About Ernest Johnson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 26, 2017

Driver who Allegedly Crashed Car in Brooklyn Highway and
Left Passenger for Dead Indicted for Murder

Vehicle Exploded, Defendant Fled Scene in a Cab without Calling 911

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 23-year-old Brooklyn man has been indicted on depraved indifference murder, vehicular manslaughter and related counts for allegedly causing a car crash on the Gowanus Expressway and fleeing the scene with his passenger stranded inside the burning car, leaving her to die.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant’s alleged actions before and after crashing his car caused the death of a vibrant young woman who had her entire life ahead of her. He showed complete disregard for human life and for the safety of everyone using our roadways, making the very serious charges he now faces wholly appropriate.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Saeed Ahmad, 23, of Marine Park, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree murder (depraved indifference), second degree vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident, driving while intoxicated and related counts. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on January 12, 2018. The defendant faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top count.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on October 13, 2017 at approximately 4 a.m., the defendant was driving an Infinity sedan, returning from a night out in Manhattan with a friend, 25-year-old Harleen Grewal.

The defendant was driving in an excessive rate of speed, attempted to pass other vehicles and crashed his car into a side barrier between the Hamilton Avenue and the Prospect Expressway exits, causing it to explode and burst into flames, the evidence showed. He got out of the burning car, got into a cab and left without calling 911 or alerting anyone that the victim was still in the vehicle. She subsequently died and her remains were recovered from the scene after the fire was put out.

The defendant was arrested later that morning and tests determined that his blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was above the legal limit of .08.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Theresa Shanahan, Deputy Bureau Chief of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Joseph Mancino, also of the Blue Zone, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Robert Walsh, Bureau Chief.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office to Host
Symposium on Campus Sexual Assault

Partnership with Brooklyn Campuses, Community Based Organizations and
Law Enforcement to Address Sexual Violence on College Campuses

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that he will hold a symposium on Campus Sexual Assault, the first annual conference as part of the Campus Sexual Assault Response Initiative spearheaded by the Brooklyn DA’s Office. The day-long event will include speakers, a Title IX panel, a performance, a resource fair and workshops to address causes and solutions of sexual violence on campus. It will be held at Brooklyn College, at 2900 Bedford Avenue, on Friday, October 27, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Now more than ever, it is critical for us to confront the plague of sexual violence and discuss ways to uproot it from society. During the symposium on Friday, participants will engage on issues relating to Title IX, reporting of sexual violence, bystander intervention, working with LGBTQ survivors, among other important topics. It is all part of our ongoing commitment to raise awareness of and take action to combat sexual violence.”

Headlining the event is keynote speaker Bea Hanson, former Deputy Director of the U.S. Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women and Director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence. The keynote will be followed by a facilitated discussion of emerging issues under Title IX, featuring a Title IX coordinator, a respondent attorney, a complainant attorney, a student conduct professional, and a New York State Police campus assault investigator.

Following the morning program, resource fair, performance and lunch, members of the Brooklyn Sexual Assault Task Force will host breakout workshop sessions. Topics will include: the role of the Sexual Assault Response Team (i.e. medical professionals), barriers to reporting sexual violence, working with LGBTQ survivors, nonconsensual pornography and tech abuse, bystander engagement skills among other topics relevant to addressing sexual violence on campuses.

The event is the first in an ongoing series that is planned for different campuses in Brooklyn. It is part of a comprehensive initiative, announced this spring, in which the DA’s Office and 14 higher education institutions throughout Brooklyn partner to improve a coordinated response to campus sexual assaults, enhance reporting and investigation while ensuring an appropriate, comprehensive response. The initiative’s task force works to connect every campus survivor to the comprehensive services of the Office’s Victim Services Unit, even in cases which do not result in a criminal prosecution. The DA’s Office believes that 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.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Brooklyn Man Convicted of Fatally Shooting Three People 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 convicted of 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 callously executed two rivals and, as a result of his violent actions, also took the life of an elderly and completely innocent bystander. He has now been found responsible for this heinous triple homicide, an outcome that will ensure that he will no longer be out on the streets of Brooklyn.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Allen Cooper, 33, of Fort Greene, Brooklyn. He was convicted today on three counts of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon following a jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog. The defendant will be sentenced on November 14, 2017, at which time he faces a maximum sentence of 75 years to life in prison.

