Dyker Heights Woman Indicted for Starting a Fire In her Building and Killing Two Tenants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 11, 2017

 

Dyker Heights Woman Indicted for Starting a Fire
In her Building and Killing Two Tenants

Allegedly Lit up a Trash Can; Accelerant Detected on her Shoes

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 22-year-old woman from Dyker Heights, Brooklyn has been indicted for arson and murder in connection with a fatal fire that killed two tenants in the building where she lived. The defendant allegedly set a fire in a trash can located in a first-floor staircase, then left the building.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The alleged actions of this defendant displayed a complete and callous disregard for human life, and caused two tragic but avoidable deaths. We will now seek justice for the victims and their loved ones for the heartbreaking loss that they suffered.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Joanna Mei, 22, of 11th Avenue in Dyker Heights. She was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog on an indictment in which she is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of first-degree arson. She was ordered held without bail and to return to court on February 6, 2018. The defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on November 9, 2017, a little before 7 a.m., the defendant, who lived on the top floor of a three-story building, allegedly lit a candle and newspapers that were in a trash can in the first-floor staircase. She flipped the can and left the building with the fire still burning, the evidence shows.

The blaze spread quickly and killed Xi Huang, 58, and Feng Xu, 56, who lived in the building.

Video surveillance captured the defendant exiting the building moments before calls were made to 911 to report the fire. Traces of an accelerant were detected on the defendant’s shoes.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Ernest Chin, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Bureau Chief.

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

 

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Killing his Adoptive Mother

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, December 8, 2017

 

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Killing his Adoptive Mother

Victim, 70, was Bound with Cords and Strangled inside her Canarsie Home

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 28-year-old man has been arraigned for murder and other charges for allegedly killing his 70-year-old adoptive mother, who was found bound and strangled inside her home in July.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The dastardly killing of a beloved senior citizen, allegedly by her own son, is truly shocking. We are committed to bringing this defendant to justice for this brutal and unspeakable crime.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Jayvon Mulzac, 28, of Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and first-degree unlawful imprisonment. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on February 14, 2018. The defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on July 18, 2017, Noreen Mulzac, 70, was found dead inside her home in Canarsie, Brooklyn, with her legs bound with electric cords. Her house was ransacked. The cause of death was determined to be ligature strangulation.

The investigation revealed that the defendant was at the victim’s house the day of the murder and her cell phone was later used by the defendant, who was arrested in August in Pittsfield, Massachusetts for misdemeanor assault. He was extradited back to Brooklyn yesterday.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michelle Weber, Chief of the District Attorney’s Elder Abuse Unit, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Mark Pagliuco, Deputy Unit Chief, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michelle Kaminsky, Chief of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau.

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

 

Twenty Individuals – Including Four Doctors – Charged with Enterprise Corruption in Massive $146 Million Health Care Fraud

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 5, 2017

 

Twenty Individuals – Including Four Doctors – Charged with Enterprise Corruption in Massive $146 Million Health Care Fraud; Allegedly Spent Proceeds on Luxury Properties, High-End Designer Goods and Jewelry

Defendants Allegedly Recruited Patients from Homeless and Low-Income Population;
Ordered Unnecessary Medical Tests and Procedures, Then Billed Insurers

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with United States Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General New York region Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert, New York City Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks, New York State Medicaid Inspector General Dennis Rosen and New York State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo today announced that four doctors are among 34 defendants – 20 individuals and 14 corporations – named in an 878-count indictment that alleges that they participated in a massive scheme to defraud Medicaid, Medicare and other publicly-funded insurance providers of approximately $146 million over three years.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These defendants allegedly exploited the poorest among us to divert millions of dollars from publicly-funded insurance programs these same vulnerable people rely on. Some of the defendants then used the stolen funds to maintain a lavish lifestyle consisting of multi-million dollar homes, expensive handbags and luxury travel. This massive scheme, which provided no patient care at all, wasted millions of taxpayer dollars dedicated to Medicaid and Medicare, which serve as a lifeline for so many Americans – our families, our friends, our neighbors. I cannot and will not allow this type of corruption and fraud to take place in Brooklyn and will spend every resource to stop it.”

Special Agent in Charge Lampert said, “Yet another fraudulent scheme involving doctors and other providers charged with fleecing vital government health programs serving vulnerable individuals. Criminals who place personal greed over patient care will be held accountable and prosecuted. Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will ensure that justice is done.”

