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Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison for

Execution Style Murder in Crown Heights

Shot Victim in the Head; Evidence Included Video Surveillance

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for fatally gunning down another man in Crown Heights.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The defendant in this case coldly executed another man by shooting him in the head. After a robust investigation and a thorough prosecution, he has now been held accountable for this crime. Acts of gun violence in Brooklyn will always lead to severe consequences.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Rennie Patterson, 22, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Eugene Guarino to 25 years to life in prison following his conviction in September 2023 of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on December 16, 2017, at approximately 1:40 a.m., the defendant shot and killed John Barnes, 32, in front of 1339 Saint John’s Place. Video surveillance captured the defendant leaving a building next door to his residence, about 10 blocks away, along with a friend, and tracked them walking to the scene.

Seconds after confronting the victim, who the two spotted driving in his car, the defendant pulled out a gun and fired two shots, striking the victim twice in the head. The defendant and his friend immediately fled and were seen running back into their respective homes. The evidence showed that the friend and the victim got into a physical fight and had to be separated a few days before the incident.

The defendant was arrested on July 11, 2018.

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

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Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Brooklyn Woman Indicted for Grand Larceny
For Stealing Approximately $157,000 in Section 8 Subsidies

Defendant Allegedly Used Another Person’s Social Security Number to Conceal Income,
Employment from NYCHA While Collecting Rent Assistance for Crown Heights Home

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber, today announced that a Brooklyn woman has been indicted for grand larceny for allegedly obtaining more than $157,000 in Section 8 rent subsidies to which she was not entitled. As part of the alleged decade-long fraud, the defendant used another person’s Social Security number to conceal her employment and income from the New York City Housing Authority while collecting rent assistance vouchers for a two-bedroom apartment in Crown Heights.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “For over a decade – and at a time when affordable housing in Brooklyn is increasingly scarce – this defendant allegedly lied about her income and employment to obtain thousands of dollars annually in rent subsidies to which she was not entitled. In doing so, she stole precious resources intended to help low-income New Yorkers find housing, and we will now seek to hold her accountable for that. I want to thank DOI and the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General for their assistance in this case.”

Commissioner Strauber said, “For over a decade, this defendant made false statements about her employment and income to NYCHA in order to obtain more than $155,000 in Section 8 benefits she was not entitled to and provided NYCHA with someone else’s Social Security number to avoid detection, according to the charges. Theft of housing benefits diverts these important public resources from New Yorkers who are in need, and who qualify for them.  I thank NYCHA and the Office of the Inspector General for the United States Social Security Administration for their assistance in this investigation; and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for its partnership in protecting New York City’s affordable housing.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Luzmila Corbin, 56, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. She was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dineen Riviezzo on an indictment in which she is charged with first-degree identity theft, second-degree grand larceny, first-degree falsifying business records and 17 counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. She was released without bail and ordered to return to court on February 7, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant started receiving rental-assistance vouchers, known as Section 8, in February 2001. The defendant used the vouchers to rent a two-bedroom apartment on Rochester Avenue in Crown Heights. From 2009 to 2021, it is alleged the defendant claimed to be unemployed in her annual Affidavit of Income submitted to the New York City Housing Authority. In reality, however, the defendant was allegedly working as a food services aide at New York City Health and Hospitals where she made $34,000 to $59,000 a year.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, the defendant allegedly used another person’s Social Security Number to prevent NYCHA from verifying her income. As a result of the fraud, in 2022, for example, the defendant paid only $212 of the apartment’s monthly rent of $1,654. The remaining balance was subsidized by NYCHA based on the defendant’s misrepresentation of her household income and assets. According to the investigation, between November 2010 and June 2022, NYCHA overpaid $157,493 in rent subsidies on the defendant’s behalf.