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 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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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 23, 2017

Crown Heights Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison for Fatally Shooting a Man During an Ambush in Bedford-Stuyvesant

Defendant Shot Victim Five Times While He Was Starting His Car

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 29-year-old Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for fatally shooting a man in 2016 during an ambush in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This is another example of senseless gun violence that left a young man dead. This victim was ambushed and executed and the defendant will now spend virtually the rest of his life behind bars.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as James Faison, 29, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog to 25 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder last month following a jury trial.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on April 19, 2016, at approximately 10:40 p.m., the defendant ambushed the victim who was sitting in a parked car in front of 891 Hancock Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The victim, Harold Culler, Jr., 25, of, East New York, Brooklyn, was shot at two times while in the driver’s seat, and after falling out of the car on the passenger’s side the defendant shot him in the back. The final two shots were at close range and to the victim’s face. Culler, who was struck five times, was taken to Woodhull Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, the defendant was caught on surveillance camera entering and exiting 894 Hancock Street before the shooting. He was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Arizona on May 23, 2016, with a fake driver’s license from Ohio.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sara Kurtzberg, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Joseph Mancino, of the District Attorney’s Trial Bureau Blue Zone, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 23, 2017

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for
2004 Rape of 68-Year-Old Fort Greene Woman

Cold Case DNA Hit after 2013 Arrest Led to Charges

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 47-year-old man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for raping a 68-year-old woman after breaking into her Fort Greene apartment in 2004. The defendant was charged with the rape as a result of a “cold hit” following his 2013 arrest in an attempted kidnapping case for which he was required to provide a DNA profile to the New York State DNA databank.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “I hope that today’s sentence will bring a small measure of closure to the victim in this case. This defendant might have thought he got away with this brutal and vicious attack, but technology caught up with him. We will continue to use DNA and other forensic tools to bring offenders to justice.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Willie Weathers, 47, of Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Ruth Shillingford to 25 years in prison following his conviction earlier this month of first-degree rape after a jury trial. The sentence will run consecutively to a prison sentence the defendant is currently serving.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on July 27, 2004, at approximately 7 p.m., the defendant pushed his way into the victim’s Fort Greene, Brooklyn, apartment, breaking down her door. He strangled and raped her. Before fleeing, he took money from her dresser and ripped a chain and a bracelet off of her body.

The victim’s husband returned home from church approximately a half hour after the defendant fled, found his wife and asked a neighbor to call the police. She was taken to Brooklyn Hospital and a sexual assault evidence collection kit was administered.

The defendant was arrested on July 29, 2013, for an attempted gunpoint kidnapping and his DNA was uploaded into the New York State DNA databank and was a match for the DNA collected from the victim in the 2004 rape kit. He is presently serving 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree attempted kidnapping.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Alana Tierney and Senior Assistant District Attorney Deborah Cohen, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 19, 2017

Mother and Daughter Indicted For Stealing over $250,000 from
Staples by Obtaining more than 700 E-Gift Cards without Paying

Allegedly Tricked Customer Service Representatives to Void Payments;
Purchased iPads, Luxury Apparel, Shoes and More

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a mother and daughter from Brownsville, Brooklyn have been indicted on charges of computer tampering, grand larceny and falsifying business records in connection with a scheme in which they allegedly stole over 700 electronic gift cards from Staples, causing more than $250,000 in losses.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These defendants worked persistently and shrewdly in conducting this alleged long-running scheme. We will remain vigilant in uprooting all types of fraud in Brooklyn, including those that exploit digital vulnerabilities, and will hold those who commit them accountable.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendants as Rosemarie Barnett, 55, and her daughter Tashana Barnett, 30, both of Brownsville, Brooklyn. They were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which they are charged with one count each of first-degree computer tampering and second-degree grand larceny and six counts of first-degree falsifying business records. Bail was set at $100,000 and they were ordered to return to court on November 29, 2017.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, between December 2014 and September 2016, the defendants fraudulently directed Staples employees to release over 700 e-gift cards without payment, causing a loss exceeding $250,000. Electronic e-gift cards are similar to conventional ones, but instead of being physical cards, they get emailed to the purchaser as credit that can then be redeemed at various retailers.

