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07
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES
THE INDICTMENT OF MEILECH SCHNITZLER FOR ASSAULT AFTER
ALLEGEDLY THROWING BLEACH IN THE FACE OF RABBI NATHAN
ROSENBERG
Brooklyn, December 26, 2012 –
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the indictment of Meilech Schnitzler for Attempted
Assault in the First Degree, for throwing a cup of bleach in
the face and eye of Rabbi Nathan Rosenberg on December 11,
2012.
Schnitzler, 37, is charged with two counts of
Attempted Assault in the First Degree; Assault in the Second
Degree; Assault in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession
of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree.
He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the
top count.
“This indictment alleges an act of thuggery in broad
daylight that cannot be tolerated,” said District Attorney
Hynes. “The
indictment sends a clear message that anyone who would seek
to intimidate someone opposed to the uncovering of sexual
abuse in the Orthodox community will face serious criminal
charges and if convicted, I will ask for the maximum jail
time.”
According to the indictment, the defendant and the victim
both lived in Williamsburg and knew each other.
The victim was walking past 311 Roebling Street when
Schnitzler allegedly tapped Rosenberg on the shoulder, threw
a cup of bleach in his face and eye and ran away.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a
defendant’s guilt.
The case is being prosecuted by Ari Farkas, Senior Trial
Attorney in Trial Zone Grey.
Nancy E. Laxer is the zone’s Executive Assistant
District Attorney.
Contact:
Mia Goldberg
(718) 250-2300
06
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES LATEST RESULTS OF PROJECT SAFE
SURRENDER
482 BROOKLYN RESIDENTS RESOLVE
OUTSTANDING WARRANTS AND SUMMONSES
AT CHURCH
Brooklyn, December 15, 2012 –
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced that, over the past two days, 482 people attended
Operation Safe Surrender to close out open warrants and
summonses, at Brownsville’s Mt. Sion Baptist Church.
“Thanks to our efforts today and yesterday, 482
people can spend the holidays without the fear of going to
jail, over a minor offense they had not been able to
resolve,” said District Attorney Hynes. “I would like to
thank Pastor Dan Craig and the Mt. Sion Baptist Church,
Kings County Chief Administrative Judge Barry Kamins, the
New York City Police Department, Judge Evelyn LaPorte, Judge
Jacqueline Williams, the Legal Aid Society of New York,
Brooklyn Defender Services, the Metropolitan Black Bar
Association, and all the court personnel who made this great
event possible.”
Operation Safe Surrender is offers people an
opportunity to closer out arrest warrants and summonses they
have not previously addressed and which would lead to their
arrest, if they were stopped and frisked or pulled over for
a minor traffic infraction. The program applies to people
with unresolved cases for low-level quality-of-life crimes,
such as
Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, Consumption of
Alcohol in Public, Littering, Riding a Bicycle on the
Sidewalk, Trespassing, Loitering, Disorderly Conduct,
Unlawful Possession of Alcohol under the Age of 21, Unlawful
Possession of Handcuffs, Making Unreasonable Noise, Animal
Nuisance, Failure to have a Dog License, Unleashed Dog,
Spitting, Unlawfully in a Park After Hours, and Failure to
Comply with Posted Signs in a Park.
At Safe Surrender, a
court is set up in church with a judge, court officers and
clerks. Clergy, pastors, Lay Members and Defense Attorneys
from the Legal Aid Society and Brooklyn Defender Services
are on hand to help.
Prior to today, 1,500 people had taken advantage of the
program, since it was launched in 2010. Operation Safe
Surrender enhanced public safety by reducing the chances
that someone who cannot enter the job market at a higher
level as a result of an open arrest warrant might turn to
criminal activity.
The program was inspired by a successful United States
Marshall’s initiative in 2006 called “Fugitive Safe
Surrender” in which 14 cities participated and over 40,000
people surrendered voluntarily.
A hotline was set up for
Project Safe Surrender.
That number is (718) 250-3888.
For more information, you can visit
www.projectsafesurrender.org.