Commissioner Banks said, “To prey on those most in need of help by pocketing the funds desperately needed for their medical care is a betrayal of everything that social services and medical professions stand for. I am grateful for the hard work of everyone at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, our partners in the State and Federal government, and our own Office of Medicaid Provider Fraud and Abuse Investigations for their diligent work investigating these serious allegations.”

Inspector General Rosen said, “This collaborative investigation and resulting indictment send an unmistakable message to those who seek personal gain by preying upon vulnerable New Yorkers and exploiting the Medicaid program: ‘you will be identified and held fully accountable.’ My office will continue to work closely with our partners in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, NYC Human Resources Administration, NYS Department of Health, and other state and federal agencies to protect Medicaid recipients and save taxpayer dollars by rooting out fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicaid program.”

Superintendent Vullo said, “These defendants allegedly created a criminal enterprise to systemically pickpocket programs meant for those who can least afford healthcare, bilking publicly funded health insurance providers for tens of millions of taxpayer dollars. As the regulator of New York State health insurers and the enforcement agency charged with rooting out insurance fraud, DFS is proud to have partnered with the Brooklyn DA’s office in investigating these defendants, and helping to bring them to justice.”

The Acting District Attorney identified Kristina Mirbabayeva, 35, of Bridge Street, in Downtown Brooklyn, as the alleged leader of the scheme. Other alleged high-level members of the enterprise include Dr. Kevin Custis, 53, of Belle Meade, New Jersey, who was Mirbabayeva’s alleged business partner; Vladislav Yakubov, 46, of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, who allegedly managed recruiting clinics with Kamal Zafar, 49, of South Huntington, New York; and Natan Yusufov, 54, of Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, Igor Shamayev, 47, of Midwood, and Vitalik Ifraimov, 58, of Ocean Parkway, alleged money launderers. Some of the defendants were arraigned before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun this morning on an indictment in which they are variously charged with enterprise corruption, first-degree scheme to defraud, first-, second-, third- and fourth-degree money laundering, first, second- and fifth-degree health care fraud, first-degree falsifying business records, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, first-, second- and fourth-degree grand larceny and first-degree scheme to defraud. The defendants are being arraigned throughout the day and bail set in varying amounts.

If convicted, they face up to 25 years in prison on the top count. See addendum for identities of other defendants charged in this indictment.

The investigation began following a referral from HHS-OIG and was conducted using multiple investigative techniques, including undercover detectives, intercepted communications, surveillance and financial analysis.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, between January 1, 2015 and November 30, 2017, the defendants – four of whom are doctors – engaged in a criminal enterprise by intentionally participating in a pattern of criminal activity through the fraudulent operation of medical clinics and the submission of fraudulent claims to Medicaid, Medicare and Managed Care Organizations. In addition to doctors, one of whom signed off on the test referrals and three of whom signed off on test readings, the defendants include office staff, recruiters, managers, billers and money launderers.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, the enterprise fraudulently billed for more than $146 million over the period covered by the indictment in a scheme in which recruiters for the enterprise went out to low-income areas and approached people on the street, including outside of a soup kitchen in East New York and a job center in Bushwick, and offered them cash, usually $30 to $40, if they could produce a Medicaid or Medicare card and would agree to be transported to and examined at a medical clinic. If the person agreed, they were taken to one of the participating clinics, which were located in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Canarsie and Crown Heights. Recruiters were paid anywhere from $30 to $50 per patient.

Once there, patients cycled through a battery of medically unnecessary tests done by technicians, according to the investigation, including allergy tests, cardiograms, ultrasounds, and nerve tests. Reading doctors, i.e., those who analyzed the tests, were paid $25 to $50 per test read. Referring doctors, i.e., those who signed relevant paperwork for the testing, were paid varying amounts.

In one instance, for example, an undercover officer was recruited and paid $30 to undergo testing at a clinic, where he spent less than an hour undergoing a few medical tests with no doctor present, yet records show that Mirbabayeva’s billing companies billed for 18 separate tests for that visit. Had those tests been performed, according to the investigation, they would have taken more than 12 hours to complete.

In another egregious example, one of the doctors charged in the case, Dr. Hamid Alam, is allegedly heard in an intercepted phone call saying that he’s falling behind and has 15,000 tests to sign off on. Clearly, this would be unacceptable if these were valid tests for which patients were waiting for a diagnosis.

Finally, it is alleged, the defendants laundered the fraudulently obtained funds through the bank accounts of a series of shell companies, including ones in China, Singapore, Lithuania, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Turkey, until they were transferred to certain defendants.

