About Edwin Pineda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Former Chairman of Emergency Medicine at SUNY Downstate
Medical Center Sentenced to Up to Three Years in Prison

Defendant Admitted Stealing Nearly $1.5 Million, Used Business Credit Card for
Personal Travel and Purchases, College Tuition and Cash Advances

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, today announced that a now retired emergency medicine doctor has been sentenced to one to three years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty in June to grand larceny for stealing approximately $1.44 million by using a business credit card for personal purchases and cash advances.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant was entrusted with a leadership role at a critical Brooklyn medical institution and violated that trust by stealing nearly $1.5 million. SUNY Downstate does vital, lifesaving work, and these stolen funds could have been used to support patient care and medical services. Instead, they were diverted for personal expenses over a period of years. With today’s sentence, the defendant is being held accountable for this serious breach of trust. We remain committed to protecting public institutions from fraud and abuse, and I commend our prosecutors, along with our partners in the Inspector General’s Office and the Department of Taxation and Finance, for their outstanding work on this case.”

Inspector General Lang said, “Our state funded hospitals rely on every dollar to provide care to their patients, and it shocks the conscience that a doctor entrusted with caring for our state’s most vulnerable communities would steal them to bankroll his luxury lifestyle. This case should serve as a stark warning to any public servant who would consider abusing their position of trust for personal gain. Thank you to my team and to District Attorney Gonzalez and his staff for their partnership in combatting public corruption.”

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “SUNY took immediate action and alerted authorities when these illegal activities were uncovered by SUNY’s auditors, and we greatly appreciate the partnership of the District Attorney and Inspector General, in particular, in bringing this matter to a close. With more stringent internal controls and comprehensive oversight systems in place, SUNY Downstate is now in a stronger position.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Dr. Michael Lucchesi, 67, of Staten Island. He was sentenced today to an indeterminate term of one to three years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Danny Chun. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree grand larceny on June 13, 2025. In addition, the defendant agreed to make restitution in the amount of $720,000, which included restitution of $63,926 to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance on the day of the guilty plea and restitution of $656,074 to Downstate Hospital’s clinical practice today.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between December 1, 2016 and January 31, 2023, the defendant, a medical doctor, who was the Chairman of Emergency Medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and at various points was the acting head of Downstate Hospital and the medical school, and was the Chief Medical Officer, made personal purchases using a credit card meant to be used for business purposes only by members of the clinical practice, University Physicians of Brooklyn, of SUNY Downstate.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant’s spending totaled approximately $1.44 million and included cash advances of approximately $115,000; pet care totaling $176,000 (including $120,000 paid to The Greenleaf Pet Resort & Hotel in New Jersey); $348,000 spent on personal travel; $109,000 in payments to the New York Sports Club for membership and personal training; $92,000 for premium seating for sporting events, concerts and Broadway shows; $52,000 in catering expenses; $46,000 in tuition payments for his children; and assorted payments for online shopping, flowers, liquor, electronics and other items.

The thefts were discovered by SUNY during an audit.

The District Attorney thanked Investigative Counsel Thomas Collery, Senior Investigative Auditor Angelus Okeke, Investigative Auditor Victoria Oliva, and Senior Investigator Jimmy Gibson, under the supervision of Chief of Investigations for the Downstate Regional Offices Ben Defibaugh, Deputy Inspector General for the New York City Regional Office Ken Michaels, and Chief Deputy Inspector General Michele Bayer of the Offices of the New York State Inspector General for their work on the case.

The District Attorney also thanked the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Criminal Investigations Division.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Chief Financial Investigator Ludwig Sanchez, Financial Investigator Jose Carlos Covas, Assistant District Attorney Dewey Golkin, Director of the Crimes Against Revenue Bureau, as well as KCDA Detective Investigators and Paralegal Jezebel Negrete-Ugaz, for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael Choi and Assistant District Attorney Andrew Kohler, both Special Counsel to the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, August 4, 2025

Crown Heights Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Breaking into
Ex-Girlfriend’s Apartment and Stabbing Romantic Rival

