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Thursday, June 4, 2026

Six Defendants Arraigned in Nearly $11 Million Dollar Alleged Scheme

Father, Two Sons, Sister and Associates Allegedly Used Phony
Pandemic Relief Applications to Fraudulently Obtain Loans

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito of the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Small Business Administration General Counsel Wendell Davis, today announced that six defendants have been arraigned on an indictment charging them in connection with an alleged scheme to steal millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds and to use some of the proceeds to obtain a multimillion-dollar construction loan.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These defendants allegedly stole millions of dollars from programs meant to help struggling businesses survive the pandemic. As alleged, they submitted fake records and phony loan applications to obtain public and bank funds. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who exploited critical emergency relief programs for personal gain during a global emergency.”

DOL-OIG Inspector General D’Esposito said, “This indictment alleges the exploitation of critical pandemic relief programs intended to support American workers in a time of national crisis. Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar stolen from honest, hardworking Americans. The Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General will not tolerate this theft,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor. “We remain committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to combat this criminal activity and hold accountable those who seek to exploit these government programs.”

General Counsel Davis said, “This case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and state and Federal law enforcement agencies to recover the product of this fraud.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Gregory Derney Harvey, 61, Gregory Norris James Harvey Jr., 33, both of Florida; Vaughn Harvey, 44, of Queens, Michelle Harvey, 57, of Brooklyn, Leroy Smith, 78, of Valley Stream, New York, and John McAulay, 57, of Schenectady, New York. Gregory Derney Harvey is the father of Gregory Norris James Harvey Jr. and Vaughn Harvey, and the brother of Michelle Harvey.

The defendants are variously charged in a 31-count indictment with fourth-degree conspiracy, first- and second-degree grand larceny, attempted first- and second-degree grand larceny, first-degree falsifying business records and first-degree money laundering. Gregory Derney Harvey and Gregory Norris James Harvey Jr. were arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. The four other defendants were arraigned on the same indictment before Justice Chun on May 26, 2026. All six defendants were released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 12, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between April 2020 and October 2022, the defendants allegedly submitted fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL) loan applications using fake tax returns, fabricated payroll records and phony bank statements submitted in the names of numerous corporations. The defendants allegedly obtained more than $6.9 million in pandemic relief funds through the scheme.

Furthermore, the investigation found that defendants Gregory Derney Harvey and his son Gregory Norris James Harvey Jr. allegedly pooled approximately $2.4 million of the alleged fraud proceeds and used the funds as a down payment to fraudulently obtain a construction loan and thus stole another $4,020.000.

The District Attorney thanked Intelligence Analyst Veranika Basak and Supervising Financial Investigator Susan Ryan, of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, KCDA Detective Investigators, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sergey Marts, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, Assistant District Attorney Andrew Kohler, Special Counsel to the Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Tony Kim, also of the Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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

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Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Bronx Man Indicted for Hate Crime Assault Targeting
Gay Victim on Brooklyn Subway

Victim Punched and Threatened with Knife in Unprovoked Attack

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bronx man has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with assault and menacing as hate crimes and related offenses in connection with an unprovoked attack against a gay man beginning aboard an L train in the Lorimer Street subway station in Brooklyn.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Every New Yorker deserves to ride the subway without being threatened or attacked because of who they are or who someone perceives them to be. This defendant is accused of targeting a stranger with homophobic slurs, following him through a station, threatening him with a knife, and repeatedly punching him. We will seek accountability for this alleged hate crime and will always stand with Brooklyn’s LGBTQ+ community against violence, intimidation, and hate.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Yeshayahuw Carraway, 41, of the Bronx. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a five-count indictment in which is charged with third-degree assault as a hate crime, third-degree assault, third-degree menacing as a hate crime, third-degree menacing and second-degree aggravated harassment. The defendant was released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 12, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on January 18, 2026, at approximately 5 a.m., on a northbound L train at the Lorimer Street subway station in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the defendant allegedly approached the 24-year-old victim and stated, “What are you looking at f—ing f—-t? You’re a sissy.” The defendant then allegedly followed the victim off the train and upstairs to the mezzanine, where he displayed a knife and struck the victim multiple times about the face and body with a closed fist. The victim suffered minor injuries to his finger and pain throughout his face and body. The defendant allegedly fled the station after the attack and was arrested following an investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sharmalee Brooks-Gordon, of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kelli M. Muse, Chief of the Hate Crimes Bureau.