The investigation revealed that the defendants allegedly used the laundered proceeds to purchase expensive real estate, such as a $3.25 million apartment in Downtown Brooklyn purchased in cash by Mirbabayeva, and a $2.8 million Brighton Beach apartment purchased by Yakubov. Mirbabayeva also allegedly used the money to fund shopping sprees at high-end retailers such as Hermes, Tourneau and Bulgari.

The Acting District Attorney said that asset forfeiture proceedings have been commenced against the defendants seeking approximately $146 million. Eleven properties worth more than $10 million and more than 100 bank accounts allegedly belonging to the defendants have been frozen.

The case was investigated by Detective Investigator Ismael Zayas and Supervising Detective Investigator Robert Addonizio, of the District Attorney’s Investigations Bureau, under the supervision of Edwin Murphy, Deputy Chief and Joseph Piraino, Interim Chief Investigator.

Investigative Analyst Janelle Cacopardo, Supervising Paralegal Agostino Bianco and Paralegal Edward Joyce, of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, assisted in the investigation.

Additionally assisting in the investigation are Senior Assistant District Attorney John Genovese, Assistant District Attorney Joel Greenwald, Senior Assistant District Attorney Rajeev Garg, Financial Investigator Ludwig Sanchez, Financial Investigator Veronica Beltran, Financial Investigator Juel Fenty, Supervising Financial Investigator Susan Ryan, Financial Analyst Roseann Schembri, Financial Analyst Julia Webb, Supervising Financial Investigator Kandi Conquest and Financial Investigator Marina Kuchmar of the District Attorney’s Asset Forfeiture and Crimes Against Revenue Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gregory Mitchel, Bureau Chief.

The case was also investigated by Special Agent Agnieszka Zajac of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, under the supervision of Assistant Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, under the overall supervision of Special Agent in Charge Scott Lampert.

The District Attorney thanked our partners in the investigation, including United States Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, New York City’s Human Resources Administration’s Office of Medicaid Provider Fraud and Abuse Investigation, New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, New York State Department of Health, New York State Department of Financial Services, the New York State Police and the New York City Police Department.

The Acting District Attorney additionally thanked New York City Police Department Detective Gerard Amato of the KCDA NYPD Squad who investigated the case under the supervision of Sergeant Dominic Longo and the overall supervision of Captain Matthew Zuss.

The case was investigated and is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Gibson, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Health Care Fraud Unit, Senior Assistant District Attorney Ron Carny, of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant District Attorney Paul Wooten, of the Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Christopher Blank, Chief of the District Attorney’s Organized Crime and Racketeering Bureau, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division.

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

 

DEFENDANT ADDENDUM: 

  1. Dr. Hamid Alam, M.D., 49, of Jericho, New York.
  2. Donnie Bryant, a.k.a., Malik, 52, of DeKalb Avenue, Brooklyn.
  3. Dr. Kevin Custis, M.D., 53, of Belle Meade, New Jersey.
  4. Dr. Jeffrey Chess, 53, M.D., of Glen Head, New York.
  5. Irina Fedorova, 56, of East 1st Street, Brooklyn.
  6. Darren Ford, 51, of New York Avenue, Brooklyn.
  7. Boris Gibel, 41, of Flagg Place, Staten Island.
  8. Vitalik Ifraimov, 58, of Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn.
  9. Deon Johnson, a.k.a., Yung, 32, of Tapscott Street, Brooklyn.
  10. Sukhrob Kabilov, 37, of Flushing, New York.
  11. Alexander Kopenkin, 31, of Bridge Street, Brooklyn.
  12. Gledis Leyzer, 24, of Oceana Drive, Brooklyn.
  13. Kristina Mirbabayeva, 35, of Bridge Street, Brooklyn.
  14. Albert Normatov, 42, of Ocean Avenue, Brooklyn.
  15. David Riley, 48, of New York Avenue, Brooklyn.
  16. Igor Shamayev, a.k.a., Igor, 47, of East 24th Street, Brooklyn.
  17. Dr. Robert Vaccarino, M.D., 61, of Breezy Point, New York.
  18. Vladislav Yakubov, 46, of Oceana Drive, Brooklyn.
  19. Natan Yusufov, 54, of Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn.
  20. Kamal Zafar, 49, of Huntington, New York.
  21. Advanced Multi-Diagnostic Services Inc.
  22. Capi Solutions
  23. CK Medical Diagnostic Services, P.C.
  24. Comprehensive Medical Diagnostic, P.C.
  25. Hasadim Services, Inc.
  26. IMC Supply, Inc.
  27. Lucent, Inc.
  28. Professional Marketing Group
  29. Pro-Imaging Services, Inc.
  30. Rekonekt, Inc.
  31. Rom Blt
  32. Total Enterprises
  33. Tovushi, Inc.
  34. Universal Imaging Company, Inc.

