About Edwin Pineda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 16, 2026

Brooklyn Man Arrested for Pandemic-Related Loan Fraud

Defendant Allegedly Stole Approximately $386,000 in COVID Relief Funds,
Allegedly Spent Money for Personal Use, Including Significant Sums at Casinos

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, today announced that a Brooklyn man has been arraigned on a criminal complaint for allegedly stealing approximately $386,187 in COVID-19 relief funds.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant allegedly defrauded a critical pandemic relief program and used the funds to cover his gambling expenses at casinos. Stealing public funds intended to help small businesses recover is a serious allegation and we intend to hold him accountable for his actions.”

NYS Inspector General Lang said, “Exploitation of relief programs strains critical resources and undermines public trust at a time when New Yorkers need both the most. As alleged, the defendant stole funds meant to help small businesses recover from the pandemic for personal gain. Thank you to District Attorney Gonzalez and his office for their collaboration. Together, our agencies will continue working to root out fraud and protect the resources New Yorkers depend on.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Jermaine Hydol, 43, of Fort Greene. He is charged in a felony complaint with three counts of second-degree grand larceny and one count of first-degree scheme to defraud. The defendant was arraigned today before Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Janice Robinson. He was released without bail and ordered to return to court on June 29, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, the defendant allegedly obtained pandemic relief funds on behalf of three businesses on seven separate occasions between April 1, 2020 and March 30, 2022, through the following state and federal programs: the Empire State Development (ESD), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), for a total theft of $386,187.

These defrauded programs were created to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and required recipients to use the funds for legitimate business expenses. Instead, the defendant allegedly diverted the money for personal use, including significant gambling at casinos such as Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort in Connecticut and Resorts World Casino in Queens.

The case was investigated by The New York State Inspector General’s Office, including Investigative Counsel Ray Gdula, Senior Investigator Ilene Gates, and Senior Investigative Auditor Angelus Okeke, under the supervision of Downstate Chief of Investigations Ben Defibaugh, Downstate Chief of Audit Alla Korsunskiy, and New York City Deputy Inspector General Ken Michaels

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Pamela Lowe, of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Jordan Krasner, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Adam Libove, Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Laura Neubauer, Chief of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Bureau, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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A criminal complaint is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 16, 2026

Brooklyn District Attorney Moves to Vacate Conviction and Free Man Serving Time for Robbery
After Two Others Were Identified and Confessed

Became Suspect After Using Money Order Stolen from Elderly Victim;
Consistently Claimed and Testified That He Wasn’t Involved in Robbery

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 Kenneth Windley, who served 19 years in prison after being sentenced to 20 years to life. He was convicted as one of two men who robbed an elderly man of money orders after he used one of the money orders to buy a stove and was identified by the victim. Windley contended all along that he met two men he knew from the neighborhood who sold him the money order to make that purchase and that was his entire involvement. He later tracked down the two alleged suspects, who were imprisoned for committing a pattern of similar robberies, and they attested he wasn’t involved. The CRU confirmed their identities and found their account plausible. The complete CRU report is available here.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “After a complicated and thorough reinvestigation, our CRU was able to confirm evidence that was developed after trial, which showed that Mr. Windley’s repeated claims that he did not commit this robbery were supported by the facts. It has taken many years, but today we are able to validate his account, release him from prison and exonerate his name. We have the most active conviction integrity unit in the country, and we intend to continue leading the way by overturning any miscarriage of justice we discover in Brooklyn.”

Windley will be brought from prison and appear in court today at 2:15 p.m. before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew D’Emic at 320 Jay Street, 15th Floor.

The District Attorney said that on the morning of April 1, 2005, 70-year-old Gerald Ross returned to his Crown Heights home after going to the bank and post office. Two men followed him into his building where they robbed him in the elevator of cash and two money orders (for $542.77 and $9.48) that were blank and unsigned. Shortly thereafter, Windley used the larger money order to buy a stove at Big Daddy appliance store in Brownsville. He provided his driver’s license, and had the stove delivered to his Queens address. The store manager testified that the defendant was with two men. The victim identified him as one of the robbers.

Over a month after the incident, the victim was informed that one check was cashed in an electronics store. (The money orders were virtually untraceable, but Ross used the same post office to get them every month and the teller, who knew him, agreed to search for the tracking numbers.)

Windley testified before trial and at his trial. He recounted that on the day of the robbery he left his girlfriend’s apartment and went to buy his mother a stove. At a parking lot, he met two men he’s seen in the neighborhood who told him they would cover the tax for the $379 stove if he would give them his cash and use their money order instead, which he did.