It is alleged that the defendants executed the scheme by creating phone orders of thousands of dollars’ worth of cards without paying, known as draft orders, and provided false billing information and various Gmail addresses that were associated with them. They then called Staples’ customer service hotline under false pretenses thousands of times, according to the investigation. They were rebuffed in almost all instances, but managed to successfully manipulate employees in some cases.

In some of those instances, the investigation revealed, they posed as customer service managers and claimed to be conducting a training exercise. Betraying knowledge of Staples’ ordering system, they instructed the representatives to override the payment requirement and to release hundreds of e-cards without payment. In other instances, they defrauded the employees into performing even exchange returns of e-cards, which effectively re-released the cards to the email addresses used by the defendants.

The defendants then allegedly used the cards at various retailers, including Target, Foot Locker, American Eagle Outfitters and Nordstrom. They purchased True Religion jeans, Ugg boots, Gucci shoes and many other luxury items and also obtained numerous units of Apple iPad Air and other electronics directly from Staples using the same scheme, according to the investigation.

The case was investigated by Detective Jackson Todd, of the NYPD’s Special Frauds Unit, and Investigative Analyst Janelle Cacopardo of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, under the supervision of Brian Selfon, Chief Investigative Analyst.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Cooper Gorrie, of the District Attorney’s Cyber Crimes Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Dana Roth, Deputy Chief of the Frauds Bureau, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy 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
Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Hit-and-Run Driver Sentenced to up to 15 Years in Prison
For Killing Cyclist in Williamsburg

Swerved Into Designated Bike Lane, Struck Beloved Advocate and Sped Away

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 57-year-old Brooklyn man was sentenced to five to 15 years in prison for recklessly killing 35-year-old Queens cyclist and advocate Matthew von Ohlen, then leaving the scene of the fatal crash.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The reckless and dastardly actions of this defendant took the life of a beloved cyclist and advocate for safe streets. We cannot tolerate this kind of violent behavior by motorists and I am committed to continue doing my part in ensuring the safety of everyone who uses Brooklyn roads – drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Juan Maldonado, 57, of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Suzanne Mondo to the maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison following his conviction last month of second-degree manslaughter, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and reckless driving after a jury trial. The judge indicated that she will ask the Department of Motor Vehicles for a lifetime revocation of the defendant’s driving license.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on July 2, 2016, at approximately 2:37 a.m., the defendant was behind the wheel of a black Chevy Camaro in the vicinity of Grand Street and Manhattan Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The defendant swerved into a designated bike lane on Grand Street where the victim was riding his bike, sped through a red light at an intersection and then struck the victim. According to the evidence, the defendant hit the victim’s bicycle from behind causing the victim to fall. The defendant continued driving, running over the victim and dragging him approximately 10 to 20 feet as he sped away. Part of the incident was captured on surveillance video.

The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Douglas Marquez and Stephanie Mishler of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, with the assistance of Jennifer Nocella, Deputy Bureau Chief of the District Attorney’s Vehicular Crimes Unit, and Craig Esswein, Bureau Chief, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Danielle Eaddy, Grey Zone Bureau Chief, and James Lin and Maria Park, Deputy Bureau Chiefs.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Brooklyn Waitress Indicted for Allegedly Stealing
Almost $500,000 from Elderly Diner Patron

Defendant Allegedly Became Trusted Confidant, Gained Access to Victim’s Accounts

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Flatlands woman has been indicted on grand larceny, identity theft and other charges for allegedly stealing, approximately $470,000 from a customer who frequented a diner where the defendant worked as a waitress.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant allegedly took advantage of an elderly and vulnerable widow. She spent many years gaining the victim’s trust only to betray it. We will now seek to hold her accountable for this serious offense.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Alicia P. Legall, 46, of Flatlands, Brooklyn. She was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Vincent Del Giudice on an indictment in which she is charged with second-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and first-degree identity theft. She faces up to five to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top count. She was ordered held on bail of $2.5 million and to return to court on December 6, 2017.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, between June 2012 and December 2016, Legall stole approximately $470,000 from a now 84-year-old widow who the defendant befriended, beginning in 2002, while she was a waitress at the local diner that the woman patronized. Over the course of several years, she gained access to the woman’s personal information, including her date of birth, address, social security number, and bank and credit card information.

The defendant had permission to use the victim’s credit cards for small purchases at local drug stores and supermarkets, but it is alleged she abused that trust. Specifically she allegedly stole more than $200,000 by cashing 75 checks written to herself or cash on the woman’s HSBC bank account, each of the checks contained the victim’s forged signature.