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 90 Years to Life for Triple Homicide in Fort Greene

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 4, 2017

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 90 Years to Life for
Triple Homicide in Fort Greene

Executed Two Alleged Rivals and Fatally Struck Innocent Bystander

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 33-year-old Brooklyn man was sentenced to 90 years to life in prison for killing three people, including a 76-year-old innocent bystander, near a New York City Housing Authority Complex in Fort Greene in September 2015.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant chose to settle a score with a gun, killing two men and tragically striking a senior citizen who just happened to be in the area, killing him too. This ruthless violence makes the defendant unfit to be part of our community, and today’s sentence ensures that he will spend the rest of his life behind bars.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Allen Cooper, 33, of Fort Greene, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog to 90 years to life in prison following his conviction last month on three counts of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon after a jury trial.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on September 20, 2015, at approximately 1:45 a.m., the defendant approached Lacount Simmons, 39, and Calvin Clinkscales, 43, as they walked on Fleet Walk near the Ingersoll Houses in Fort Greene and fatally shot them. Simmons was shot in the head, back and torso, and Clinkscales was shot in the head and torso. The third victim, Herbert Brown, 76, was struck in the abdomen by a stray bullet.

According to the evidence, the defendant was arrested on April 22, 2016, in an apartment in Fayetteville, North Carolina, after an anonymous caller told the New York City Police Department where he was staying. The suspect was also captured on video surveillance near the Ingersoll Houses running from the scene of the shooting.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Howard Jackson, Deputy Bureau Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Sasha Pemberton, of the District Attorney’s Green Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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Brooklyn Man Indicted for Raping his Ex-Girlfriend After Killing her Friend with a Knife

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, December 1, 2017

 

Brooklyn Man Indicted for Raping his Ex-Girlfriend
After Killing her Friend with a Knife

Pushed his Way through Window, Slit Woman’s Throat and Assaulted
Second Victim as her Daughter hid in Bedroom

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 40-year-old Brooklyn man has been indicted for first-degree murder, rape, burglary and many other charges for entering his ex-girlfriend’s apartment in Seagate, slitting her friend’s throat, and raping and holding her captive for hours as her 11-year-old daughter hid in a bedroom.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The depravity of this defendant’s alleged actions is almost beyond words. He inflicted unimaginable terror and horror on this family and took the life of their innocent and beloved friend. I intend to make sure that he is held responsible for each and every crime with which he is charged.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Ruslan Baimov, 40, of Seagate, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog on an indictment in which he is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, first-degree burglary, predatory sexual assault and related counts. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on February 9, 2018. The defendant faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of the top count.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, around midnight on October 29, 2017, the defendant allegedly entered the Seagate apartment of his former girlfriend, who had recently ended their relationship, by pushing in a window air conditioner unit. When the 38-year-old woman came out of the shower, she found him in the kitchen, holding a knife to the throat of her friend, 42-year-old Larysa Saad, who was visiting her that night.

The defendant allegedly slit Saad’s throat and she was left bleeding from the neck for hours. He then cut the other woman’s clothes, ran the knife up and down her body, causing a laceration to her leg, and raped her. He remained in the apartment for approximately five hours before leaving. The rape victim’s 11-year-old daughter was hiding in a bedroom during the incident.

Saad was taken to Coney Island Hospital, where she died of her injuries on November 7, 2017.

The defendant is also charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree sexual abuse and related counts for an incident that happened on October 23, 2017, in which he allegedly entered his ex-girlfriend’s home, cut her clothes with a knife and molested her.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Olatokunbo Olaniyan, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Sarah Arena, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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

 

Brownsville Man Convicted of Murder for Fatally Stabbing to Death His Estranged Wife After Following Her Home from Work

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, December  1, 2017

 

Brownsville Man Convicted of Murder for Fatally Stabbing to Death
His Estranged Wife After Following Her Home from Work