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

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Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Brooklyn Heights Co-Op Board President Indicted for
Allegedly Stealing More Than $700K From Shareholders

Defendant Allegedly Used Stolen Funds to Pay Mortgages and Buy Luxury Goods,
Including Rolex Watch and Dozens of Pairs of Designer Shoes

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a New Jersey woman has been arraigned on an indictment charging her with stealing more than $700,000 from the shareholders of the 40-unit Brooklyn Heights cooperative building where she served as board president.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant allegedly turned a position of trust into a six-year scheme to steal from her neighbors, spending more than seven hundred thousand dollars meant to maintain a cooperative on luxury items and personal bills. Board members are entrusted with the financial security of their communities, and we will prosecute anyone who exploits their authority to criminally enrich themselves.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Isabelle Gallier, 60, of Keansburg, New Jersey. She was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which she is charged with second-degree grand larceny. She was released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 12, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, between approximately January 1, 2018 and February 29, 2024, Gallier allegedly used her position as board president of the cooperative at 130 Hicks Street to steal $708,216.61 in funds intended for the operation of the building. She allegedly used $218,351.36 to pay her personal mortgages and $125,754.82 on luxury goods, including $12,489.50 on furs, $4,028.38 on a Rolex watch and $53,022.55 on 150 pairs of designer shoes, including 28 pairs of Christian Louboutins and 16 pairs of Valentinos.

After the defendant was voted out as board president and a new board took over, the building’s financial records were turned over, revealing the alleged theft. Gallier subsequently sold her three units in the building and moved out.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Chief Financial Investigator Ludwig Sanchez and KCDA Detective Investigators for their work on the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Richa Bhasin, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Frank Longobardi, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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

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Friday, May 29, 2026

Brooklyn Driver Sentenced to up to 10 Years in Prison for Striking
Two Women Attempting to Cross Bushwick Street, Killing One

Defendant Drove through Stop Sign and was Speeding While Fleeing Police

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for running a red light and multiple stop signs while fleeing police, ultimately striking two pedestrians, a senior citizen and her daughter. The older woman later died of her injuries.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant sped through the streets of Brooklyn with no regard for public safety even after police tried to stop him, running red lights and stop signs and finally crashing into two women simply trying to cross the street. Juanita Vidal lost her life, and her daughter suffered serious injuries. This prosecution brings the defendant to justice and underscores our commitment to keeping Brooklyn’s streets safe for all.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Robert Matthews, 27, of East New York, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Adam Perlmutter to an indeterminate term of five to 10 years in prison as part of a Court offer. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree manslaughter and one count of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting where death results on April 13, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on May 9, 2024, at approximately 5 p.m., the police were on patrol in the vicinity of Evergreen Street and Weirfield Street in Bushwick when they saw the defendant run through a stop sign directly in front of their vehicle.

The officers attempted to stop the defendant, who initially pulled over, but then sped away at a high speed. The police, with their lights on, followed and, according to the evidence, saw the defendant driving at excessive speeds, crossing the double yellow line multiple times to pass other cars, run a red light and multiple stop signs, and fail to signal. The defendant’s vehicle turned on to Eldert Street and sped towards the intersection of Eldert and Knickerbocker Street at a high rate of speed.

The defendant sped through a stop sign, according to the evidence, and swerved to avoid a vehicle in the intersection, then struck Juanita Vidal, 71, and her 44-year-old daughter, who were beginning to cross in the crosswalk. The defendant then struck a parked car and fled on foot.