A jury convicted Windley of second-degree robbery in March 2007. Because of his prior felony convictions, he was adjudicated as a persistent felony offender, increasing the mandatory time of incarceration. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. He subsequently filed various appeals that were all denied.

The CRU was asked by Windley’s lawyer to investigate his claim of innocence. Specifically, that the two men who sold him the money order were the two individuals his client had tracked down and that they were the ones who robbed the victim. He provided statements by both men attesting to these facts.

The CRU interviewed nearly everyone involved in the case, including the two suspects. It discovered that both had extensive criminal histories, were convicted of committing seven robberies together from April 4, 2005 (three days after Ross’s robbery) through February 1, 2026, and sentenced to prison for those and other crimes. The robbery pattern took place in the same neighborhood, using the same modus operandi of following elderly men from banks to their homes, then robbing them. Both men confirmed Windley’s version of events in interviews. Their accounts were corroborated through recorded prison phone calls and in emails that the CRU reviewed.

If the jury had known about the other, similar robbery pattern for which two other men were charged, there is a reasonable probability the jury would have credited Windley’s explanation and rejected the one-witness identification case before it.

The District Attorney accordingly recommends that his conviction be vacated, and, because the victim has died and the case can’t be retried, that the indictment be dismissed.

To date, the work of the Conviction Review Unit has resulted in 42 convictions being vacated since 2014. Currently, CRU has approximately 40 open investigations.

This case was investigated by Julio Cuevas, Special Counsel to CRU, with assistance from Lori Glachman, Editor in Chief of CRU.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Cypress Hills Driver Sentenced to Three to Six Years in Prison
For Hit-and-Run That Killed Cyclist

Defendant Was Speeding through Intersection and Left Without Stopping

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to three to six years in prison for speeding through an intersection, ultimately striking a cyclist and then fleeing the scene. The cyclist, Jose Ramos, 56, was killed in the crash.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant showed a callous disregard for public safety by choosing to speed and run a red light, taking the life of a cyclist. Today’s sentence holds him accountable for his reckless actions and reflects our commitment to keeping Brooklyn’s streets safe for all.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Julio Sandoval, 34, of Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dena Douglas to an indeterminate term of three to six years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree manslaughter on February 10, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on October 15, 2021, at approximately 10:10 p.m., the defendant was driving at a speed of about 47 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone on Atlantic Avenue in Cypress Hills. The defendant then ran a red light at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Essex Street and struck the victim, who was riding a bicycle in a marked cross walk with his wife. The defendant left the scene without stopping or reporting the incident.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, bystanders called 911 and police responded to the scene. The victim was transported to Interfaith Medical Center, where the victim was pronounced dead due to blunt force trauma of the head, neck, and torso.

The defendant was arrested on January 9, 2023, following an investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jennifer DaRin, of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Karla Watson, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, February 13, 2026

East New York Man Sentenced to up to Nine Years in Prison
For Fatal Downtown Brooklyn Crash

Allegedly Drove up to 62 MPH, Ran Three Red Lights Before Crashing
Into Vehicle, Killing Woman and Injuring Three Passengers

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an East New York man has been sentenced to up to nine years in prison for causing a fatal crash in Downtown Brooklyn after driving over 60 miles per hour, running three red lights and slamming into another vehicle, killing a 21-year-old woman and injuring three others.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant made a series of reckless and deliberate decisions that had deadly consequences. By driving at high speeds and running red lights, he turned a Brooklyn intersection into a death trap. A young mother lost her life, shattering her family, and today’s sentence reflects the gravity of the harm he caused. My office will continue to hold accountable anyone who recklessly commits vehicular violence on our streets.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Kashawn Croswell, 28, of East New York, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully to an indeterminate term of three to nine years in prison. He was convicted on January 22, 2026, of second-degree manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault, reckless driving, excessive speed and disobeying traffic control signal indications following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on August 18, 2023, at approximately 3:21 a.m., the defendant was driving southbound on Court Street at a speed of 60 miles per hour with his 24-year-old girlfriend in the passenger seat. Video surveillance showed the defendant running three consecutive steady red lights — at Schermerhorn Street, State Street and Atlantic Avenue.

After running the third light at Court Street and Atlantic Avenue at a speed of 62 miles per hour, the defendant T-boned a westbound vehicle that had the right of way, striking the front passenger side with tremendous force. The front-seat passenger in the struck vehicle, 21-year-old Shanti Joyner, suffered multiple blunt impact injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Joyner’s 32-year-old sister, who was driving the struck vehicle, suffered an ankle fracture and a 29-year-old rear passenger suffered a wrist fracture.