Defendant Slit Victim’s Throat, Stabbed Her Multiple Times as She Sat in Her Car

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 55-year-old man has been convicted of second-degree murder for fatally stabbing his 45-year-old estranged wife right after she pulled up to her friend’s house after work.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The victim in this case never had a chance to protect herself once this defendant pounced on her and slit her throat. He has now been held accountable for this vicious and senseless stabbing death of a woman he once proclaimed to love.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Beresford Ashley, 55, of Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was convicted yesterday of second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon following a jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Ruth Shillingford. He will be sentenced on December 15, 2017, at which time he faces 25 years to life in prison.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on September 13, 2016, at approximately 11:37 a.m., the defendant showed up at the workplace of his estranged wife, Karen Ashley, at a nursing home on Linden Boulevard. She saw him and went back into the building and alerted security. A security officer then walked her to her car and she drove to her friend’s house, located at 1483 Blake Avenue.

As she was pulling up to her friend’s house 10 minutes later, according to trial testimony, the defendant blocked her with his car and got into the back seat of her car. Once inside, he stabbed her multiple times about her body and cut her throat from side to side. The victim’s friend came out of her house and the defendant fled. She found the victim slumped over and called 911.

At approximately 1:30 a.m., on September 14, 2016, the defendant walked into the 78 precinct with his hand bleeding and told officers he had an argument with his wife and may have committed an offense. The evidence showed that blood found in the victim’s car was a mixture of her DNA and the defendant’s, and the t-shirt the defendant was wearing contained a mixture of both of their DNA.

The Acting District Attorney said that this was the first Brooklyn trial to use STRmix technology. STRmix is an analytical software that helps DNA analysts interpret mixtures and calculates statistics. In this case, there was blood from both the victim and the defendant and the software assisted the analyst in isolating the defendant’s DNA.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sabeeha Madni and Assistant District Attorney Abed Bhuyan, of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michele Kaminsky, Bureau Chief.

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Twin Brothers from Mill Basin Indicted in Connection with The Killing and Dumping of their Roommate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 30, 2017

 

Twin Brothers from Mill Basin Indicted in Connection with
The Killing and Dumping of their Roommate

Weighed Body Down with Construction Materials and Threw it in Jamaica Bay;
Apprehended in Indiana Following a High Speed Chase

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that twin brothers from Brooklyn have been variously charged with murder and hindering prosecution for allegedly killing their roommate, then wrapping the body with tarp, weighing it down with construction materials and dumping it into a Jamaica Bay inlet.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This brutal murder and the calculated disposal of the body are truly disturbing. Thanks to outstanding investigatory work, we have been able to charge the alleged perpetrators and bring them back to Brooklyn. We will now seek to hold them responsible for what they did.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendants as Louis and Vincent Iacono, both 36, from Mill Basin, Brooklyn. They were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog on an indictment in which Louis Iacono is charged with second-degree murder, Vincent Iacono is charged with first-degree hindering prosecution and both are charged with tampering with physical evidence. Louis Iacono was remanded without bail and Vincent Iacono was held on $250,000 bail. Both were ordered to return to court on February 9, 2018. Louis Iacono faces up to 25 years to life in prison and Vincent Iacono faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, sometime between August 30 and August 31, 2017, Louis Iacono fatally struck 35-year-old Carmine Carini in the head with a hammer inside a home they shared on East 64th Street in Mill Basin, Brooklyn.

On September 2, 2017 the victim’s body was recovered from the waters of Mill Basin inlet, off Jamaica Bay. The victim suffered massive head trauma, including skull and jaw fractures. The body was wrapped in blue tarp and weighed down with a cinder block and a bucket filled with construction materials, the investigation found. Surveillance videos captured the defendants carry the materials into their apartment and later dumping the body.

A short time after the body was discovered, the defendants were apprehended in Henry County Indiana. They were stopped by a Sheriff Deputy for tailgating, and then took off, leading police on a high speed chase for approximately 12 miles until they were caught at a Walmart store. Three hammers were recovered from the trunk of their car and tested positive for blood, the investigation found. They had been held in Indiana on local charges until being extradited to Brooklyn.

The District Attorney thanked the Henry County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Joseph Fortunato of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau.

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

 

Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office Is Accepting Applications For Winter and Spring High School Internships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 21, 2017

 

Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office Is Accepting Applications
For Winter and Spring High School Internships

Internship Program to Run in Mid-Winter and Spring Cycles; Program Provides
Unique Learning Experience in Public Service and Law

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced the launch of a competitive mid-winter and spring internship program for current high school juniors and seniors who live and attend school in Brooklyn. Students with a strong interest in criminal justice or the public interest sector and who meet the requisite eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply and participate in one of two intensive one-week programs.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This internship program will offer hands-on experience into how criminal cases develop, everything from the steps taken to investigate and build a case, to how cases are presented in court. Interns accepted into the program will not only learn about the criminal justice system and legal careers, but will also develop team-building and leadership skills that will enhance their professional development.”