The case was investigated by DOI Assistant Inspector General Robert Joyce, under the supervision of Deputy Inspector General Gregory Deboer, Deputy Inspector General J. Graham Forbes, Executive Agency Counsel Laureen Hintz, Inspector General Ralph Iannuzzi, Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Initiatives Christopher Ryan and Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sara Walshe of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, Deputy Chief of Public Integrity, and Assistant District Attorney Laura Neubauer, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of Investigations.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, November 17, 2023

Homeless Man Sentenced to 14 Years to Life in Prison for

Stabbing a Skateboarder on the Williamsburg Bridge

Unprovoked Attack Left Victim in Critical Condition

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a homeless man has been sentenced to 14 years to life in prison for stabbing and severely injuring a skateboarder during an unprovoked attack on the Williamsburg Bridge.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a brutal and horrifying attack on a completely innocent man. I am committed to keeping the people of Brooklyn safe from violence. With today’s lengthy sentence, the defendant will be held accountable for his actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Omar Cartagena, 46. The defendant, who was deemed a mandatory persistent violent felony offender because of previous felony convictions, was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Eugene Guarino to 14 years to life in prison. He pleaded guilty to second-degree assault on September 7, 2023.

The District Attorney said that, on October 16, 2021, at about 10 a.m., the defendant was riding a bicycle behind the 30-year-old victim as he skateboarded across the Williamsburg Bridge. According to the evidence, the defendant started to yell at the victim and demanded he get out of the way. Despite the victim moving to the other side of the bike path, the defendant continued to yell at him. The defendant then pulled up next to the victim and stabbed him once in the chest with a knife.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, the victim was able to take a photo of the defendant as he rode away and a second photo of the defendant waiting for him at the end of the bridge with the knife in his hands. The victim then skateboarded to an urgent care clinic in Greenpoint where an employee called 911. The victim was transported to Elmhurst Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery — including a sternotomy — due to severe internal bleeding. He remained hospitalized for eight days.

The defendant was arrested approximately two hours after the stabbing by detectives who were canvassing the area around the Williamsburg Bridge and recognized him from the victim’s photos. The defendant had a bloody knife tucked into his waistband. DNA from the blade matched the victim.

Additionally, in the time between stabbing the 30-year-old victim on the Williamsburg Bridge and his arrest, the defendant stabbed a 34-year-old man on the Lower East Side.

The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in Manhattan in that case and received a sentence of 14 years to life in prison. The Brooklyn and Manhattan sentences will run concurrently.

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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, November 13, 2023

Brooklyn Woman Indicted for Defrauding or Attempting to Defraud Six Immigrants

Defendant Allegedly Claimed She Could Get Green Cards and Help with Immigration Services for a Fee,

Stole More than $38,000 from Individuals She Promised to Help

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, New York Ivan J. Arvelo today announced the indictment of a Sheepshead Bay woman who worked as a paralegal at a law firm for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from prospective clients of the firm by falsely promising to provide legal services at a lower rate. In fact, it is alleged, she did no legal work for them and did not file any petitions. In two instances, it is alleged, she falsely stated that she was an attorney.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “We allege that this defendant tried to enrich herself by targeting individuals from our vulnerable immigrant communities as they attempted to comply with federal requirements. In Brooklyn, we are committed to protecting our friends and neighbors in all immigrant communities from those who attempt to prey on them.”

Special Agent-in-Charge Arvelo said, “As alleged, Zoya Shamilova lured vulnerable individuals with promises of cheaper legal services as they navigated the immigration process. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, she is accused not only of stealing from her victims under the guise of legitimacy, but then threatening their livelihoods when they began to question her scheme. While our investigation found Shamilova charged each victim thousands of dollars, she is the person who will ultimately pay the greatest price. HSI New York’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force is unwavering in its commitment to protecting the public from bad actors preying upon defenseless communities.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Zoya Shamilova, 38, of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. She was arraigned today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Kim Petersen on a 17-count indictment in which she is charged with third-degree grand larceny, third-degree attempted grand larceny, first-degree immigrant assistance services fraud, first-degree attempted immigrant assistance services fraud, third-degree attempted coercion, practicing law without a license, and first-degree scheme to defraud. She was released without bail and ordered to return to court on January 17, 2024.