Following the crash, the defendant exited his vehicle and removed his girlfriend from the passenger side of the car, which eventually caught fire. He then attempted to flee the scene, dragging his girlfriend for a block and a half asking multiple cars if they were Uber drivers. He then asked a resident to allow the defendant to enter their home but was denied entry. Bystanders called 911, and police later located the defendant outside the building. His girlfriend, who suffered a spinal fracture in the crash, was then transported to an area hospital.

The District Attorney thanked Intelligence Analyst, Zoë Feygin of the KCDA Digital Evidence Lab under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jingu Chong, Chief of the Digital Evidence Lab, for assistance in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Han Zhang and Assistant District Attorney Adriana Morquecho, of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Nocella, Street Safety Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Kin Ng, Blue Zone Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Brooklyn Daycare Teacher Arraigned on Indictment
Charging Him with Sexually Abusing Young Girls

Was Employed at a Bushwick Childcare Center;
Alleged Abuse Took Place at Center and Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man who worked as a teacher at a Bushwick childcare center has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with repeatedly sexually abusing four young girls when they were between the ages of five and nine years old.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The conduct alleged in this case shocks the conscious. Innocent children were entrusted to a teacher’s care to safely learn and grow, but instead this defendant allegedly shuttered that trust in the worst way. We can never tolerate the disturbing exploitation and abuse of children alleged in this case and will continue to aggressively prosecute this and any other case in which someone abuses their position of authority to harm a child.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Devonte Brown, 30, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo on an indictment in which he is charged with second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child, seven counts of first-degree sexual abuse, seven counts of second-degree sexual abuse, seven counts of forcible touching and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He was ordered held on $150,000 cash bail, $300,000 insurance bond or $500,000 partially secured bond, and to return to court on March 27, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between April 1, 2024 and August 22, 2025, on multiple occasions, the defendant allegedly subjected four young girls — whose ages at the time were 5, 5, 6 and 9 — to sexual abuse while they were students at the Bushwick childcare center and under his supervision. It is alleged that the criminal conduct included touching intimate body parts with both hands over and under the victims’ clothing while inside the childcare center. On one occasion in July 2025, the defendant allegedly sexually abused one of the children while at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, the defendant is alleged to have intimidated at least one of the children into silence by threatening her that their favorite teacher would be fired if they told an adult. In August and September 2025, the children disclosed the abuse to their parents, who contacted law enforcement.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Roxana Moussavian of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Bureau Chief.

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An indictment is merely an accusation and not proof of a defendant’s guilt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Bushwick Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking Teenage Girls

Recruited Two 15-year-olds and a 17-year-old to Engage in Sexual Conduct for Money;
Arrested Following Undercover Sting

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bushwick man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to sex trafficking of a child for recruiting multiple victims, including three teenage girls, ages 15 to 17, to engage in sexual conduct for money.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The exploitation of our most vulnerable populations for profit is among the most disturbing crimes we prosecute, and the harm inflicted on survivors of trafficking and sexual violence is profound and lasting. My office is committed to protecting survivors and will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who exploits others for money and remove them from our streets.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Terrence Rogers, a.k.a., Aura, 35, of Bushwick, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today to eight years in prison and five years of post-release supervision by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. He pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a child on December 3, 2025. The defendant must register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between March 9, 2024, and April 12, 2024, Rogers recruited a 15-year-old girl to engage in sexual conduct for money on multiple occasions from his apartment at Halsey Street in Bushwick. The victim was introduced to the defendant by a classmate, also 15, who was engaging in sexual conduct for money for the defendant at the time. Rogers posted the 15-year-old’s photo on a website advertising sexual services. He also gave her a cellphone and instructed her on how to communicate with customers and how much to charge them.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, Rogers sexually assaulted the 15-year-old victim on April 12, 2024. More than a month later, the defendant messaged her on Snapchat and threatened to a post a nude photo of her online unless she continued to engage in sexual conduct for money. After the victim returned to the defendant’s apartment, he posted the nude photo on a website advertising sexual services before forcibly touching her.

On June 13, 2024, the victim reported the assault to a school social worker who contacted police. The District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit and the New York City Police Department then launched an undercover investigation.