Selected students will be assigned to a unit within the DA’s office and will 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 juniors and seniors who must be able to commit to the entire duration of either of two internship cycles. Cycle 1 will run from February 20, 2018 to February 23, 2018; Cycle 2 will run from April 2, 2018 to April 6, 2018. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

This is an unpaid internship, but students will receive a MetroCard to assist with transportation. Applicants are required to supply their most recent school transcript, a one-page resume, one letter of recommendation 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 academic endeavors.

To apply, please visit: http://brooklynda.org/internships/ beginning November 27, 2017. Only the recommendation letter should be emailed to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office at hsinternships@brooklynda.org in pdf format, with the subject line: Recommendation Letter (Applicant’s First and Last Name). All application materials must be received no later than Friday, December 22, 2017.

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Queens Motorist Sentenced To Three Years in Prison for Assaulting Truck Driver in Road Rage Incident

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 20, 2017

 

Queens Motorist Sentenced To Three Years in Prison for
Assaulting Truck Driver in Road Rage Incident

Struck Driver with Rubber Mallet after Fender Bender

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 36-year-old dollar van driver has been sentenced to three years in prison following an assault conviction for striking a delivery truck driver with a rubber mallet, causing broken vertebrae, after the two got into a minor motor vehicle accident.

Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “This defendant inexplicably escalated a minor traffic incident into an assault and left the victim with serious injuries. Such unwarranted violence should never be a response to a dispute, making today’s prison sentence appropriate and just.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Damian Bailey, 36, of Jamaica, Queens. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew Sciarrino to three years in prison and three years’ post-release supervision following his conviction last month for second-degree assault after a jury trial.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to testimony, on March 20, 2016, at about 12 noon, in the vicinity of 98 Flatbush Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn, the defendant was driving a dollar van when he struck a Fresh Direct delivery truck, driven by a 23-year-old man. The two motorists exited their vehicles and engaged in an argument.

The victim stood in front of the van, attempting to take a picture of the defendant’s license plate, when the defendant drove forward, forcing the victim to grab on to the hood of the van. The defendant drove for about half a block with the victim clinging onto the hood and then got out of the van and struck the victim multiple times with a rubber mallet, the evidence showed. An NYPD detective was flagged down by several motorists pointing in the direction of the defendant. The detective exited his vehicle and observed the defendant holding the mallet and walking away from the victim, who was in a fetal position on the ground next to the dollar van, according to trial testimony.

The victim was taken to Methodist Hospital. He suffered three broken vertebrae to his spine and bruises to his shoulder and knee.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sara Gronningsater and Assistant District Attorney Gabriel Huertas of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Robert Walsh, Bureau Chief.

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Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison For Bedford-Stuyvesant Murder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 17, 2017

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison
For Bedford-Stuyvesant Murder

Victim Was Shot Twice, Second Time at Close Range

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 37-year-old Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for a fatal shooting after an argument in Bedford-Stuyvesant in April 2010.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The outcome of this retrial puts an end to a horrific ordeal for Orlando Colon’s family. With today’s sentencing, the defendant has been held accountable for his actions.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Alshawn Holiday, 37, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dineen Riviezzo. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon following a jury trial in August. He was convicted of the same charges during the first trial in July 2011. That conviction was reversed on appeal.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on April 13, 2010, shortly after midnight, the defendant began an argument with Orlando Colon’s friend near the intersection of Malcolm X Boulevard and Bainbridge Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Colon, 24, also from Bedford-Stuyvesant, ran towards the defendant and punched him in the head. The defendant then grabbed a gun from Lynwood Williams, 46, and chased after Colon while firing along Malcom X Boulevard.

The Acting District Attorney said that, in additional trial testimony, the defendant shot Colon in the back of the head, and a second time after finding the victim face down on the street. The second round traveled through Colon’s heart, lung, stomach, spleen and finally rested in his esophagus.

The Acting District Attorney said the shooting was observed by three eyewitnesses and captured on video surveillance near Chauncey Street. Williams pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and was sentenced to six years in prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Andres Palacio, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Bureau Chief.

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