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Eric Gonzalez

Acting District Attorney
Kings County

March 29, 2017

COMMUNITY PARTNER IN JUSTICE NOTIFICATION

Thirty-Four Defendants Charged with Operating Sprawling Narcotics
Distribution Ring that Sold Furanyl Fentanyl, Heroin and Cocaine

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that 34 people have been variously charged in a 357-count indictment with criminal sale of a controlled substance, conspiracy and other crimes for their alleged roles in a narcotics trafficking operation that sold heroin and cocaine, both in Brooklyn and beyond. The case also involves alleged sales of furanyl fentanyl, a relatively new and potent opiate analog.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, between June 2016 and March 2017, the defendants participated in a narcotics distribution operation that spanned all of New York City, some upstate New York counties, and Phoenix, Arizona.

The primary supplier of the ring was allegedly Nigel Maloney, who was based in Phoenix and would mail heroin and cocaine to Warren Appolon, who operated out of his home in Jamaica, Queens. Appolon is accused of supplying the narcotics to Willie Billingslea, who worked on behalf of the head of the Brooklyn-based distribution operation, Jerome Horton.

Furanyl fentanyl is a highly potent opiate that can be stronger than similar drugs and is often cheaper than heroin. Based on its slightly different chemical composition, it is not currently a controlled substance under New York State law, although the federal government listed it as a Schedule I controlled substance in November 2016.

It is alleged that Horton, Billingslea and their co-conspirators stored narcotics and sales proceeds under floor boards, in storage rooms and other locations. They also used vehicles equipped with elaborate hiding spaces (or “traps”) to store and transport the drugs. Customers contacted members of the operation by making phone calls or sending text messages to arrange transactions. The sales were typically completed during hand-to-hand transactions in vehicles, in buildings or on the street, throughout New York City, according to the indictment.

During the course of the investigation, a total of 2.455 kilograms of cocaine, 1.704 kilograms of heroin and 4.581 kilograms of furanyl fentanyl were recovered. In addition, 17 operable firearms were seized in the course of the investigation.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The indictment describes a sprawling narcotics ring that operated from Brooklyn across the city, the state and the country. Those who push these deadly poisons on our streets, concerned only with their own lucrative profits, devastate the communities where they operate and feed the disease of addiction, which ultimately touches all of us. Drug analogs, like the furanyl fentanyl in this case, highlight a dangerous gap in our narcotics laws that we will work to address with our partners in Albany.”

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

Read the full press release here.

Eric Gonzalez

Acting District Attorney
Kings County

March 22, 2017

COMMUNITY PARTNER IN JUSTICE NOTIFICATION

Brooklyn Man Charged for Posing as U.S. Immigration Employee,
Stealing $5,000 from Three People Seeking Services

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been charged with scheme to defraud, grand larceny and petit larceny for posing as an employee of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and stealing $5,000 from three individuals for immigration-related services he promised but never delivered.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, from March to April 2015, the defendant, Israel Torres, 57, of East New York, allegedly met three people — all immigrants or with immigrant family members — and told them that he was an employee of USCIS and could help with a range of immigration-related services for a fee. In one instance, the defendant allegedly approached a woman and asked if she wanted help bringing any family members into the country. The woman allegedly paid the defendant $800 to help get her relative to the U.S. and obtain a green card. In another instance, the defendant allegedly promised a woman that he could get her husband a green card, charging her $3,200. The defendant allegedly told a third woman that he could expedite her citizenship application, for which he charged her $1,000.

In none of the instances did the defendant deliver promised services nor did he return his victims’ money, save for one, to whom he gave a partial refund upon her demand. The investigation revealed that no green card application, citizenship application or related paperwork was filed with USCIS by the defendant on behalf of any of the victims or their family members, nor was the defendant employed by USCIS.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Not only is this defendant alleged to have stolen money, he betrayed immigrants who needed help. We will not allow scammers to take advantage of the current climate of fear and confusion in the immigrant community to line their own pockets while making false promises. Now more than ever, immigrants in our city must feel safe and know that law enforcement agencies are here to protect them. I am committed to preserving that trust and to prosecuting anyone who preys upon vulnerable members of this – and any other – community in Brooklyn.”

Steven Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition, said, “The New York Immigration Coalition commends District Attorney Gonzalez and his office for the arrest and charges against yet another unscrupulous provider of immigration services. In these terrifying times for immigrants we have seen a sharp rise in schemes that seek to prey on their fears of deportation. The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office has been a tremendous ally to the New York Immigration Coalition and New York’s immigrant communities for many years. They are a key member of the Protecting Immigrant New Yorkers (PINY) Task Force, and we look forward to continuing this close collaboration to ensure that our city remains a safe space for all.”

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

Read the full press release here.