Contact:
Jonah Bruno
(718) 250-2300
05
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES AND NYC
POLICE COMMISSIONER RAYMOND W. KELLY ANNOUNCE RESULTS OF GUN
BUYBACKS AT TWO LOCAL CHURCHES
134 WORKING FIREARMS SURRENDERED
Brooklyn,
December 15, 2012 – Kings County
District Attorney Charles J. Hynes and NYPD Commissioner
Raymond W. Kelly announced that today’s gun buybacks took
134 working guns off the streets of Brooklyn.
“Once again, we have
shown the effectiveness of innovation and creativity in law
enforcement, in taking guns off the streets and making
Brooklyn an even safer place to live,” said District
Attorney Hynes. “I would like to thank all the elected
officials, clergy members and police officers who made this
great event possible. Thanks also to Police Commissioner
Kelly for all his help.”
The guns included
80 revolvers, 31 semi-automatic pistols, 4 rifles, 3
shotguns, 1 sawed-off shotgun and 15 others (BBs, zips,
starter pistols). The
gun buybacks took place at Mt.
Ollie Baptist Church, in Brownsville, and the St. Peters
Lutheran Church, in Cyprus Hills, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. today.
Today’s event was sponsored by DA Hynes; the New York City
Police Department; New York State Senators John L. Sampson,
Martin Malave Dilan, and Velmanette Montgomery; New York
State Assembly members William F. Boyland, Jr., and Rafael
Espinal, and New York City Councilman Eric Martin Dilan.
The program was
launched in Brooklyn in July 2008. Last June, 70 guns
were turned in at one church as part of the Gun Buyback
program. In 2010, 287 guns were collected in Brooklyn
at six churches. In 2008, there were three gun
buybacks at a combined 16 churches, resulting in 1,532 guns.
Contact:
Jonah Bruno
(718) 250-2300
04
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES AND NEW YORK CITY POLICE
COMMISSIONER RAYMOND W. KELLY ANNOUNCE THE TAKEDOWN OF
VIOLENT ORGANIZED STREET GANG THAT TERRORIZED BUSHWICK
68 COUNT INDICTMENT OF 41
MEMBERS OF THE TBO GANG ON CHARGES INCLUDING MURDER,
CONSPIRACY AND ROBBERY
Brooklyn, December 12, 2012- Kings County District
Attorney Charles J. Hynes and New York City Police
Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly announced today the takedown
of 41 members of the TBO (True Bosses Only aka Team Bang
Out) Gang, who terrorized the streets of Bushwick.
The gang members were indicted on charges including
Murder in the Second Degree, Attempted Murder in the Second
Degree, Conspiracy in the First Degree, Conspiracy in the
Second Degree, Conspiracy in the Third Degree, Conspiracy in
the Fourth Degree, Robbery in the First Degree, Assault in
the First Degree, Burglary in the Second Degree, Criminal
Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, and other
charges.
District Attorney Hynes said, “Gang violence is on
the rise. The
TBO Gang brought fear to the people of Bushwick, roaming the
streets, committing violent crimes.
This particular ‘street crew’ is unique, in a way
that we have not seen before, in regards to how organized
their hierarchy is.
We have to take down these gangs and street crews in
the early stages before they become organized and more
dangerous. This
takedown is yet another reminder to gangs that if you
continue your illegal activities, it is not a question of
whether you are going to get caught, but when you will get
caught. I would
like to thank Police Commissioner Kelly and the NYPD for
their help in shutting down this gang and protecting the
residents of Bushwick.”
Police Commissioner Kelly said, “Once again we have
young gang members using social media to boast about murder
and mayhem, and once again we have New York City Police
officers ‘friending’ them to help end the violence. When
young men plot to take their battles from tweets to the
streets, the NYPD wants to be there to stop the bloodshed.
The attention is paying off.”
After, a year-long investigation, the 41 gang members were
indicted and charged with committing a murder, attempted
murders and numerous armed robberies and assaults in
Bushwick between November 2010 and September 2012.
The gang was created in 2003 and grew significantly over the
years in size, recruiting new members, forming alliances
with other gangs, such as Hoodstarz and Brower Boys, and
expanding their territory into Coney Island and Brownsville.