Defendant Convicted of Burglary and Assault at Trial

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced today that a Crown Heights man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home in the middle of the night and stabbing a romantic rival with a knife as he slept. The defendant was convicted at trial for the attack, which left the victim with life threatening injuries.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s sentence holds the defendant responsible for a brutal and horrifying act of violence that nearly cost an innocent man his life. Keeping the people of Brooklyn safe is my highest priority, and violent offenders like this defendant will face serious consequences.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Clifton Turner, 39, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Eugene Guarino to 12 years in prison and. The defendant was convicted of two counts of first-degree burglary, one count of second-degree assault and one count of petit larceny on September 23, 2024, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on the night of November 4, 2020, the defendant showed up at his ex-girlfriend’s apartment building on Pulaski Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The defendant was pacing back and forth in the lobby when he encountered the 26-year-old victim arriving on a bike. At the time, the victim was dating the defendant’s ex-girlfriend, but did not know the other man. The defendant followed the victim into the elevator and up to the woman’s sixth-floor apartment. There, the defendant accosted the victim and threatened to kill him. The woman, 29, opened the door to her apartment and pulled the victim inside, leaving the bike in the hallway. The defendant took the bike and left.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, on November 5, 2020, at approximately 3:30 a.m., the defendant broke into the apartment and forced his way into the bedroom where the victim and ex-girlfriend were sleeping. The defendant proceeded to stab the victim twice in the left arm, severing a vein and brachial artery. The defendant then confiscated their cellphones. The woman was able to get the knife from the defendant and throw it out a window. She escaped the apartment and called 911 from a corner store.

The defendant ran out of the apartment in pursuit of his ex-girlfriend. Police arrived at the scene and arrested him as he was riding the victim’s bike and in possession of the two stolen cellphones.

The victim was rushed to Kings County Hospital where he became pulseless and apneic for approximately 10 minutes before being resuscitated. He remained hospitalized for four days.

The District Attorney thanked the following individuals for their assistance on this case: Assistant District Attorney Robert Kaftal, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Law Enforcement Assistance Unit; Intelligence Analyst Lakeisha Taylor, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau; Paralegal Jared Jokl and Paralegal Supervisor Jason Martinez, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Detective Investigators who assisted on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Roman Galper, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Fabian Smallwood, formerly of District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Courtney Hogg, Deputy Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Robert Walsh, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, August 4, 2025

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Drunk Driving Crash That
Injured Two NYPD Officers and Passenger

Officers Hospitalized After Defendant Allegedly
Ran Red Light and Rolled SUV

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been arraigned on an indictment charging him with aggravated vehicular assault and related offenses for allegedly driving drunk, running a red light and crashing into a police vehicle — seriously injuring his passenger and two officers in Gravesend. Two additional individuals refused medical attention on the scene, and one person was treated by EMS on site.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant allegedly made the reckless decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated, causing serious injuries to numerous people, including two police officers who were simply doing their jobs. My office is fully committed to holding dangerous drivers accountable and keeping Brooklyn streets safe for everyone.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Diyrojon Sobirjonov, 24, of Midwood. He was arraigned today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Christopher Robles on an indictment in which he is charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault, two counts of first-degree vehicular assault, six counts of second-degree vehicular assault, three counts of second-degree assault, two counts of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol as a misdemeanor, reckless driving, failure to comply with a traffic control sign, excessive speed and driving in excess of maximum speed limits. Bail was set at $150,000 cash or $500,000 bond. The defendant was ordered to return to court on October 6, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on June 15, 2025, at approximately 2:30 a.m., the defendant was driving a 2024 Chevrolet Suburban northbound on Coney Island Avenue in Gravesend when he allegedly ran a red light at Avenue U at a high rate of speed and struck a 2024 Volvo in a T-bone crash. The Suburban then rolled over and slammed into a marked police vehicle, injuring two uniformed NYPD officers inside. The defendant’s front-seat passenger was ejected from the vehicle and was found lying unconscious in the street, bleeding heavily from the head. According to evidence obtained from the black box, the Suburban was traveling at about 88 mph (in a 25-mph zone), was at full throttle (suggesting the gas pedal was floored) and zero brake was applied at the time of the collision.

One officer suffered a fractured hip and femur, a chin laceration and underwent pelvic surgery that involved the insertion of a metal rod. The second officer sustained multiple pelvic fractures, a fractured arm and a concussion. Both officers required multiple surgeries following the crash. The passenger was in critical but stable condition.

The defendant allegedly had a blood alcohol content above the legal limit of .08.