Eric Gonzalez

Acting District Attorney
Kings County

March 22, 2017

COMMUNITY PARTNER IN JUSTICE NOTIFICATION

Former City Tax Auditor Indicted for Allegedly
Stealing over $243,000 from Sheriff’s Office Trust Accounts

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez yesterday announced that a former tax auditor who was employed by the New York City Sheriff’s Office has been charged with grand larceny and related counts for allegedly stealing over $243,000 from Trust Accounts that were under her authority. She allegedly used the money on a host of extravagant personal expenses, including plastic surgery, travel, car leases, Louboutin products and Raymour & Flanigan furniture.

It is alleged that between July and December 2013, the defendant, Kasara Wilson, 30, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, deposited checks written from the Queens County Sheriff’s Trust Account in the amounts of $4,871, $7,800, $104,804 and $38,585 into her personal accounts with Municipal Credit Union and JP Morgan Chase. In September 2014, she allegedly deposited an $87,593 check from the Kings County Sheriff’s Trust Account into her personal account. The total of all five checks was $243,654. In May 2016, the defendant allegedly deposited a $19,686 check from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Trust Account into her Chase account, but the bank returned that check. The defendant was suspended and subsequently resigned in June 2016.

The investigation found that money from the accounts into which the checks were deposited was spent on a host of personal expenses, including a trip to Miami and the leasing of a Nissan vehicle that was later upgraded to an Infiniti. In addition, the defendant made dozens of purchases at various businesses, such as: $1,950 at a plastic surgeon’s office, $1,600 at Christian Louboutin, over $3,500 at Diamond Hut Jewelry, over $400 at Gucci, over $1,500 at Michael Kors and over $9,500 at Raymour & Flanigan.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “What this defendant allegedly did was the ultimate betrayal of trust, taking money she was charged with safekeeping and spending it on her own lavish lifestyle. I will remain vigilant in prosecuting any form of public corruption.”

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

Read the full press release here.

Eric Gonzalez

Acting District Attorney
Kings County

March 21, 2017

COMMUNITY PARTNER IN JUSTICE NOTIFICATION

Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office Creates First-in-the-City
Comprehensive Campus Sexual Assault Response Initiative

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez yesterday announced his Office’s creation of a Campus Sexual Assault Response Initiative that will work proactively with college students and administrators to raise awareness of sexual assaults on campus, protect and support student survivors and foster cooperation among schools and law enforcement.

As part of the initiative, the DA’s Office and the campuses will partner with campus officials in a coordinated response to campus sexual assaults, enhancing reporting and investigation while ensuring an appropriate, comprehensive response. Representatives of the Office, in partnership with community organizations, will speak directly to new students arriving on campus during orientation and back-to-school activities. The Office will also offer training programs for campus staff.

The initiative’s task force will work to connect every campus survivor to the services of the Office’s Victim Services Unit, even in cases which do not result in criminal prosecution. Early access to complete services will enhance the investigative process while minimizing any additional trauma from involvement with the criminal justice system and ensuring that victims are fully and accurately informed as early as possible.

Finally, the Office will designate a staff member as a single point of contact for campus officials and law enforcement seeking guidance on issues related to campus sexual assault.

The Office launched the initiative last week, hosting representatives of 14 institutions of higher education to provide an overview of its vision and resources. The representatives, including Title IX coordinators, also heard from some of our partners, including: a member of the New York City Police Department’s Special Victims Squad; a social worker from our Victims Services Unit; and representatives of the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation Sexual Assault Response, and the New York City Anti-Violence Project. Finally, the audience heard a survivor story from an advocate at Day One, which provides education and training to youth under age 24.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Every student who enjoys our borough’s rich educational resources should learn and grow free from the threat of campus sexual assault and dating violence. We are the first District Attorney’s Office in New York City to dedicate specific resources to these crimes in the campus setting. Brooklyn joins this important national conversation, not only with our unequivocal commitment to every person affected by this conduct, but also with concrete action.”

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Eric Gonzalez

Acting District Attorney
Kings County

March 21, 2017

COMMUNITY PARTNER IN JUSTICE NOTIFICATION

Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office is Accepting Applications
For Summer High School Internship

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced the open application period for a summer internship program for high school students who live or attend school in the borough. Students with an interest in criminal justice or public service will participate in the comprehensive five-week program.

Selected students will be assigned to units within the DA’s office to support the work of Assistant District Attorneys and other members of the DA’s staff. They can expect to assist with legal research and analysis using the Internet, news articles and legal periodicals; assist attorneys on pretrial matters; work on case preparation, discovery, file maintenance and organizing court documents; participate in trial zone workshops; participate in judicial, legal and law enforcement-related field trips; and observe criminal proceedings including trials, guilty pleas and sentencings.