On July 3, 2024, an undercover officer responded to a live online advertisement posting for prostitution in Brooklyn with images of the underage victims. The undercover officer called the phone number provided in the advertisement and was directed to the Halsey Street location. Inside the defendant’s apartment, the undercover officer made an agreement to have sex with a 22-year-old woman for $100. A field team then raided the apartment. As police were entering, Rogers was caught leaving the bathroom with a 17-year-old victim who was partially undressed. He was arrested at the location.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Detective Kevin Deleon and Detective Latasha Carter from the NYPD’s Human Trafficking Squad, under the supervision of Sergeant Kevin Kavanagh, Lieutenant Christopher Zizza, Lieutenant Amy Morin, and the overall supervision of Inspector Gary Marcus.

The District Attorney thanked Office Manager Aurora Martinez from the District Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Unit and Digital Forensic Analyst Richard Rojas from the District Attorney’s Digital Evidence Lab for his assistance in the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Mary E. Monahan, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney David Weiss, Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Police Officer Indicted for Assault, Menacing and Official Misconduct
Stemming from Two On-Duty Incidents Involving Civilians

 Allegedly Pepper Sprayed Individual in Sunset Park and Slapped Handcuffed Prisoner

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a New York City Police Officer has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with assault, menacing and official misconduct for two separate on-duty incidents.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Instead of using the de-escalation techniques NYPD officers are trained to employ, this defendant allegedly assaulted a person in custody and threatened a civilian who complained. Trust between law enforcement and the public is essential to sustaining the hard-won gains that have driven homicide and gun violence in Brooklyn to record lows, and we will not allow an officer’s alleged misconduct to put our progress at risk. No one is above the law, and we will seek to hold him accountable through this prosecution.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Quran McPhatter, 42, of the 72nd Precinct in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phyllis Chu on a 13-count indictment in which he is charged with two counts of third-degree assault, four counts of official misconduct, two counts of third-degree attempted assault, one count of third-degree attempted coercion, and four counts of third-degree menacing. He was released without bail and ordered to return to court on March 25, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on August 3, 2025, at approximately 6:45 p.m., in Sunset Park, located on 41st Street between Fifth and Seventh Avenues, a civilian saw an NYPD patrol car driving unsafely through a crowded area in the park. The patrol car was being driven by the defendant and the defendant’s partner was in the passenger seat. The civilian yelled at the defendant to slow down, and the defendant got out of the car and told the civilian to mind his own business.

Furthermore, according to the investigation, the civilian then demanded the defendant’s badge number and when he was near the car door the defendant allegedly opened the door, almost striking the civilian, then sprayed pepper spray on the ground and left. At approximately 7:34 p.m., the civilian went to the 72nd Precinct to report the defendant and identified him in the lobby in street clothes and again asked for his badge number. The defendant then allegedly responded by saying “I am not giving you anything,” and then pushed his chest up against the civilian’s chest. The two were separated by a sergeant and other officers. The defendant allegedly threatened to knock out the civilian and told him to wait outside for the defendant.

In a separate incident, on October 24, 2025, at approximately 12:34 p.m., in the vicinity of 140 58th Street, the defendant and his partner responded to a 60-year-old individual allegedly trespassing and told him to leave the area. A half-hour later they responded again, and the defendant arrested the individual, handcuffed him, allegedly berated him and threw him against the patrol car twice. The individual then was seated in the back seat and antagonizing the defendant, who was driving. During the car ride, the defendant allegedly reached into the backseat and grabbed the individual’s glasses off his face.

When they arrived at the 72nd Precinct, the defendant brought the individual in front of the desk sergeant and allegedly called the individual “a big dummy” and when the individual responded, the defendant allegedly slapped him in the face with an open hand. He was immediately taken off the case by the sergeant. The arrested individual was taken to Lutheran Hospital where he was treated and released.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Christopher Carter, of the District Attorney’s Law Enforcement Accountability Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Mark Pagliuco, Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Christopher Eribo, Bureau Chief.

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Fort Greene Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison for Fatal Shooting
Outside Baby Shower at Brooklyn Church

Accidental Bump Inside Church Annex Escalated into Fatal Dispute

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Fort Greene, Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Courtney Tingle outside a baby shower held at a Prospect Heights church.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Courtney Tingle was a young father whose life was taken outside a church celebration meant to welcome new life. His family has endured an immeasurable loss, and today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for that violence. While Brooklyn has seen significant reductions in gun violence since this tragic shooting, my office will continue to prosecute anyone who makes the irreparable decision to take a life.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Daquan Carter, 34, of Fort Greene, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Eugene Guarino to 25 years to life in prison. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on November 7, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on March 22, 2019, at approximately 10 p.m., the victim was attending a baby shower at a church annex in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn with his girlfriend. During the event, the victim accidentally bumped into a woman, which led to a verbal confrontation involving the defendant and his cousins. The defendant and three of his cousins then lured the victim outside the venue and onto the street.

