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07
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES INDICTMENT OF TOKEN
BOOTH ATTEMPTED ARSONIST
DEFENDANT DEMANDED MONEY
FROM CLERK AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO LIGHT HIM ON FIRE
Brooklyn, February 2, 2009
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the indictment of Erick Clements, 24, for the
attempted assault of a subway token clerk by trying to light
him and his booth on fire during an attempted robbery. He
was indicted on charges of Attempted Assault in the First
Degree, Attempted Assault in the Second Degree, Attempted
Arson in the Second Degree and Attempted Robbery in the
First Degree.
The indictment alleges that on November 4, 2007, Clements
approached the token booth at the Liberty Avenue train
station, wearing a ghoul mask and a baseball cap. He
sprayed gasoline through the slot in the window which got on
the token clerk. Clements then demanded money as he pulled
out a lighter and attempted to ignite the lighter. The
clerk yelled for assistance through the public address
system. Clements ran off, dropping his baseball cap in the
process. When police arrived, they recovered the cap from
the ground next to the token booth. The cap was sent to the
lab for DNA analysis. There was DNA recovered from the cap
which matched the defendant’s DNA. Clements was arrested on
January 26, 2009.
The case will be prosecuted under District Attorney Hynes’
Assault on Transit Workers program which is aimed at
protecting MTA bus drivers, train conductors and station
agents by employing prosecutors who specialize in such
cases.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a
defendant’s guilt.
The case is being prosecuted by John Marrone, Deputy Counsel
in the Investigations Bureau. John O’Mara is Deputy
District Attorney Supervisor of the Assault on Transit
Workers Unit.
Contact: Sandy Silverstein
718-250-2300
06
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES SEIZURE OF WAREHOUSE
USED TO STORE COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS FROM CHINA
MORE THAN 2,000 ILLEGALLY
REALISTIC TOY GUNS CONFISCATED
OPERATION ILLICIT GOODS
Brooklyn, January 29, 2009
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes announced
the seizure of a warehouse, at 537 Johnson Avenue, and the
arrest of two people, Fu Xian Bao and Xiao Ping Luo, on
charges they sold and stored illegal black- and grey-market
goods at the building, including a cache of dangerously
realistic, toy handguns.
“The sale
of counterfeit and grey-market goods poses serious health
and safety risks to people who buy them innocently, and the
same channels bootleg shampoo is smuggled through can be
used to smuggle drugs, guns, or even bombs,” said District
Attorney Hynes. “My office will prosecute these defendants
to the fullest extent of the law, and we will continue to
root out this illegal activity wherever it occurs in
Brooklyn.”
In July
2008, investigators with the Kings County District
Attorney’s Office learned that the warehouse, run under the
name Ya Mei Trading, was handling large amounts of illegal
merchandise. Working in an undercover capacity, KCDA
Detective Investigators made several purchases from the
warehouse, between October 2008 and January 2009. Items
purchased included counterfeit New York Yankee caps,
counterfeit Disney children’s products, counterfeit
Spiderman products, and counterfeit Chanel hair products.
They also purchased numerous “grey-market” items – that is,
products certified for sale in other countries, but not
manufactured to American safety and consumer protection
standards. Among those were Dove soap, Bic razors and Halls
cough drops, and household extension cords that posed a fire
hazard.
Between
July 14, and September 15, 2008, US Customs and Border
Protection, acting on information provided by the Brooklyn
District Attorney’s Office, seized three containers of
grey-market and counterfeit goods, which had been shipped
from China, for delivery to Ya Mei Trading.
Ya Mei
Trading lists its corporate offices at a residential
location, 2145 74th Street, Bensonhurst. The Chief Executive
Officer of Ya Mei Trading is listed as Fu Xian Bao, 48. The
home on 74th Street is owned by Xiao Ping Luo, 41. Both Bao
and Luo are signatories on corporate accounts for Ya Mei
Trading, and both were observed by Detective Investigators
on numerous occasions conducting business at the warehouse
on Johnson Avenue.
The three seizures last summer had a retail value of
approximately $1.4 million, and financial records show Ya
Mei Trading making bank deposits exceeding $100,000 per
month, as well as wire transfers to and from China.
A search
warrant was executed on the warehouse Monday, and Detective
Investigators recovered numerous black- and grey-market
goods, including more than 2,000 toy guns equipped with fake
laser sights. Such toy guns are illegal in New York, because
of the dangers created if they are mistaken for the real
thing.