Furthermore, according to the indictment, from March 2013 through April 2016, the defendant allegedly stole $277,789 by making unauthorized charges against the woman’s Citibank Sears Mastercard accounts, including $73,399 in cash advances and $204,390 in purchases from various retailers including Apple; JetBlue; Victoria’s Secret; New York Racing Authority’s buffets and bars; Harrah’s in Atlantic City; hotels, clubs and restaurants in Miami and other parts of Florida; and Belmont Racetrack.

In addition to the financial theft, it is alleged the defendant stole the victim’s identity by opening additional lines of credit and creating online profiles with horse wagering websites such as TwinSpires and Churchill downs, using the victim’s social security number, date of birth, home address and Mastercard, but using her own email and phone number.

The case was investigated by Detectives Rocco Russo and Jackson Todd of the New York City Police Department’s Financial Crimes Task Force, with the assistance of Deborah Wey, Supervising Financial Investigator of the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Karen P. Turner, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Dana Roth, Deputy Chief of the Frauds Bureau, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Deputy 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
Monday, October 16, 2017

Brooklyn Man Convicted of Murder for Shooting Death
Of Fellow Gang Member in Flatlands

Defendant Shot Victim As they Walked Along Street

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been convicted of murder for shooting at a fellow gang member five times, striking him twice, for allegedly stealing from other gang members.

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant cruelly and cowardly shot the victim in this case, executing him for a perceived betrayal. In an instant, he senselessly ended one man’s life and destroyed his own.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Reginald Brown, 29, of Brooklyn. The defendant was convicted today of second-degree murder following a jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice William Harrington. The defendant will be sentenced on November 3, 2017, at which time he faces 25 years to life in prison.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on November 7, 2010, at approximately 12:55 a.m., near East 48th Street and Avenue J, in Flatlands, Brooklyn, the defendant, a member of the Folk Nation street gang, was walking on East 48th Street with several other alleged gang members. Brown attempted to give a handgun to one of them and instructed him to kill fellow gang member Derron Clarke, but he refused. Brown then took the gun and fired five times at Clarke, striking him once in the neck and once in the right thigh.

Brown was angered at Clarke for allegedly stealing from other gang members, according to testimony. Following a lengthy investigation, he was arrested on April 28, 2015.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorneys Yaniris Urraca and Owen Sucoff, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Nicole Chavis, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 13, 2017

Queens Man Sentenced To Seven Years in Prison for
Mowing Down NYPD Detective with ATV

Dragged Victim for about a Block, Causing Serious Injuries

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 36-year-old Queens man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for dragging a New York City Police Department detective with an ATV, causing fractures and broken bones, after he was instructed to stop the vehicle at a Brooklyn intersection.

Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, “This defendant was driving recklessly before injuring a courageous officer who tried to stop him. Such lawless behavior on our roads is dangerous and unacceptable, making him fully deserving of the prison sentence that was imposed today.”

The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Kenny Ortiz, 36, of Ozone Park, Queens. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice William Harrington to seven years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision following his guilty plea last month to attempted aggravated assault on a police officer.

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on March 2, 2014, at approximately 3:25 p.m., on Conduit Boulevard by Pitkin Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, the defendant was observed recklessly driving a yellow ATV through streets and sidewalks. NYPD Detective Matt McCluskey and his partner were in the area in plain clothes and inside an unmarked van.

At a red light, the detectives exited their vehicle. Detective McCluskey, wearing his badge around his neck, jumped in front of the ATV and yelled, “Police, police, turn the engine off,” according to the evidence. The defendant then drove forward, dragging the detective for the approximate length of a city block, and sped away.

The victim was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. He suffered numerous broken bones, a fractured pelvis, fractured orbital bone, and a broken nose as well as an infection from an open leg wound and a punctured ankle.

After the police received a tip regarding his identity, the defendant turned himself in on March 7, 2014. In a statement, he admitted to driving the ATV and claimed that he didn’t know the victim was a police officer. The dismantled ATV was subsequently recovered from the defendant’s girlfriend’s garage.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Katherine Fernandez and Assistant District Attorney Robert Schwartz of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kin Ng, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of the Assistant District Attorney Joseph Alexis, Chief of the Trial Division.

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