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KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES 325-YEAR SENTENCING IN GANG RAPE  DEFENDANT’S DNA LEAD TO CONVICTION               Brooklyn, February 2, 2007 – Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the sentencing of a career sex offender to 325 years in prison for his participation in a July 2005 robbery and rape.   Kelly was convicted January 19, of Rape in the First Degree, Robbery in the Second Degree, and Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree. A Level-Three Sex Offender, Kelly is already serving life in prison on an unrelated charge.  He was sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Deborah Dowling.              Kelly, 41, and four accomplices – Gerdzer Edmee, 18; Etzer Edmee, 25; Yashika Cochrane, 18; and Raynold Voltaire, 33 – have all been charged in the incident. The victims – one man and one woman – were carjacked, forced to surrender their ATM PIN numbers, and taken to the basement of a Flatlands apartment building, where the woman was repeatedly raped by all four men. Cochrane, who was not involved in the rape, pleaded guilty to Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree, in exchange for a two-year prison sentence. Voltaire, the apartment building’s superintendent, pleaded guilty to Rape in the First Degree and will serve eight years in prison.              In the basement of the building the victims were put in separate rooms, and the woman was repeatedly raped by four defendants. Kelly and Voltaire both lived in apartments in the building.              The rapists forced the victim to wear a towel over her head, so she could not see her attackers. However, DNA found at the scene matched Kelly’s. Kelly was also caught on surveillance video at an ATM machine withdrawing cash from one victim’s bank account.              The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Kevin O’Donnell and Christina Fay. Rhonnie Jaus is Chief of the Sex Crimes Bureau. Contact:   Jonah Bruno                 718-250-2300 back to top

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KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES INDICTMENT IN SHOOTING OF POLICE OFFICER  DEFENDANT’S POLICE OFFICER WIFE ALSO CHARGED Brooklyn, February 16, 2007 – Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the indictment of Jose Rivera, 31, on charges of Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree and Attempted Assault in the First Degree.              Rivera is charged with shooting Police Officer Andrew Suarez in the torso at 4:30 a.m. Saturday.              Driving a white Acura, Rivera pulled up next to an unmarked police car on Sixth Avenue and Prospect Place in Park Slope. Suarez displayed his badge and asked if Rivera was lost. Rivera pulled out a gun and fired, hitting Suarez. The other officers in the car with Suarez returned fire, striking Rivera’s car several times.              Rivera’s wife, Jacqueline Melendez-Rivera, a police officer stationed at the 81st Precinct, is charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence and other related counts. She was apprehended while attempting to hide Rivera’s car, which had several bullet holes.              If convicted, Rivera faces 25 years to life in prison.              Assistant District Attorney Lara Brody and Charles Guria, Chief of Police Integrity, are prosecuting the case. Contact:   Jonah Bruno                 718-250-2300 back to top

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KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES CONVICTION OF SEXUAL PREDATOR WHO PREYED ON FAMILY MEMBER              Brooklyn, February 20, 2007 – Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the conviction of Robert Allen, 43, for sexually assaulting a family member.  He was convicted of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, Incest and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.    When he is sentenced on March 14, he faces a maximum of 25 years to life.   On January 14, 2006, Allen was observed by the victim’s mother, in her home sodomizing the nine-year-old victim.  The mother threw Allen out of the house and contacted police.  Allen had threatened to hurt the girl if she told anyone about the incident.  Allen was arrested two days later.  He was convicted after a week-long trial before Justice Danny Chun.  The case was prosecuted by Deputy Bureau Chiefs Jacqueline Kagan and Kelly Casey of the Crimes Against Children Bureau.  Ama Dwimoh is Chief of the Crimes Against Children Bureau.  Contact:   Sandy Silverstein                (718) 250-2300 back to top

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KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES INDICTMENT IN 2002 HOMICIDE  DETECTIVE INVESTIGATORS ARRESTED FINAL DEFENDANT TODAY               Brooklyn, February 22, 2007 – Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today announced the indictment of four men and one woman charged in a 2002 murder, in which the defendants shot and killed the mother of a man who had beaten one of them in a fight.  Detective Investigators from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office today arrested the final defendant, Wayne “Gadget” Davidson, 39, who orchestrated the attack. The defendants are charged with Murder in the Second Degree and face 25 years to life in prison, if convicted.  “This is another example of the outstanding and tireless work that our D.I.s do every day,” said District Attorney Hynes.  Davidson and five friends went to the victim’s home at 2839 W. 33rd Street in Coney Island at around 9:40 p.m. June 20, 2002. When the victim, Audrey Townsend, 46, came to the door, the defendants opened fire. Townsend was struck once in the back. Her 27-year-old son, the intended target of the attack, was shot in the leg and survived.  After an exhaustive, four-and-a-half-year investigation, including an investigative grand jury which heard evidence for six months, the defendants were indicted, and a team of D.I.s arrested Davidson today at the Manhattan bank where he worked as a messenger.  The Brooklyn South Homicide Squad of the NYPD assisted in the investigation.  Detective Investigators Frank Dillon and Donald Lasala worked on the case. back to top

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