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04
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J.
HYNES ANNOUNCES THE INDICTMENT OF LEVI ARON IN THE MURDER OF
EIGHT-YEAR-OLD
LEIBY KLETZKY
Brooklyn, July 20, 2011 –
Kings County District
Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the indictment of
Levi Aron, charged with killing eight-year-old Leiby
Kletzky.
Aron, 35, is charged with two counts of Murder in the
First Degree, three counts of Murder in the Second Degree,
two counts of Kidnapping
in the First Degree and one count of Kidnapping in the
Second Degree. If convicted, he faces a maximum of life in
prison without parole.
The indictment charges that on July 11, Aron abducted
Keltzky from the vicinity of 18th Avenue and Dahill Road, in Brooklyn. Aron then took the child to Aron’s apartment, at
466 East 2nd St., also in
Brooklyn, where Aron killed him, according to
the indictment.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not
proof of a defendant’s guilt.
The case is being prosecuted by Counsel to the
Homicide Bureau Julie Rendelman and Unit Chief in the Sex
Crimes/Crimes Against Children Division Linda Weinman.
Kenneth Taub is Chief of the Homicide Bureau. Rhonnie Jaus
is Chief of the Sex Crimes/Crimes Against Children Division.
Contact:
Jonah Bruno
(718) 250-2300
02
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES AND NEW YORK CITY HUMAN
RESOURCES COMMISSIONER ROBERT DOAR ANNOUNCE INDICTMENTS IN
MULTIPLE WELFARE FRAUD CASES
TWELVE DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH USING
MEDICAID TO FUND $200,000 PRESCRIPTION PILL RING
Brooklyn, July 14, 2011 –
Kings County District
Attorney Charles J. Hynes and New York City Human Resources
Commissioner Robert Doar today announced the indictment of
35 people charged with stealing more than $100,000 from HRA.
The cases include a 12-defendant conspiracy charging three
people with essentially taking over a doctor’s office in
Bushwick to write fake prescriptions for Oxycontin, which
they sold on the street for more than $200,000.
“Medicaid is
an important program for the low-income people it is
intended to support; it is not a cash chow for profit-hungry
drug dealers,” said District Attorney Hynes. “I would like
to thank Commissioner Doar and HRA for their help
investigating these cases.”
“HRA has a continued commitment to investigate and combat
Medicaid prescription drug diversion and all other forms of
fraud and abuse so that we can maintain the integrity of
this critical program,” said HRA First Deputy Commissioner
Patricia M. Smith. “Medicaid providers, clients, and others
who steal Medicaid dollars and endanger the public health
will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I would
like to thank the Office of the Brooklyn District Attorney
for their dedication in pursuing the prosecution of those
who commit Medicaid fraud and our HRA investigative staff
for their ongoing efforts and commitment.”
Twelve defendants, led by Sandra Quinones, 50;
Jennifer Garrastegui, 29; and Lindsay Ortiz, 26, are charged
in a conspiracy that netted more than $200,000, from 80
forged prescriptions. The scam cost Medicaid $96,000.
Garrastegui and Ortiz worked at a doctor’s office on
Grand Street, and Quinones worked
at a pharmacy across the street. Garrastegui and Ortiz are
charged with forging Oxycontin prescriptions, for their nine
co-conspirators – Medicaid recipients – who then went to
various Brooklyn pharmacies
to fill those prescriptions. The defendants are charged with
paying the Medicaid recipients a small fee to collect the
pills and then selling them on the street for $20 per
tablet, according to the charges.
All 12 defendants have been charged with Grand
Larceny in the Second Degree, which carries a maximum of 15
years in prison. Garrastegui, Ortiz and Quinones face
additional charges, including Conspiracy in the Fourth
Degree, 20 Counts of Forgery in the Second Degree, and
Criminal Use of a Public Benefit Card.
The other 33, unrelated cases share a common theme
with that of Jonathan James, 61, charged in a 26-count
indictment with forging prescriptions for HIV medication.
James, a Medicaid recipient, is charged with stealing more
than $33,000 from Medicaid, by forging 13 prescriptions,
over the course of a year, which ranged in value from $875
to $1500. He is charged with selling the medications to a
“recruiter” for a total of approximately $1200, over the
life of the scheme.
Charges against James include Grand Larceny and 13
Counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the
Second Degree, each of which carries up to seven years in
prison.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not
proof of a defendant’s guilt.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District
Attorneys Sabrina Thanse, and John Vourderis Lauren Mack is
Chief of the Public Assistance Crimes Bureau.
Contact:
Jonah Bruno
(718) 250-2300
01
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J.
HYNES ANNOUNCES SENTENCES OF THREE DEFENDANTS FOR RAPE AND
ROBBERY TOTALING MORE THAN 600 YEARS
GLENDON JACKSON SENTENCED TO 260 YEARS; JUSTIN HARRIS
SENTENCED TO 192 YEARS; DESHAWN OWENS SENTENCED TO 153 YEARS
Brooklyn,
July 7, 2011 –
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes
today announced the sentencing of Justin Harris, 29, Glendon
Jackson, 23, and DeShawn Owens, 26, for sexually assaulting
three women and assaulting and robbing multiple victims
during an August 2007 home invasion. Glendon Jackson was
sentenced to 260 years in prison.
