About Edwin Pineda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Long Island Man Indicted for Defrauding State Grant Program

Defendant Allegedly Pocketed More Than $61,000 by Duping
Hardworking Brooklyn Residents in Pandemic Relief Fraud

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with the New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, announced today that a Long Island man has been arraigned on a 25-count indictment for allegedly stealing public funds from New York’s Empire State Development agency (ESD) by submitting falsified tax returns and other documents to obtain state grant funds.

An ESD grant is financial assistance offered through Empire State Development, New York’s statewide economic development agency. Created during the COVID-19 pandemic to mirror federal relief programs, these grants were intended to help small businesses cover expenses, weather the shutdown and keep workers employed. To qualify, businesses had to have revenues under $2.5 million, be in operation since at least March 2019 and show either regular expenses like payroll and utilities or proof of lost income using their 2019 and 2020 tax returns.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant allegedly exploited hardworking Brooklyn residents, including drivers and home health aides, by misusing their personal information to inflate applications for pandemic relief. By stealing funds meant to help people and small businesses recover, he betrayed the victims who trusted him and undermined a program designed to support our city and state in a time of crisis.”

Inspector General Lang said, “This scheme was a calculated abuse of a critical lifeline created to support New Yorkers during a time of crisis. By allegedly submitting false documents and misusing the personal information of others, the defendant took advantage of public trust and targeted vulnerable workers — including health aides and Uber and Lyft drivers who were essential to keeping our city running during the pandemic. My office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to safeguard public resources and ensure that those who seek to exploit emergency aid for personal gain are held fully accountable.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Lasha Bukia, 34, of Riverhead, New York. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a 25-count indictment in which he is charged with one count of second-degree larceny, 14 counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, nine counts of first-degree falsifying business records and one count of first-degree scheme to defraud. He was ordered released without bail and to return to court on December 3, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between November 2021 and October 2022, the defendant allegedly applied for and obtained ESD grants on behalf of nine individuals, including Lyft and Uber drivers and home health aides, who lived in Brooklyn.

Those individuals ultimately received $369,000 in ESD funds. In exchange for preparing and submitting the applications, Bukia allegedly received approximately $61,000 from the nine grant recipients.

To receive an ESD grant, Bukia allegedly directed the grant recipients to provide him with their driver’s licenses, 2019 and 2020 tax returns and a utility bill. He then altered the returns to inflate their income and make it appear the applicants were entitled to larger grants than for which they were qualified. Without the recipients’ knowledge or consent, these falsified documents were submitted to ESD and used to secure the relief funds.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Laura Neubauer, Bureau Chief, 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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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, September 18, 2025

Bedford-Stuyvesant Man Sentenced to 25 Years in
Prison for Ambush Stabbing Death in Tompkins Houses

Waited in Lobby Before Chasing and Fatally Stabbing 26-Year-Old Victim

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bedford-Stuyvesant man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for fatally stabbing a 26-year-old man during an attack at the Tompkins Houses in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where both the victim and defendant lived.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a deliberate and cold-blooded killing that left a man dead. With today’s sentence, we are delivering justice for the victim and protecting our community by making clear that those who bring this kind of irreversible harm will be removed from our streets. We will continue this approach as we keep driving Brooklyn’s crime numbers down.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Marquis Shiloh, 35, of Bedford-Stuyvesant. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo to 25 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant was convicted of first-degree manslaughter on July 31, 2025, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on July 12, 2023, at approximately 8:40 p.m., the defendant waited in the lobby of 760 Park Avenue, part of the Tompkins Houses in Bedford-Stuyvesant, as Stephon Sinclair, 26, rode the elevator down. When the doors opened and Sinclair stepped out, the defendant punched him. A physical altercation ensued but, as the victim tried to retreat from the building, the defendant, assisted by a co-defendant, pursued him outside, took out a knife and stabbed him once in the left leg and once in the lower right leg, severing an artery and vein. The victim collapsed nearby and was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The defendant fled the scene with the help of a co-defendant and was arrested on August 2, 2023, following an investigation by the NYPD’s 79th Precinct and the Brooklyn North Homicide Squad.