As TBO grew in size, the gang created subsets, 730
Krookz and RGz, with members as young as 12-years-old who
had to commit crimes to earn promotions into the gang.
The TBO Gang became so confident that they brazenly
roamed the streets of Bushwick, openly carrying guns.
This indictment charges the TBO gang with the murder of
Derrick Bethea. On
May 28, 2011, several TBO members searched for Bethea, a
rival gang members, in retaliation for a prior attack on a
TBO member. Upon
learning of his whereabouts, eight TBO members descended on
Bethea, and he was ultimately shot and killed by Owen
Decaille.
The defendants charged with this murder are
Owen Decaille and Raul Rivera.
Also charged with
conspiracy to commit murder are Damian Jackson, Patrick
Tucker, Edgar Lopez, Malik Walker, Nyrea Haywood, and
Anthony Gooding.
The indictment also charges TBO with approaching a
19-year-old student on the street, displaying a gun, and
stealing his headphones in March 2012.
The victim fought back, so TBO member Lewis Davis
shot him in the leg.
Hours later, TBO member Sunday Medina posted a photo
of himself on Facebook wearing the headphones with the tag,
“Free Swipe”.
Defendants Jeremiah Davis and Shakein Cook are
charged with attempted murder for shooting a 24-year-old man
in the face after a dispute at a schoolyard basketball game
in July of 2012.
The victim has a bullet lodged in his brain and he may never
walk again.
The TBO gang had an organized hierarchy with eight
gang members at the top, who were mostly the founders,
called the Top Gangsters.
The next level is the Original Gangsters.
The Top Gangsters and the Original Gangsters were the
leaders and often committed the most horrific crimes
including murders and attempted murders.
The next levels in the hierarchy were the Team
Leaders, Warriors, and Bangers, who were the foot soldiers.
They committed numerous violent crimes, such as
assaults and armed robberies.
The TBO Gang would have weekly meetings in which they would
collect money, ranging from $10 to $150 per week from their
members, which would fund their illegal operations.
The money was used to purchase weapons, drugs, and
rent trap houses where they would hold their meetings and
store their weapons.
The money was also used for bail and the commissary
for their members at Rikers Island.
As part of the operation, detectives would create fake names
and “friend” the gang members on social networking sites
like Facebook to track their actions.
The gang members would often brag about their crimes
on these sites.
The investigation was headed by Chief James Essig of
Brooklyn North Patrol; Deputy Inspector Anthony Tasso and
Police Officers Brian Tiernan and William Reed from the 83rd
Precinct. The
case was also investigated by Detectives David Acres,
Anthony Brognano and Gerard Scanlon from the Kings County
District Attorney’s Gang Bureau.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney
Francisco Mundaca, Assistant District Attorney Adriana
Rodriguez, First Deputy Bureau Chief Michael Perkins and
Chief Deanna Rodriguez, all of the Gang Bureau.
Contact: Sandy
Silverstein
(718) 250-2300
03
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES CONVICTION OF UNLICENSED
THERAPIST WHO SEXUALLY ABUSED AN ADOLESCENT CLIENT
Brooklyn, December 10, 2012-
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the conviction of Nechemya Weberman, 54, for
sexually abusing a young girl over a period of years.
District Attorney Hynes said, “The victim showed
great courage to come forward in a very difficult time.
Hopefully, this verdict will lead to the
understanding for other women that they can come forward as
well.”
Weberman was convicted on one count of Course of
Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree, 12
counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree, two
counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree, 18 counts
of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, 25 counts of Sexual
Abuse in the Third Degree, and one count of Endangering the
Welfare of a Child.
The top count of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a
Child in the First Degree carries a maximum penalty of 25
years in prison. He
faces a total of 117 years.
Weberman was remanded and he will be sentenced
before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Ingram on January
9 at 10:00 AM.
The victim’s parents hired Weberman, an unlicensed
therapist, to provide counseling for their daughter,
beginning in 2007, when she was 12. From then, until 2010,
Weberman sexually abused the girl multiple times, mostly in
his office.