Juanita Vidal suffered blunt force trauma to her neck and torso and later died at a hospital. Her daughter suffered multiple fractures to her body and ribs, which punctured her lungs. The defendant was arrested on July 22, 2024, following an investigation.

The investigation was conducted by the New York City Police Department’s Highway Patrol and Collision Investigation Squad Division.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Quinn McLoughlin, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Robert Walsh, as well as Street Safety Bureau Chief Jennifer Nocella and Deputy Chief Christopher Velez.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Manhattan Real Estate Lawyer Indicted for
Stealing Over $700,000 from Three Clients

Defendant Allegedly Stole Money from Sellers She Represented in Property Transactions

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a real estate attorney has been charged with stealing approximately $700,000 from three of her clients after being retained as a seller’s attorney in three separate real estate closings last year.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “For most people, buying or selling a home is one of the largest financial transactions of their lives, and they are entitled to trust that the professionals involved will safeguard their money. As alleged, this defendant abused that trust, violated her duties as a lawyer, and stole more than $700,000 from three clients who were waiting for the proceeds from the sale of their homes. My Office is committed to protecting homeowners, buyers, and sellers in Brooklyn, and to holding accountable attorneys and other professionals who use their position to steal from the people they are supposed to protect.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Apryl Hand, 53, whose law office was located at 1460 Broadway in Manhattan. She was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which she is charged with three counts of second-degree grand larceny and one count of first-degree scheme to defraud. The defendant was released without bail and ordered to return to court on August 12, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between November 2025 and May 2026, the defendant, who specialized in real estate, allegedly stole approximately $701,600 from three of her clients who she represented in the sale of their Brooklyn homes. The alleged thefts were in the amounts of $348,000, $177,500 and $175,600.

In each instance, the purchasers of the properties wired the funds due at closing to the defendant’s escrow account, but she allegedly did not turn over the money to her clients. Despite their demands, she allegedly failed to return any of the money to any of the three clients.

The District Attorney thanked Financial Investigator Jose Covas of the Investigations Division for his assistance on this case.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney T. Peter Choi of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, Chief of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Bureau, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Opening Fire on Four MTA Inspectors at Brooklyn Bus Stop

Fired 10 Rounds After Being Asked to Pay a $2.75 Fare, Striking One Inspector

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced today that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following his guilty plea to four counts of second-degree attempted murder for opening fire on four MTA fare enforcement inspectors at a Brooklyn bus stop after they asked him to pay his fare.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These inspectors showed up to work and asked a man to pay $2.75. He responded by pulling out a gun and firing 10 rounds, striking one inspector and narrowly missing three others. Today’s sentence makes clear that violence against transit workers will not be tolerated in Brooklyn. We will continue to protect the people who keep this city moving, and those who terrorize our communities with this type of brazen violence will be held accountable.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Samuel White, 52, of Starrett City, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Adam Perlmutter to 15 years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree attempted murder on March 23, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on April 18, 2023, at approximately 6:15 a.m., at Flatlands Avenue and Louisiana Avenue in Starrett City, Brooklyn, members of the MTA’s Eagle Team boarded the B82 Select Bus Service bus where the defendant was a passenger. The defendant did not pay his fare, and the inspectors asked him to exit the bus and do so at an MTA kiosk, advising him that the next bus would arrive within minutes. The bus departed without him.

White became irate, telling the inspectors they were ruining his life and making him late for work. He then walked behind a tree, retrieved a loaded .45-caliber pistol from his backpack, and opened fire at the four inspectors. One inspector was grazed by a bullet in the right calf while attempting to take cover behind the kiosk and was transported to Kings County Hospital, where he was treated and released. The other inspectors took cover, including behind trees; one bullet grazed one of those trees and a second bullet was lodged in another. Nine shell casings and two bullets were recovered at the scene.