Justin Harris was sentenced to 192 years in prison.
DeShawn Owens was sentenced to 153 years in prison.
Defendants Harris and Jackson were convicted on June 27.
Owens was convicted by a separate jury on June 28.
Harris was convicted on six counts of Robbery in the
First Degree, two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First
Degree, five counts of Unlawful Imprisonment in the First
Degree, one count of Burglary in the First Degree and other
charges. Jackson was convicted of two counts of Rape in
the First Degree, six counts of Robbery in the First Degree,
two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, one count of
Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, one count of
Burglary in the First Degree and other charges.
Owens was convicted on charges including five counts
of Robbery in the First Degree, one count of Burglary in the
First Degree, three counts of Assault in the Second Degree
and other charges.
The defendants were sentenced before Brooklyn Supreme
Court Justice Albert Tomei.
On August 30, 2007, the defendants pushed past one
victim and entered his Sterling Place
home, pistol-whipping him and tying him up with duct tape.
The defendants, carrying weapons, then bound the
remaining males in the house with duct tape.
They continued to
assault the first victim, forcing him to lay face down in a
bathtub where scalding hot water was poured over his back,
causing burns.
The defendants also pistol-whipped the other male victims.
Next, the defendants sexually assaulted the three
female victims in the house while the males were held at
gunpoint. A
five-year old was forced to watch the rapes of her mother
and sister. The
defendants also stole money from the victims, took a safe
inside the home, and stole the victims’ cell phones before
fleeing.
Each defendant was positively identified in a lineup.
Harris was known to the victims and was arrested
several days later.
Three loaded firearms and a bulletproof vest were
recovered from his house. Harris’ DNA was also found on one
of the sheets in the victims’ home.
Owens was also known to the victims.
He fled to Pennsylvania and lived
under an alias.
He was apprehended in March 2009 after he was convicted for
a separate incident.
Jackson
was apprehended after being identified by a few victims and
was apprehended in January 2008.
The case was prosecuted by Elizabeth Doerfler, Deputy Bureau
Chief in the Sex Crimes Bureau, Kevin O’Donnell, First
Deputy Bureau Chief in the Sex Crimes Bureau and Assistant
District Attorney Lisa Nugent from the Sex Crimes Bureau.
Rhonnie Jaus is Chief of the Sex Crimes Bureau.
Contact:
Sandy
Silverstein
(718) 250-2300
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES 144-COUNT INDICTMENT IN
HIGH-PRICE PROSTITUTION AND DRUG RING
“HIGH CLASS NY” GENERATED
MORE THAN $2 MILLION ANNUALLY
Brooklyn, July 20, 2011 –
Kings County District
Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced a 144-count
indictment charging a Sheepshead Bay escort service, High
Class NY, with running a high-price prostitution and
drug ring that earned more than $7 million in three years.
"There is
no such thing as a high-class pimp, and as we do with all
other pimps, my office will prosecute these defendants and
seek the maximum sentences available under the law,” said
District Attorney Hynes. “I would like to thank the NYPD’s
Vice Major Case Squad for their assistance in this
investigation.”
Seventeen individuals and five corporations were named in
the indictment, including High Class NY’s owners
Mikhail Yampolsky; his wife, Bronislava; his son, Alexander;
and his step-son, Jonathan Yampolskaya. Also indicted are
eleven of their managers and supervisors, as well as two of
their largest investors, Efim Gorelik and Yakov Maystrovich.
Charges against the defendants include Enterprise
Corruption, Promoting Prostitution, Money Laundering, and
Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance. If convicted, they
face up to 25 years in prison. In separate indictments, two
escorts are charged with Prostitution, Criminal Sale of a
Controlled Substance and Attempted Criminal Sale of a
Controlled Substance.
The indictment
charges that prices for High Class’s escort services
ranged from $400 per hour to more than $3600 per hour and
that the company used billing techniques designed to conceal
the nature of clients’ purchases on monthly credit card
statements. Clients often spent more than $10,000 in one
night. To conceal the nature of the business, escorts were
required to sign employment contracts describing themselves
as “models” and prohibiting sexual contact with clients,
according to the indictment. However, the indictment charges
that High Class not only accepted money from clients
in exchange for sexual contact with the “models”, but that
the “models” also provided cocaine and other controlled
substances to clients, with the profits going to High
Class.
The company is charged with
operating several escort websites, including highclassny.com,
discreteclub.com, nyadultdating.com, cupiddirect.com, and
angelofyourchoice.com, which were all run out of an office
at 2313 Coney Island Ave., where the Yampolskys, their
managers, and their employees took phone calls 24 hours a
day, seven days a week. They also advertised on backpage.com
and craigslist.com, according to the indictment.
High Class’s
records show it earned more than $7 million, between
September 2007 and November 2010, which Yampolsky is charged
with laundering to hide his profits. Gorelik and Maystrovich
each invested $700,000 in the company and were being paid
back with interest, according to the indictment.
An indictment is
an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s
guilt.
The case is being
prosecuted by Executive District Attorney Christopher Blank,
Senior Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Gingold, and
Michael Perkins, First Deputy Bureau Chief of Money
Laundering and Revenue Crimes. Michael Vecchione is Chief of
the Rackets Division.
Contact:
Jonah Bruno
(718) 250-2300
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