The District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, from approximately May 2022 to August 2023, the defendant falsely claimed she could help the victims with various immigration services including obtaining green cards and, in one instance, Temporary Protected Status, in exchange for approximately $4,500 to $16,250. The victims – who were from Poland, Ukraine, Serbia, India and Kazakhstan – met the defendant when they sought consultations with the law firm where she was employed as a paralegal, Shepelsky Law Group, located at 2415 Avenue U in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.

After allegedly taking down payments from the victims, the defendant failed to file any petitions with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. She allegedly made excuses or simply ignored calls and text messages from clients seeking updates on the status of their cases. It is alleged the defendant threatened to report two undocumented individuals to immigration authorities after they questioned her about her work on their behalf.

The alleged fraud came to light after an individual texted Marina Shepelsky, Esq., the founder and managing partner of the law firm, to follow up on the status of her case, saying she had met with the defendant to retain the firm. After Shepelsky looked into the matter and found numerous documents related to the alleged fraudulent actions, she fired the defendant and reported the incident to KCDA and other law enforcement agencies.

People who believe they have been victimized by this defendant are encouraged to contact the District Attorney’s Action Center at 718-250-2340 or send an e-mail to ShamilovComplaints@brooklynda.org.

The District Attorney thanked Intelligence Analyst Veranika Basak, of the Investigations Division, Paralegal Specialist Kevin Yu, of the Immigrant Affairs Unit, and KCDA Detective Investigators, for their assistance on the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sergey Marts, of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gloria Rios, Chief of the Immigrant Affairs Unit, and Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides, Chief of the Frauds Bureau, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of Investigations and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of Investigations.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Bath Beach Driver Sentenced to 3 to 9 Years in Prison for Causing Crash That Killed Passenger While Fleeing from NYPD on Eastern Parkway

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Reckless Manslaughter in September

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bath Beach man has been sentenced to 3 to 9 years in prison following his guilty plea to second-degree manslaughter for causing a collision with another car while fleeing from police on Eastern Parkway in 2022. One of the defendant’s passengers, 18, was killed in the crash.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant’s recklessness behind the wheel and complete disregard for public safety cost an innocent young woman her life and seriously injured several others. He has now been held accountable and my office will continue to prosecute crimes involving vehicular violence to ensure the safety of Brooklyn’s streets.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Ackeem Chambers, 20, of Bath Beach, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to three to nine years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter on September 9, 2023.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on February 6, 2022, at approximately 2:08 a.m., the defendant was driving a 2015 Hyundai Sonata erratically on Eastern Parkway. The car, which was carrying three passengers, had a temporary Texas license plate and excessively tinted windows. According to the evidence, officers from the New York City Police Department attempted a traffic stop. The defendant then accelerated and drove through a red light at the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Rogers Avenue where he collided with a 2007 Toyota Solara that had the right of way. The defendant’s vehicle spun and struck a streetlight before the airbags deployed.

One of the defendant’s backseat passengers, Jada Rollins, 18, was taken to Kings County Hospital where she was pronounced dead. A 20-year-old passenger suffered severe head trauma. A third passenger was also taken to Kings County Hospital and treated, as was the driver of the Toyota Solara. The defendant suffered minor injuries.

Investigators later determined that the defendant was driving at approximately 62.7 miles per hour before the crash and there was no indication that the vehicle’s brakes were deployed.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Denise Montano, of the District Attorney’s Orange Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Trabulsi and Assistant District Attorney Iris Das, Deputy Bureau Chiefs of the Orange Zone, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Danielle Eaddy, Chief of the Orange Zone, and Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Nocella, Chief of the District Attorney’s Street Safety Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, November 6, 2023

Prospect Lefferts Gardens Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison
for Shooting Spree that Wounded Roommate and Two NYPD Officers

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Attempted Murder in September

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Prospect Lefferts Gardens man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison following his guilty plea to second-degree attempted murder for shooting his roommate and then opening fire on four New York City Police Officers who responded to the roommate’s 911 call. The defendant fired three shots at the officers, wounding two of them.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a terrifying act of gun violence that underscores the dangers our police partners face every day on the job. We will never allow violence against law enforcement here in Brooklyn, and today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for his deplorable actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Ridhwaan Abdur Rashid, 46, of Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo to 12 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder on September 26, 2023.