The case was prosecuted by Kevin
O’Donnell, First Deputy Bureau Chief of the Sex Crimes
Bureau; Linda Weinman, Unit Chief of the Crimes Against
Children Bureau; and Anthea Bruffee, First Deputy Bureau
Chief of the Appeals Bureau. Rhonnie Jaus is Chief of the
Sex Crimes/Crimes Against Children Division.
Contact:
Sandy Silverstein
(718) 250-2300
02
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES INDICTMENT OF BROOKLYN
COUPLE WHO KEPT AN ALLIGATOR IN
THEIR APARTMENT
OFFICERS
EXECUTED SEARCH WARRANT AND FOUND WEAPONS AND
DRUGS
Brooklyn, December 4, 2012-
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the indictment of Michael Volpe, 32, and his wife,
Alisa Volpe, 25, for possessing weapons and drugs, and
keeping an alligator in their West 6th Street
home. Michael
Volpe was indicted on charges including three counts of
Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree.
Michael and Alisa Volpe were both indicted on charges
including three counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in
the Fourth Degree, Possession of Ammunition, four counts of
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh
Degree, Overdriving, Torturing and Injuring Animals and
Failure to Provide Proper Sustenance, Wild Animals
Prohibited and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana.
If convicted, Michael Volpe faces a maximum of seven
years in prison and Alisa Volpe faces up to one year in
jail.
On October 1, 2012, officers from the
66th precinct executed a search warrant at the
home of Michael and Alisa Volpe, a one-bedroom basement
apartment.
The indictment charges that when the officers entered, they
found metal knuckles, a fully-loaded revolver, and a loaded
pistol. They
also recovered a variety of prescription drugs including
Alprazolam pills and Oxycodone pills.
Marijuana was also
found. In
addition, there was an alligator, which was approximately
three feet long, in a tank in the living room, which was
taken away by animal control.
Under health code 161.01, most people cannot possess
wild animals without special permit.
An indictment
is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s
guilt.
The case is
being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lisa Marie
Vellucci from the Trial Bureau Green Zone and supervised by
Deputy District Attorney Dianne Malone, Chief of the Animal
Cruelty Unit.
Contact:
Sandy Silverstein
(718) 250-2300
01
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES CONVICTION OF PRINICPAL
OF PRIVATE JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF THREE BOYS
OVER THE COURSE OF TEN YEARS
Brooklyn, December 3, 2012-
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the conviction of Emanuel Yegutkin, 33, for
sexually abusing three young boys over the course of 10
years. Yegutkin
was convicted before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dineen
Riviezzo on 75 counts of charges including three counts of
Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First
Degree, two counts of Course of Sexual Conduct Against a
Child in the Second Degree, and multiple counts of Criminal
Sexual Act in the Second Degree, Sexual Abuse in the Second
Degree, Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, and Endangering
the Welfare of a Child.
The top charge, Course of Sexual Conduct Against a
Child in the First Degree carries a maximum sentence of 25
years. Yegutkin
will be back in court on December 17 to announce a
sentencing date.
District Attorney Hynes said, “This
violent sexual predator faces the remainder of his life
behind bars.
This should serve as a clear message that those who would
sexually abuse children in this county will be punished
severely.”
Yegutkin was a principal of a private
Jewish high school in Brooklyn.
He became a close
friend of the
victims’ family and visited their home frequently.
From 1996 to 2005, Yegutkin sexually abused two of
the boys when they were ages seven to 15-years-old, and in
2008, exposed the third boy to pornography.
He forced them to perform sex acts including fondling
and oral sex.
Yegutkin was arrested in January 2009.
At trial, the three victims testified
against Yegutkin.
The trial began on October 18th.
The jury, consisting of seven men and five women,
were in deliberations since November 29.
They came back with a guilty verdict today, finding
Yegutkin guilty on all 75 counts.
The case was prosecuted by Rachel
Schmidt, First Deputy Bureau Chief of the Sex Crimes Bureau
and Lauren Traum, Senior Trial Attorney of the Sex Crimes
Bureau. Rhonnie
Jaus is Chief of the Sex Crimes Bureau.
Contact:
Sandy Silverstein
(718) 250-2300
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