The program is open to qualifying sophomores, juniors and rising seniors who must be able to commit to the entire duration of the program. It will run from July 10, 2017 to August 11, 2017, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Students will receive a $150 weekly stipend and commuting costs. Applicants are required to supply their most recent school transcripts, a one-page resume, two letters of recommendation and evaluation forms from either a teacher, coach or mentor, and must submit a 300 word typed essay (12 pt. font and double-spaced) on why they are interested in interning with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office and what impact they think it will have on their future personal and professional endeavors.

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Gonzalez said, “We are excited to host this hands-on and interactive internship program offering high school students the chance to work directly with Assistant District Attorneys and gain valuable real world experiences. Participating students will receive an insider’s view of the criminal justice system and the chance to be mentored in a professional workplace setting. We are proud to partner with the United Federation of Teachers to provide this opportunity for Brooklyn students.”

To apply, please visit www.brooklynda.org/internships, no later than May 5, 2017.

For further information, please contact us at hsinternships@brooklynda.org.

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Eric Gonzalez

Acting District Attorney
Kings County

March 8, 2017

COMMUNITY PARTNER IN JUSTICE NOTIFICATION

Largest Gun Bust in Brooklyn History: 24 People Indicted
For Gun Trafficking, with 217 Weapons Purchased in Virginia
To be Sold on the Streets of Brooklyn

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, today announced that 24 individuals — 22 of whom are residents of Virginia — have been charged in a 627-count indictment with weapons offenses and conspiracy for trafficking guns purchased in Virginia to be sold on the streets of Brooklyn.

According to the indictment, 10 of the defendants brought anywhere from two to 12 guns at a time to Brooklyn or Manhattan from Virginia. The defendants allegedly traveled by car or bus to New York with the firearms and met the purchaser to complete the sale. Other defendants are accused as so-called ‘straw purchasers,’ individuals who, while legally entitled to purchase firearms under Virginia law, allegedly did so in this case only in order to give them to other defendants for illegal resale.

According to the investigation, the sales took place at various locations in Brooklyn, including in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Fort Greene, Sunset Park, and Boerum Hill. The firearms and ammunition were sold at a significant profit. The purchaser paid on average between $800 and $1,200 per hand gun and approximately $1,800 to $2,200 for the assault weapons.

The weapons recovered during the course of the investigation include assault weapons such as AK-47s, AR-15s, Thomson Industries (a.k.a. Tommy guns), Mossberg 715Ts, and MAC-10s. The handguns include a .45 caliber Desert Eagle 1911, Glocks with extended ammunition magazines and 50 round ammunition drums, and handguns of various calibers including .45 caliber, .40 caliber, .380 caliber, and 9mm.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “In this unique case, we charged more defendants and recovered more firearms than in any other case in Brooklyn’s history. We will go wherever we must, including other states, to continue fighting the scourge of firearms trafficking. We will not rest until every individual allegedly importing illegal guns into our borough – and with them death and violence – has seen their names on an indictment like this one.”

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

Read the full press release here.

Eric Gonzalez

Acting District Attorney
Kings County

March 1, 2017

COMMUNITY PARTNER IN JUSTICE NOTIFICATION

Brooklyn Construction Company, Long Beach Owner with Public Contracts Charged with Underpaying Workers by Over Half a Million Dollars

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn-based construction company and its owner have been charged with underpaying employees assigned to public works projects, stealing more than $568,000 in wages. The projects were financed by the New York City School Construction Authority and other government agencies.

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendants as Michael Riglietti, 49, of Long Beach, New York, and his company MSR Electrical Construction Company, previously located at 31 Bay Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

According to the investigation, the defendants were granted 15 public works contracts from three government agencies between December 2012 and December 2015. In particular, the defendants were contracted by the NYC SCA to complete electrical work in 13 public schools including four Brooklyn schools: P.S. 164 and P.S. 767 in Borough Park, and P.S. 297 and I.S. 49 in Williamsburg. The defendants were also contracted by the New York State Office of General Services to perform work at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens, and as subcontractors by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for services at five locations in Manhattan and Queens.

The defendants listed the names of four electricians on the certified payroll reports, which asserted that the defendants had paid all workers the required prevailing wage of between $51-$54 per hour, plus benefits of $42.45-$50.13. The defendants are accused of instead paying their employees between $13.50-$25 per hour, without overtime or required benefits, pocketing over $500,000 in public funds that rightfully belonged to the four employees.

The Acting District Attorney has filed an asset forfeiture action seeking to recover the victims’ lost wages.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These defendants were entrusted with public funds for public projects and, in exchange, they promised to pay the prevailing wage to their employees, who were repairing Brooklyn schools and other facilities. As alleged, the defendants breached that trust, falsifying official records and stealing the hard-earned wages of their employees. This prosecution shows that employers who think they can siphon employee wages without repercussions are mistaken, and we will also work to make sure these employees are fully compensated.”

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

Read the full press release here.