The District Attorney thanked detectives of the NYPD’s Highway District Brooklyn Collision Investigation Squad and the detectives of the NYPD’s Brooklyn South Video Team for their case enhancement and assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Ghalmi, of the District Attorney’s Green Zone Trial Bureau, with assistance from Jennifer Nocella, Chief of the Street Safety Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Boykin, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Frank DeGaetano, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, July 11, 2025

Seven Alleged Gang Members Variously Indicted for
Attempted Murder and Gun Possession

Variously Charged in Connection with Five Separate Incidents in East Flatbush;
One Innocent Woman Struck; Another Almost Struck as She Sat in Beauty Salon

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, today announced that seven alleged members of the 8-Trey Crips gang were variously charged in connection with two attempted murder incidents and three cases of criminal possession of a weapon. All incidents happened in East Flatbush within a three-month span earlier this year and mostly involved the defendants allegedly firing at perceived rivals.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These cases are part of our ongoing efforts to get violent gang members off the streets and improve safety across Brooklyn. We do that through long-term conspiracy investigations and in response to individual incidents as we did today. The goal is the same: focusing on the small number of shooters who are willing to pick up a gun and open fire in our communities to ensure that they cannot harm anyone else. These incidents, where only innocent bystanders were struck or almost hit, exemplifies how dangerous this criminal behavior can be, and why it is vital for us to take swift action.”

Commissioner Tisch said, “The 8-Trey Crips gang allegedly turned East Flatbush into a violent playground, shooting and seriously injuring New Yorkers in broad daylight and putting many more lives at risk. That ends today. The NYPD has carried out more than 40 gang-related takedowns this year alone, resulting in over 300 arrests and the recovery of more than 230 illegal guns from our streets–and these arrests make one thing very clear: We are not backing down. I’m grateful to the investigators from the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Division and the 67th Precinct Detective Squad, as well as the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, for their relentless work to dismantle this criminal network and bring these young offenders to justice.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, “Gun violence puts lives at risk and tears at the fabric of our neighborhoods. We will never allow gang members to commit violence and act with impunity on New York City streets. With the arrest and indictments of these seven alleged 8-Trey Crips gang members, we are delivering justice for East Flatbush and sending a clear message that this kind of criminal activity will never be tolerated. Working with our law enforcement partners, we’re continuing to target the small number of people responsible for a large share of the violence — and we won’t stop until every New Yorker feels safe.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Jaziah Waldron, 17, Jahfyah Selassie, 20, Omar Jones, 16, Malik Johnson, 17, and Dylon Val, 15, who have been charged with a top count of second-degree attempted murder. In addition, Dymond George, 21, and another one of the defendants have been named in separate indictments charging them with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. George, Johnson, Val, and Jones were arraigned today. Salassie, Waldron and Gonzalez were arraigned in May. They were ordered held on bail ranging from $20,000 to $500,000, except for Johnson and Jones who were ordered released without bail.

The District Attorney said that the defendants are alleged 8-Trey gang members, a subset of the Crips under the Woo umbrella, who predominantly operate in the 40s blocks of East Flatbush. The five indictments pertain to these five incidents:

• • On February 19, 2025, at 5:05 p.m., one of the defendants allegedly fired into a beauty salon located on Snyder Avenue, nearly striking three innocent people inside, including a woman who reported a bullet whizzing through her hair.
  • On April 25, 2025, at 6:20 p.m., Waldron, with the help of Selassie, allegedly shot in the direction of a rival gang member on Church Avenue and struck an innocent woman in the hand. The two defendants allegedly swapped clothes with each other after the shooting.
  • On May 7, 2025, at 3:50 p.m., it is alleged that Val opened fire at an unknown target, believed to be a rival. The shooting took place in broad daylight with children visible in the video. No one was struck. The evidence shows that Johnson allegedly wore a backpack from which Val retrieved and returned the gun, then exchanged clothes with Val after the shooting. Jones allegedly pointed out the target and can be heard on video saying, “He’s right there, blow that s—t.”
  • On May 8, 2025, at 10 a.m., police responded to a 911 call about a group menacing someone with a gun. Responding officers observed Gonzalez allegedly throwing a gun under a car and another gun was allegedly recovered from Waldron.
  • On May 9, 2025, at 7:31 p.m., George allegedly shot at a rival gang member, according to ballistic and video evidence. No one was struck.

The investigation was conducted by the New York City Police Department’s Gun Violence Suppression Division and the 67th Precinct Detective Squad.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Kellen Michuda and James Buchsbaum, of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Douglas Marquez, Deputy Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Kin Ng, Bureau Chief.

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