The District Attorney said that on March 7, 2021, at approximately 9:11 p.m., four New York City Police Officers assigned to the 71^st Precinct responded to a 911 call about a man shot by an emotionally disturbed person inside a second-floor apartment at 42 Hawthorne Street in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. According to the evidence, officers entered the building and were climbing the stairwell in a single-file line when the door to the apartment opened, and the defendant emerged. The officers engaged in a brief conversation with the defendant, who was draped in a blanket and speaking incoherently. The defendant then displayed an illegal .38-caliber handgun. After commands to drop his weapon, the defendant fired three times at the officers. One bullet clipped Police Officer Robert Aviles in his bulletproof vest; another grazed Police Officer Jonathan Landro in the leg. Officers returned fire but did not strike the defendant.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, the defendant then barricaded himself in the apartment while his wounded roommate, Damon Lindsay, 47, hid in an adjoining bedroom with his girlfriend. The standoff lasted for approximately one hour. At one point, Lindsay’s girlfriend waved a white shirt out of a window to signal for help and tossed a set of keys to officers outside so they could gain access to the apartment. An Emergency Services Unit was eventually able to extract the defendant from the apartment.

Lindsay was taken to the Kings County Hospital where he was treated for gunshot wounds to the leg and later released. Officer Aviles and Officer Landro were also taken to Kings County Hospital where they were treated and released.

A search warrant was obtained for the apartment. In addition to the 38-caliber handgun, an illegal shotgun and rifle were also removed. In May 2022, Lindsay pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and was sentenced to probation.

The District Attorney thanked NYPD’s Force Investigation Division and KCDA Supervising Paralegal Aneudy Mata for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael Boykin, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Green Zone Trial Bureau and Senior Assistant District Attorney Danyelle Shapiro, also of the Green Zone, and Senior District Attorney Jonathan Visotzky, formerly of the Green Zone, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Frank DeGaetano, Green Zone Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, November 3, 2023

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 23 Years to Life in Prison for
East New York Shooting That Killed Gang Rival

Murder of Victim Shamel Boomer Sparked Retaliation by Gang Members,
Who Labeled the Violent Movement “Boomin’ for Boomer” on Social Media

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 23 years to life in prison for the shooting death of an unarmed 18-year-old man, Shamel Boomer, in East New York.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This murder and the violent retaliation it sparked is another example of the pervasive cycle of gang violence that is destroying too many young lives in Brooklyn. I am committed to holding accountable those responsible for shootings, and, as in this terrible instance, shooting deaths that endanger all Brooklynites.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Malik Bacchus, 22, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 23 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree grand larceny on October 2, 2023, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on July 10, 2020, the victim, Shamel Boomer, 18, of Brownsville, Brooklyn, and two friends checked into the Sunborn Hotel, located at 100 New Jersey Avenue, in East New York, Brooklyn, to play video games.

Later that day, according to the evidence, the defendant, Malik Bacchus, who had stolen a red Nissan Altima from a food delivery driver earlier that day, checked into the Sunborn Hotel with three friends. At approximately 7:20 p.m., the defendant’s friends noticed the victim, a member of the WOOO gang, waiting in the lobby of the hotel for a cab. They then alerted Bacchus, a Bergen Fam gang member, to Boomer’s presence.

Bacchus went down to the lobby where he ambushed Boomer, pulling out an illegal 9-millimeter gun and firing at the victim at close range, striking him in the shoulder. The bullet punctured both of Shamel Boomer’s lungs as well as the pulmonary trunk. He was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The defendant fled from the hotel, according to the evidence, but was linked to the murder via video surveillance and DNA on a soda can recovered from his hotel room. He was located in Chico, California, and extradited to Brooklyn four months later.