Also
recovered were counterfeit products with labels including
Disney, Marvel Comics, Nickelodeon and Major League
Baseball. Grey-market items included Dove soap, Head &
Shoulders shampoo, Olay and Gillette products and Halls
cough drops.
Search
warrants executed at Bao and Luo’s Bensonhurst home revealed
numerous counterfeit tags and labels, including those
purporting to represent Prada, Chanel, and Mark Jacobs.
These tags are often applied to counterfeit merchandise.
After the
warehouse was cleared of all the counterfeit and grey-market
goods, the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor Police
Chief John Hennelly took possession of the items.
Bao and Luo
have been charged with Trademark Counterfeiting in the First
Degree, a Class-C Felony carrying a maximum penalty of up to
15 years in prison, Trademark Counterfeiting in the Second
Degree, Three Counts of Trademark Counterfeiting in the
Third Degree, and Sale or Possession of Toy or Imitation
Firearms, a Class-A Misdemeanor.
They were
arraigned Wednesday, in Brooklyn Criminal Court. Bail was
set at $5,000.
The case
was investigated by Detective Investigators Radmila Aliyev,
Greg DeBoer, Anabell Talavera and Philip Betso. George Terra
is Assistant Chief Investigator. Joseph Ponzi is Chief
Investigator.
Assistant
District Attorney John Steffy, of the Money Laundering and
Revenue Crimes Bureau worked on the asset forfeiture aspects
of the case. Joseph McCarthy is Chief of the Money
Laundering and Revenue Crimes Bureau.
Senior
Investigative Attorney Karen Turner is prosecuting the case.
Michael Vecchione is Chief of the Rackets Division.
Contact: Jonah Bruno
718-250-2300
05
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES
MURDER AND ROBBERY CONVICTIONS
Brooklyn,
January 26, 2009 –
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the conviction of Christopher Gray and Roberto
Rodriguez, both 23, on charges of Murder in the Second
Degree, Robbery in the First Degree and Criminal Possession
of a Weapon in the Second Degree.
When they are sentenced February 9, they face a maximum of
50 years to life in prison.
On December 2, 2006, Rodriguez was walking out of an
elevator, on the 12th floor of 130 Moore St.,
when he bumped into Dennis Mack, on his way to the elevator
with a friend, Randon Raines. The defendant exchanged words
with Mack, 26, and Raines, 24. The two took the next
elevator down to the lobby, and when they arrived,
Rodriguez, Gray and a friend were waiting for
them.
Security cameras in the lobby captured images of Mack and
Raines being forced to empty their pockets, while being
beaten by the two defendants. Mack ran for the door, and
when he did, Rodriguez and Gray followed, firing handguns. A
rookie police officer outside the building witnessed them
shoot Mack five times in the back, and pursued them on foot.
He was able to arrest Rodriguez. Gray was caught by another
officer, who responded to a radio call related to the
shooting.
Homicide Bureau Senior Trial Attorney Thomas Ridges
prosecuted the case. Kenneth Taub is Chief of the Homicide
Bureau.
Contact: Jonah Bruno
718-250-2300
04
DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES
J. HYNES PAYS TRIBUTE TO
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, SALUTES BARACK OBAMA
Brooklyn, January 20, 2009 –
While Kings County District Attorney Charles
J. Hynes noted that the election of Barrack Obama to be the
44th president of the United States was not, in itself, the
fulfillment of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's dream, he
said it is a great step in that direction. The District
Attorney made the statement at a tribute to the slain civil
rights leader, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Monday.
DA Hynes said he was optimistic
that the Obama administration would understand the
importance of drug treatment in effective law enforcement
and crime prevention. Based on conversations he had had with
Obama administration officials, District Attorney Hynes said
he believed the new president would support the types of
programs pioneered in Brooklyn, since he took office.
“They understood that our policy at the office of
the District Attorney’s office over the past 19 years in
Brooklyn, fighting for and demanding more treatment beds and
fewer prison cells, enhances public safety,” said DA Hynes.
DA Hynes said Obama’s criminal justice team seemed to agree
with him that it’s unacceptable that six of 10 of the
formerly incarcerated return to prison within three years
contributing to the obscenity and that one-quarter of all
African-American young men are in prison, on parole or on
probation.
He said he hopes President Obama will support re-entry
programs like ComAlert, in Brooklyn.