Eric Gonzalez

Acting District Attorney
Kings County

February 16, 2017

COMMUNITY PARTNER IN JUSTICE NOTIFICATION

Nine Alleged Gang Members and Associates Indicted for
Stealing over $94,000 in Bank Larceny Scheme

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that nine alleged gang members and their associates have been charged for allegedly stealing over $94,000 from banks by depositing counterfeit checks and withdrawing available funds before the forgery was detected.

It is alleged that the defendants recruited individuals to open new accounts or provide them with personal information of existing accounts at Bank of America, TD Bank, Capital One and JP Morgan Chase. When customers deposit checks into retail accounts, these banks make a certain amount available to customers even though the checks have not cleared the institution that issued them. The defendants and co-conspirators quickly withdrew the available funds before the checks were discovered to be fraudulent, causing monetary losses to the banks (which credited the affected account holders), according to the indictments. Most of the check deposits took place at ATM locations, according to the investigation.

The Acting District Attorney said that during certain periods between June 2014 and March 2016, the defendants deposited a total of 241 allegedly counterfeit checks into 71 bank accounts and then made withdrawals.

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendants as Trumane Gibbs, 23, of East Flatbush; Michael Morris, 21, of Crown Heights; Darnell Brown, 24, of Brownsville; Tevon Allen, 28, of Flatlands; Daquan Johnson, 24, of Flatbush; Timothy Brown, 23, of Ditmas Park; Jeffrey Debrosse, 27, of Midwood; Julian Hubbard, 21, of East Flatbush; and Jermel Belfast, 30, of Flatbush.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “We now know that gang members are increasingly using financial fraud to pay for their lifestyle – like they allegedly did in the simple yet very lucrative scheme charged in these indictments. We will continue to investigate and prosecute this facet of gang activity to get dangerous individuals off the streets and make sure stolen money isn’t used to fund violent acts.”

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

Read the full press release here.

Eric Gonzalez

Acting District Attorney
Kings County

February 15, 2017

COMMUNITY PARTNER IN JUSTICE NOTIFICATION

Ex-Boyfriend Charged in Execution Death of Correction Officer

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 35-year-old man has been indicted for the murder of a New York City Correction Officer who was shot five times while sitting in her car in Bergen Beach, Brooklyn last December. The defendant’s current girlfriend has been charged with hindering prosecution.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on the night of December 4, 2016, the victim, Alastasia Bryan, 25, was sitting in her car at the corner of Avenue L and East 73rd Street, in Bergen Beach, Brooklyn. She was preparing to drive to Rikers Island, where she worked as a Correction Officer, when she was shot five times by the defendant, Keon Richmond, 35, of Kensington.

After shooting Officer Bryan, according to the investigation, Richmond fled the scene in a Hyundai Elantra, which had license plates registered to co-defendant, Shirley Mejia, 24, of Paterson, New Jersey. It is alleged that two days after the murder, Mejia paid to have the car stored at a mechanic’s shop in New Jersey and that Richmond removed the plates. Cell site records, surveillance video and other electronic data placed the defendant at the scene of the homicide at the time of this murder and captured his flight to New Jersey after the shooting.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Officer Alastasia Bryan never even had a chance to defend herself from this cowardly defendant, who allegedly ambushed her in a deliberate, cold-blooded and calculated shooting. We now intend to hold him and his current girlfriend accountable for their alleged roles in this case as we seek justice for Officer Bryan’s heartbroken family and friends.”

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

Read the full press release here.

Eric Gonzalez

Acting District Attorney
Kings County

February 10, 2017

COMMUNITY PARTNER IN JUSTICE NOTIFICATION

Gravesend Man Indicted for Murder of 3-Year-Old Boy

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Gravesend man has been indicted on murder and other charges following a recent ruling by the Office of the New York City Medical Examiner that the defendant’s beating caused the death of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old son, Jaden Jordan. He was previously charged with assault in December.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the victim, Jaden Jordan, 3, was left home alone with the defendant, Salvatore Lucchese, 24, while the victim’s mother was at work, between approximately 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., on November 28, 2016. At approximately 4:30 p.m., emergency personnel responded to the victim’s home after the defendant called 911 and reported that the child was unconscious.

The victim, found unresponsive, was taken to Coney Island Hospital and then transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center where he remained after falling into a coma. Later examination revealed that Jaden had sustained severe head trauma and a fractured skull. He was removed from life support on Saturday, December 3, 2016, and died the same day. The Office of the New York City Medical Examiner last week ruled the death a homicide, finding the cause of death to be abusive head and neck trauma.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Jaden Jordan was a helpless, defenseless child who the defendant was supposed to be caring for. Instead, he allegedly beat him so severely that the little boy died. We are determined to see that he is held responsible for this senseless and very tragic loss.”

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

Read the full press release here.