Boomer’s murder and its celebration by gang members associated with Bergen Fam and WOOO rival CHOO sparked numerous instances of violence by WOOO members and, in turn, more violence from Bergen Fam and CHOO members.

The District Attorney thanked VCE Paralegals Sultana Wahab and Dian Fields-Veron and the KCDA Detective Investigators for their assistance on this case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Ford and Senior Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Visotzky, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Alfred De Ingeniis, VCE Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, November 3, 2023

Brooklyn District Attorney Moves to Vacate Conviction of
Man Who Was Found Guilty Based on Unreliable Eyewitness

Defendant Was Paroled in April 2021 After Serving Nearly 35 Years in Prison

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that following a thorough reinvestigation by his Conviction Review Unit (CRU), he will move to vacate the conviction of Detroy Livingston, 59, who was convicted after a 1986 trial in connection with a murder that happened four years earlier inside a Bedford-Stuyvesant bodega. The reinvestigation found that the sole eyewitness was highly unreliable, having given numerous contradictory statements and being high on crack cocaine when she allegedly witnessed the incident. The CRU report is available here.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This old conviction was predicated on the testimony of a single witness who, based on a reinvestigation by my Conviction Review Unit, should have never been called to testify at trial. Her myriad inconsistent statements and newly discovered crack habit undermine this conviction and it must be reversed.”

The defendant will appear in court today at 11 a.m. before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew D’Emic in 320 Jay Street, 15th Floor.
The District Attorney said that on December 11, 1982, four men robbed a small grocery store in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn of marijuana. During the robbery, employee Jairam Gangaram was fatally shot, and another worker was shot but survived his injuries. Despite interviewing several witnesses, the police investigation was stalled until 1986, when the defendant and an alleged accomplice were arrested and indicted for the crime.

The defendant was convicted based on the testimony of a woman, who was 19 at the time, who claimed she saw him shoot the victim and later saw his alleged accomplice with marijuana bags with a stamp she had previously noticed in that store. The defendant, who earlier rejected a plea offer of six to 12 years in prison and consistently maintained his innocence, was convicted of murder, robbery, and related counts. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison and was paroled in April 2021.

The CRU reinvestigated the case after receiving a request from the deceased’s daughter who claimed the defendant was innocent. In interviews with the eyewitness, CRU found that she had little recollection regarding the case but stated that at the time she “was on crack, hard,” contradicting her hearing testimony that she only used to smoke marijuana.

An analysis of the witness’s 10 statements, given to police and in court, showed that she was inconsistent about the defendant’s role or whether he was involved at all, about where she was when she witnessed the crime, about whether she saw the assailants flee, and about hearing the suspects discuss the crime on a later date. When confronted by the defense about some of the inconsistencies, she claimed to not recall making those statements. Furthermore, her testimony was physically implausible as she claimed to have hidden behind a dumpster right outside the store and looked in through the window, but the window was largely blocked by objects (based on a crime scene photo that was never shown to the jury), and a security gate was almost certainly rolled down.

Her testimony at the codefendant’s subsequent trial was even more incredible and it appears that the jury disregarded her completely – it only convicted that individual of attempted murder and weapon possession, relying on testimony from the surviving store employee. Given all of these findings, the CRU concluded that the witness should have never been called to the stand and, since she was the only link between the defendant and the crime, the conviction should be vacated, and the indictment dismissed.
To date, the work of the Conviction Review Unit has resulted in 36 convictions being vacated since 2014. Currently, CRU has approximately 40 open investigations.