White was arrested the following day. After being shown surveillance video from the bus, he identified himself and admitted to the shooting, as well as illegally purchasing the firearm used in the attack.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Miguel Rodriguez, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau (formerly of the Red Zone), and Senior Assistant District Attorney Audrey Chao, of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit/Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Karla Watson, Chief of the Red Zone Trial Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Brooklyn Mother Sentenced to 20 Years to Life in Prison

For Killing Her Three Children

Woman Drowned Children in the Ocean off the Coney Island Boardwalk

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn woman has been sentenced for drowning her three children – who were three-months-old, four-years-old, and seven-years-old – in the ocean near their home in Coney Island.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Zachary, Liliana and Oliver were innocent children whose lives were taken in the most heartbreaking and unthinkable way. No sentence can fully measure the loss of a seven-year-old, a four-year-old and a three-month-old baby, or the grief their loved ones will carry forever. We sought the strongest possible accountability in this devastating case, and while nothing can bring these children back, this sentence ensures the defendant will be held responsible for taking their lives.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Erin Merdy, 34, of Coney Island, Brooklyn. The defendant was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 20 years to life in prison, over the objection of prosecutors. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder on March 4, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on September 12, 2022, at approximately 12:37 a.m., the defendant took her three children – Zachary Merdy, 7, Liliana Stephens Merdy, 4, and Oliver Bondarev, 3 months – to the beach near West 35^th Street in Coney Island and drowned them in the ocean.

At approximately 1:25 a.m., she began walking from the beach, alone, towards the apartment of the father of the youngest child, located in Brighton Beach, over two miles away. The defendant called family members upset, and when she would not answer questions regarding the whereabouts of her children, relatives and the father went to look for her and called 911.

The police initiated a search and, at about 4:30 a.m., located the children, who were unresponsive and wet, on the shoreline near West 35^th Street. They were pronounced dead at Coney Island Hospital. When the defendant’s family members found her in Brighton Beach wet and barefoot, she repeatedly said that the children were gone and that she was sorry, according to the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ernest Chin, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Brooklyn Serial Killer Sentenced to 30 Years to Life in Prison
For Murdering Three Elderly Brownsville Women

Defendant, a Handyman, Admitted to Killing Victims Inside Their NYCHA Apartments

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brownsville man who pleaded guilty to the murders of three elderly women inside their NYCHA apartments has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. The defendant killed three women who hired him to help with repairs and errands, fatally stabbing one victim, stomping on the neck and chest of a second victim and strangling a third victim inside their apartments at the New York City Housing Authority’s Carter G. Woodson Houses during separate attacks between 2015 and 2021.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “These were acts of shocking depravity and cruelty against three elderly women who should have been safe inside their own homes. Myrtle McKinney, Jacolia James and Juanita Caballero were beloved members of their families and their community, and this defendant exploited their trust, entered their homes, and took their lives with brutal violence. The pain he inflicted on their loved ones is immeasurable, and today’s sentence cannot undo that grief. But it ensures that he will spend the rest of his life in prison and never again prey on another vulnerable neighbor.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Kevin Gavin, 71, of Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dineen Ann Riviezzo to 30 years to life in prison after pleading guilty on April 24, 2026, to one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between November 8, 2015, and January 14, 2021, the defendant killed three elderly women who lived in the same NYCHA building as him on Powell Street in Brownsville. The defendant gained access to the victims’ apartments by cultivating relationships with elderly neighbors and performing handyman work and errands for them.

On or about November 8, 2015, the defendant fatally stabbed Myrtle McKinney, 82, in the neck with a knife inside her apartment.

On or about April 30, 2019, the defendant stomped on the neck and chest of Jacolia James, 83, inside her apartment.

On or about January 14, 2021, while robbing her, the defendant strangled Juanita Caballero, 78, by wrapping a phone cord around her neck inside her apartment. Following her death, the defendant was captured on video surveillance using her debit card at multiple locations.

The defendant was apprehended on January 21, 2021, by members of the New York City Police Department’s Brooklyn North Homicide and the 73rd Precinct. Following his arrest, the defendant confessed to all three killings and told investigators the attacks stemmed from disputes over money he claimed the victims owed him.

Investigators linked the defendant to the earlier killing through similarities in the victims’ ages, living conditions and that all three women lived inside the same NYCHA development where the defendant resided.