Once outside, the victim was physically assaulted by two of Carter’s cousins while the defendant waited nearby. The defendant then produced an illegal, loaded firearm and shot the victim four times, striking him as he lay defenseless up against a parked car. The shooting occurred outside a party attended by hundreds of people, including children.

The victim was taken by EMS to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Carter fled the scene and, later, the state. When apprehended in November 2019, the defendant provided false statements to law enforcement that were contradicted by eyewitness testimony, surveillance video and other evidence presented at trial.

The District Attorney thanked Paralegal John Homnick, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Digital Forensic Analyst Richard Rojas, of the Digital Evidence Lab, for their assistance on this case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Christopher Mirabella and Assistant District Attorney Daphney Gachette, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, February 6, 2026

East New York Woman Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for
Stabbing Roommate and Pistol Whipping her Daughter

Defendant Also Fired Three Shots in Apartment and Stabbed Victim’s Dog

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn woman has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following her guilty plea to attempted murder and criminal use of a firearm for stabbing her roommate in the neck and pistol whipping the victim’s daughter across her forehead.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Brooklyn is safer with this defendant behind bars. Her brazen and unprovoked violence could have easily cost an innocent life, and today’s sentence ensures she can no longer endanger our community. I am grateful to our prosecutors and the NYPD for their outstanding work on this case.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Iescha Gowdy, 34, of East New York, Brooklyn. She was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Tomlinson to 15 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree attempted murder and one count of first-degree criminal use of a firearm on January 6, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on January 1, 2024, at approximately 6:40 a.m., at 1004 Hegeman Avenue, a 57-year-old woman and her 39-year-old daughter and a friend were in the living room of the 57-year-old’s apartment where she lived with her roommate of five months, the defendant. The defendant came out of her bedroom into the living room holding a gun and threatened to shoot everyone in the apartment. She then fired three shots, striking no one.

The 57-year-old’s daughter ran from the apartment down a stairwell towards the second-floor landing and was followed by the defendant, according to the evidence, who pistol-whipped her on the forehead. The two began fighting, and the 57-year-old came down the stairs and was able to get the gun out of the defendant’s hand. The defendant went back up to the apartment and the victims remained on the landing and were assisted by a neighbor.

Approximately 10 minutes later, according to the evidence, the defendant returned holding a knife in each hand, she then lunged at the 57-year-old and stabbed her once in the neck. The defendant continued down the stairs and the victim followed her and saw the defendant pick up the victim’s dog (who had gotten out through the open apartment door). The defendant stabbed the dog once in the abdomen and left the building. Both the 57-year-old and the dog underwent treatment for their stab wounds.

The defendant was arrested the next day following an investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Amelia Digirolamo, of the District Attorney’s Red Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Karla Watson, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, February 6, 2026

Man Sentenced to 15 Years to Life in Prison for Murder of
His Mother in Her Bay Ridge Apartment

Defendant Fatally Stabbed Victim 18 Times, Fled Scene Covered in Her Blood

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to repeatedly stabbing and murdering his mother inside her Bay Ridge apartment.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Inna Deshkovich lost her life at the hands of her own son, leaving her family and loved ones with an unimaginable loss. Domestic violence, including violence against parents and family members, is a profound public safety issue, and this sentence reflects the seriousness of that harm. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute anyone who commits acts of violence in our communities.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Vladislav Deshkovich, 32, of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dineen Riviezzo to the Court’s offer of 15 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder on January 9, 2026.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on December 1, 2023, at approximately 7:40 p.m., the defendant went to his mother’s apartment on 93rd Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. An argument ensued and was overheard by a neighbor, who knocked on the apartment door. The defendant answered the door and stated that everything was fine. Shortly after, the neighbor observed the defendant fleeing the apartment. When the neighbor returned, she found the victim, 54-year-old Inna Deshkovich, lying in a pool of blood, unresponsive and suffering from numerous stab wounds.

Medics pronounced the victim dead at the scene, and police apprehended the defendant later that night. The defendant was found with blood on his clothing, which was later confirmed through DNA analysis to belong to his mother. An autopsy revealed that the victim suffered 18 stab wounds, including at least three to her face.

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

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