bloodwork or urinalysis performed to monitor the patients’ drug intake levels. The prescriptions were subsequently filled and paid for by Medicaid and other healthcare administrators.

The case was investigated by Detective Investigators from the District Attorney’s office, the New York City Department of Social Services, and United States Department of Health and Human Services.

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

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

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Brooklyn District Attorney Moves to Vacate Wrongful Conviction of

Man Who Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter After Real Killer Confessed

Was Initially Convicted of 1990 Murder but Agreed to Plead Guilty to Get Out of Prison

After Serving 19 Years; Consistently Maintained his Friend was the Gunman

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that following a thorough investigation by his Conviction Review Unit (CRU), he will move to vacate the conviction of Emel McDowell, 50, who was convicted of a 1990 murder in Bedford-Stuyvesant. After maintaining his innocence while serving 19 years for murder, the defendant pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2009 under an agreement that allowed him to be released from prison. He has consistently claimed that his friend was the killer, and he wasn’t involved, which the CRU confirmed when that individual confessed, explaining that he acted in self-defense. The full CRU report is available here.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Our legal system failed Emel McDowell when he was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1990 and his release years later was conditioned on an admission to a crime he did not commit. A full reinvestigation by our Conviction Review Unit confirmed that another individual fatally shot the victim, as Mr. McDowell has consistently maintained, and today we will ask to give him his good name back. As prosecutors, it is our obligation to do justice in every case, and I am committed to continuing this important work to enhance fairness and community trust.”

Mr. McDowell will appear in court today at 11 a.m. before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew D’Emic at 320 Jay Street, 15^th Floor.

The District Attorney said that based on the testimony of two witnesses, McDowell, who was 17 at the time of the murder, was convicted of killing 19-year-old Jonathan Powell following a fight inside a party in the early hours of October 27, 1990. The police investigation lasted less than 24 hours despite conflicting accounts from several witnesses. In his statement to investigating officers, McDowell claimed that it was his friend who shot and killed the victim.

Despite indications from other witnesses that the friend may have been culpable, only McDowell stood trial. A jury convicted him of murder and weapons possession, and he was sentenced to 22 years to life in prison. McDowell subsequently drafted and filed numerous motions proclaiming his innocence and asking that his conviction be thrown out or that his sentence be reduced. In a 2007 motion to set aside the verdict, the defendant submitted a letter, sent to him from his former friend in 1991, in which the former friend alluded to the fact that he was responsible, writing in part: “I don’t think I deserve to walk the face of the earth because one of my friends is locked up, for something that he didn’t do.”

The 2007 motion also included affidavits from six witnesses, all of whom said McDowell was not the shooter, and three of whom indicated that it was the friend who shot the victim. A judge ordered a hearing and, before it commenced, prosecutors offered the defendant a plea to manslaughter and a sentence of six to 18 years, which effectively meant that he could be released from prison. When accepting the plea, after lengthy consideration, the defendant admitted in court that he possessed a handgun and was acting in concert with his friend when the friend fatally shot the victim.

McDowell’s lawyer asked CRU to reinvestigate the case, claiming that his client was pressured to plead guilty because he didn’t want to spend one more day in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. The Unit reinterviewed many of the witnesses as well as others involved in the prosecution and became all but convinced of the veracity of the former friend’s 1991 letter. CRU also confirmed that the letter was given to the defense attorney before trial, but he did not investigate it and did not alert the prosecution to its existence.

The CRU interviewed the former friend in the presence of his attorney. He said that there was an altercation inside the party between McDowell’s and his group of friends, and another group of young men, including the deceased. He went on to say that, as the group exited the location, the deceased (who earlier threatened to kill the friend and members of his group) ran at them and he then shot him in self-defense. He added that the McDowell was not armed. The friend also confirmed that he was never contacted by McDowell’s defense lawyer. The CRU found that his “demeanor and emotional state throughout the interview demonstrated that he was overwhelmed with guilt and relieved to confess.”

The CRU further found that the short police investigation was inadequate as it did not explore the distinct possibility, advanced by some of the witnesses, that the friend was the shooter. That was likely due to tunnel vision and confirmation bias that led “the police to focus on one suspect and discount evidence to the contrary,” according to the report. It also found that the defense counsel failed to follow up on evidence implicating the friend, which CRU reviewed and found persuasive.

In light of these findings, the CRU concluded that the plea agreement to manslaughter – offered by prosecutors in good faith and accepted by the defendant reluctantly – was not warranted. Accordingly, it recommended that the conviction be vacated, and the underlying indictment dismissed.

The CRU referred the case to the Homicide Bureau to determine the viability of any additional prosecution.

To date, the work of the Conviction Review Unit has resulted in the vacatur of 35 convictions since 2014. Currently, CRU has approximately 50 open investigations.

This case was investigated by Assistant District Attorney Rachel Kalman of the District Attorney’s Conviction Review Unit, with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Lori Glachman, under the supervision of Charles Linehan, Unit Chief.

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