“Working for the past eight years with the formerly
incarcerated, has resulted in only two of those 10
reoffending in the same three years,” said DA Hynes.
DA Hynes said the Obama criminal justice team also
understood very well the positive effects on public safety
produced by these programs and that his hopes and dreams are
fortified by the belief that the new president will
encourage the nation a national redesign of the criminal
justice system, combining appropriate punishment with
prevention
programs.
Contact:
J. Zamgba Browne
(718) 250-3850
03
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES FIRST-DEGREE RAPE
CONVICTION
Brooklyn,
January 16, 2009 –
Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the conviction of Scott Young, 46, of Rape in the
First Degree, for raping his ex-girlfriend’s mother, in
January 2005.
When Young is sentenced on February 17, he faces up to 25
years in prison.
The defendant had lived with his girlfriend – the victim’s
daughter – in the victim’s home, but they broke up the day
before the rape. When the defendant went to the house to
retrieve his belongings, January 10, 2005, the victim let
him in, and he attacked her.
After the rape, Young let the victim leave the house to go
to work, as a home health aide. She immediately told her
client’s daughter, a police officer.
Young was arrested March 18, 2005.
He has another open indictment, in which he is charged with
raping a coworker, at a job placement center, who let him
store some belongings at her home. His next court date in
that case is January 22, when attorneys will set a trial
date.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a
defendant’s guilt.
02
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES SENTENCING OF TWO
DEFENDANTS FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A CIVILIAN AND TWO POLICE
OFFICERS
Brooklyn, January 8, 2009
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes today
announced the sentencing of Mark Bedford, 28, and
Christopher Simpkins, 31, for their roles in a
police-involved shooting.
Simpkins was sentenced to 20
years to life in prison before Justice James Sullivan. He
was convicted on December 2, 2008, of Two Counts of
Attempted Murder in the First Degree, and one count each of
Attempted Murder in the Second Degree and Criminal
Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.
Bedford received 10 years in
prison for Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Criminal
Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Assault in the
Third Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
On August 11, 2007, Bedford punched and shoved his wife, in
the presence of their 5-year-old daughter, in front of their
Vermont Street home in East New York. Bedford then left and
returned a short time later, to retrieve a gun from the
apartment, and left again. His wife’s friend, Mark Johnson,
who is also the boyfriend of her sister, arrived at the home
a short while later.
Bedford then returned again,
with Simpkins and another individual. Bedford got into an
argument with Johnson and directed Simpkins to shoot him.
Simpkins fired, grazing Johnson’s torso. Police then arrived
at the scene and ordered Simpkins to drop his weapon.
Simpkins refused, instead pointing the gun at the officers,
who shot him six times in the legs.
The case was prosecuted by Lewis Lieberman, Deputy Bureau
Chief in the Investigations Bureau.
Contact: Jonah Bruno
718-250-2300
01
KINGS COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY CHARLES J. HYNES ANNOUNCES
66-YEAR SENTENCE IN RAPE
OF TWO 12-YEAR-OLDS
DEFENDANT RAPED
GIRLFRIEND’S YOUNGER SISTER AND SEXUALLY ABUSED GIRLFRIEND’S
STEPDAUGHTER
Brooklyn,
January 7, 2009
– Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes
announced the sentencing of Bill Williams, 28, to 66 years
to life in prison for the rape of a 12-year-old victim and
sexual abuse of another 12-year-old victim. He was
convicted on December 14, 2008 on charges of Rape in the
First Degree, Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree, and
Course of Sexual Misconduct in the Second Degree. He was
sentenced today before Justice John Ingram.
On several occasions, from April 2007 to May 2007, Williams
sexually abuse and raped his girlfriend’s 12-year-old sister
in his girlfriend’s Gates Avenue home.
The other 12-year-old victim was Williams’ girlfriend’s
stepdaughter who Williams sexually abused on several
occasions between May 2006 and May 2007, at the same Gates
Avenue home.
The two victims had confided in each other regarding these
incidents. An assistant school principal found one of the
victims crying in school which led to school officials and
investigators uncovering the incidents involving both
victims.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney
Christopher Laline of the Sex Crimes Bureau and Elizabeth
Doerfler, Counsel in the Sex Crimes Bureau. Rhonnie Jaus is
Chief of the Sex Crimes Bureau.
Contact: Sandy Silverstein
718-250-2300
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