The District Attorney thanked Homicide Paralegal Meghan Brancato and Green Zone Paralegal Aneudy Mata for their work on this case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Cassandra Pond, Green Zone Deputy Bureau Chief, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Prison for Brownsville Shooting

Defendant Shot Man in Front of Bodega, Then Fled Scene

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for firing a weapon at and killing a 33-year-old man outside a deli in Brownsville. The victim and defendant had been involved in a dispute prior to the shooting.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Daishawn Benjamin was shot and killed outside a neighborhood bodega in broad daylight, leaving his mother to grieve the loss of a second son to gun violence in just three weeks. No sentence can undo that unimaginable pain, but today’s prison term holds this defendant accountable for so callously taking a life. My office will continue working with the NYPD and our communities to protect the hard-won progress that has driven gun violence in Brooklyn to record lows.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Waajid Pierce, 48, of Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phyllis Chu to 22 years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on February 27, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on October 27, 2021, at approximately 8:30 a.m., the defendant walked toward a group of three men standing in front of a bodega at the corner of Belmont Avenue and Mother Gaston Boulevard in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He took out a handgun and shot at one of them, Daishawn Benjamin, 33, three times. The three shots struck the victim in the torso, the arm and the hand. The defendant then fled the scene in his Infinity G35 sedan.

The investigation determined, through video surveillance and other evidence, that the defendant was the person who fired the gun at the scene. The defendant was arrested on March 2, 2022, as he was disembarking from a flight returning from Tampa, Florida to MacArthur Airport on Long Island.

The victim’s brother, Kizer Williams, was killed three weeks earlier, blocks from where Daishawn Benjamin was killed. That case remains unsolved.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph Mancino, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Chief of the Homicide Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 15 Years to Life in Prison for Fatal Broad-Daylight Shooting of Innocent Bystander in Crown Heights Park

Gunfire Intended for Another Target Killed Innocent Father of Two

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 21-year-old Crown Heights man has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for the fatal shooting of Christopher Ross, a 53-year-old father of two, who was struck by a bullet intended for another individual while enjoying a summer afternoon in Lincoln Terrace Park in Crown Heights.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Christopher Ross was a father who went to a neighborhood park and never came home. The defendant fired multiple shots in a space filled with families and children, killing a man who had nothing to do with the dispute, but was just trying to enjoy a summer afternoon. No family should have to endure that loss. My office will continue the steady work of keeping guns off Brooklyn streets and ensuring people can feel safe in our communities.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Gucci Morris, 21, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Adam Perlmutter to 15 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder on October 30, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on August 9, 2020, at approximately 5 p.m., the defendant traveled with a group of friends to Lincoln Terrace Park in Crown Heights, Brooklyn wearing dark clothing and carrying a loaded firearm. At the same time, Christopher Ross arrived at the park to play handball with friends.

As two groups engaged in a physical altercation along a main park walkway near a playground and handball courts, the defendant pulled out a gun and fired off multiple shots. One of the bullets passed through a fence surrounding the handball court and struck the victim in the left eyebrow, piercing his skull and brain. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting caused panic throughout the park, which was crowded with adults and children. The defendant fled the scene with others, later altering his appearance to avoid arrest.

Following an extensive investigation that included eyewitness accounts, surveillance footage tracking the defendant before and after the shooting, digital evidence recovered from the defendant’s phones, and identifications by individuals familiar with him, the defendant was arrested and charged on February 9, 2022.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Detective Investigators, Detective Thomas Pisano of NYPD Brooklyn North Homicide, Detective John Davis of NYPD Gun Violence Suppression Division, Detective Dave Williams of the NYPD’s 77th Precinct, Paralegals Suleimy Santos and Andy Wang of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, Intelligence Analysts Anna Kharitonova and Hiba Abdullah of the KCDA Digital Evidence Lab and Multimedia Analysts Theophilus Kendall, Robert Rubenstein and Lawrence Ricks for their assistance in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Gianna Del Grippo, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Salvatore Prince, of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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