This case was investigated by Assistant District Attorney Rachel Kalman of the District Attorney’s Conviction Review Unit, under the supervision of Eric Sonnenschein, Deputy Chief of the Conviction Review Unit, and Charles Linehan, Unit Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Former Coney Island Amusement Park Worker Sentenced
to 13 Years in Prison for Attempted Murder

Defendant Shot Co-Worker in Chest During Dispute Over Customers and Profits at Jumbo Prizes Game Booth Before Fleeing to Pennsylvania

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a former Coney Island amusement park worker was sentenced to 13 years in prison for shooting a co-worker in the chest during an ongoing dispute over customers and profits at a game booth. Video surveillance captured the incident, including the defendant disposing of evidence inside of Nathan’s Famous before fleeing to Pennsylvania. He was convicted at trial in May.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This shooting at Coney Island’s Luna Park was an outrageous act of violence that nearly killed a man and put many more people in harm’s way. Gun crime will not be tolerated in Brooklyn, and today’s sentence ensures that the defendant has been held accountable for his deplorable actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Joseph Colon, 38, of, Coney Island, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Susan Quirk to 13 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. He was convicted of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree criminal use of a firearm, first-degree reckless endangerment, and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on May 31, 2023, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, both the defendant and the victim, a 38-year-old man, worked at the Jumbo Prizes game booth at Coney Island’s Luna Park. In the week prior to the shooting, the two men had repeatedly argued over customers and profits.

On September 10, 2021, at approximately 8 p.m., the defendant was working at Jumbo Prizes when the victim arrived for work. The defendant observed that the victim was unarmed, and then took a tactical position behind the booth, drawing an unlicensed handgun and firing a single shot at the victim, who was struck in the chest.

The defendant then exited the booth and briefly pursued the victim before ducking down Bowery Street. According to the evidence, the defendant was then seen on surveillance video on Stillwell Avenue removing his camouflage hoodie before walking into Nathan’s Famous where he tossed it in the garbage. The hoodie was subsequently recovered and tested for DNA that matched the defendant. The defendant then got into a vehicle and was taken to his apartment at 2926 West 25th Street. From there, according to the evidence, the defendant fled to Temple, Pennsylvania, where a relative lived. He was extradited back to New York by the United States Marshals Service and the NYPD’s Regional Fugitive Task Force.

The victim collapsed near the intersection of Stillwell and Mermaid Avenues. He was taken to NYU Langone Brooklyn where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the chest, a broken rib, a collapsed lung, a lacerated liver, and severe loss of blood. The victim was hospitalized for approximately a week before being released.

The District Attorney thanked Supervising Paralegal Aneudy Mata for assisting with the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael Boykin, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Green Zone Trial Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Adam Ghalmi, also of the Green Zone, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Frank DeGaetano, Green Zone Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, October 23, 2023

Brooklyn Man who Fled Justice to Israel Sentenced to Prison
For Sexually Abusing Three Female Relatives

Indicted in Absentia in 2010 and Extradited in 2021

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 67-year-old Brooklyn man who fled to Israel in 2010 to escape charges that he repeatedly sexually assaulted young relatives has been sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to course of sexual conduct against a child.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s sentence, this defendant is being held responsible for his despicable acts, while sparing his victims from testifying against a relative. I hope that the resolution of this long-standing case brings them some solace and helps them cope with the trauma and hurt the defendant has caused. I would like to thank the NYPD, the Israeli National Police, the Justice Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance in bringing this fugitive to justice and ensuring accountability and closure in this case.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Gershon Kranczer, 67, of Midwood, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jill Konviser to nine years in prison and 10 years’ post release supervision, following his guilty plea in August 2023 to second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child. The defendant will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release. The plea was offered by the Court.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on multiple occasions from August 1996 to February 2003, in Midwood, Brooklyn, the defendant sexually assaulted a child from the time she was six years old to 13 years old. He sexually abused a second child between March 2001 and September 2002 when she was approximately 11 years old. A third victim came forward following his arrest in 2021 and reported that the defendant sexually abused her on multiple occasions between the ages of 5 to 15 starting in June 1998.

The defendant fled to Israel to escape prosecution the same day the abuse was first reported, in November 2010. He was returned to New York on November 3, 2021 by the United States Marshals Service.

The investigation was conducted by now-retired New York City Police Detective Steve Litwin, formerly assigned to the Brooklyn Special Victims Squad and to the Cold Case Squad.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Connie Solimeo, formerly of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, and Kevin O’Donnell, Deputy Bureau Chief, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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