The co-defendant pleaded guilty in July 2025 to third-degree assault for assisting the defendant during the attack, including striking the victim as he lay on the ground. In August, Justice Leo sentenced her to a conditional discharge.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Aleena Peerzada and Assistant District Attorney Kaitlin Kinsella, of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kin Ng, Chief of the Blue Zone.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

New York City Employee Sentenced to Prison for Stealing $624,000

Defendant Worked as Associate Retirement Benefits Examiner at NYCERS,
Stole Pension Checks from Two Retired Individuals

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber, today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to up to three years in prison for using his role as a NYCERS employee to steal approximately $624,000 in pension benefits.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant shamelessly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for hardworking New Yorkers who earned their pensions through years of dedicated service. By abusing his role at NYCERS, he betrayed the trust placed in him as a public employee, funding a luxury lifestyle with money that should have supported retirees. Today’s prison sentence sends a strong message that public corruption will be met with serious consequences. I thank Commissioner Strauber and the Department of Investigation for their partnership and commitment to protecting the integrity of the City’s pension system.”

Commissioner Strauber said, “As an employee of NYCERS, this defendant’s duty was to safeguard the City’s pension system. Instead, he used his access to City workers’ information and his knowledge of the system’s vulnerabilities to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars. Today, he faces up to three years in prison as a result of his crimes, and we announce a series of recommendations to address the vulnerabilities that he exploited, in a report issued today. I thank the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office for its commitment to helping DOI protect pension funds of the largest municipal public employee retirement system in the United States.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Gregory Mathieu, 41, of Canarsie, Brooklyn. He was sentenced to one to three years in prison today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree corrupting the government on April 30, 2025. A judgment order of restitution for $511,115.61 against the defendant was signed at the time of the plea. NYCERS was previously able to get back approximately $113,000 from the defendant.

The District Attorney said that between February 8, 2021 and January 2, 2024, the defendant stole approximately $624,000 from the New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS), where he worked as an Associate Retirement Benefits Examiner.

The defendant reactivated suspended pension payments of a deceased Department of Sanitation supervisor, stealing retroactive payments of approximately $242,000 and monthly payments between May 2021 and January 2024 of approximately $5,700.

In addition, the defendant stole approximately $199,000 from a 75-year-old retired Associated Railroad Signal Specialist employed by the MTA/NYC Transit Authority.
According to the investigation, the defendant spent the stolen funds on luxury items including $2,500 for a pair of sneakers and a shirt at a Louis Vuitton store, $1,500 for a pair of sneakers at a Chanel store, $19,000 for vacation, and $429,000 in cash withdrawals.

Mathieu was employed by NYCERS for approximately 15 years. He agreed to resign effective May 30, 2025.

The case was investigated by DOI Confidential Investigator Farhana Begum with DOI’s Office of the Inspector General for NYCERS and supervised by Assistant Inspector General Shakina Griffith, Assistant Inspector General Jeffrey Freeman, Deputy Inspector General Aleksandro Tilka, Inspector General Ann Petterson, Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Initiatives Christopher Ryan, and Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Dominick Zarrella.

Kings County Detective Investigators further assisted in the investigation.

The District Attorney thanked NYCERS’ Fraud Unit for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Theresa Robitaille, of the District Attorney’s Organized Crime and Racketeering Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Adam Libove, Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Laura Neubauer, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

East Flatbush Gang Member Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for
Fatal Brownsville Shooting, Other Gun Violence

Defendant Shot Four People Over the Course of Multiple Shootings,
Causing the Death of a 28-Year-Old Rival

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man, a member of a subset of the Bloods street gang, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to multiple acts of gun violence, including the fatal shooting of a 28-year-old man in Brownsville.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant terrorized communities with a spree of gang-related violence, taking a life and putting countless others at risk. Gun violence is at record lows in Brooklyn because the NYPD and my prosecutors relentlessly focus on the drivers of crime like this defendant who are responsible for much of the bloodshed. By holding him accountable, we are delivering justice for the victims and continuing the progress that is making our borough safer than ever.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Devante James, 29, of East Flatbush. He pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025 to first-degree manslaughter and second-degree attempted murder in connection. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Dineen Riviezzo to 25 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on August 18, 2019, at approximately 2:14 a.m., the defendant, a member of the Mac Balla 59 Brims/Bloods crept up to a group of people hanging out near Tapscott Street and Sutter Avenue in Brownsville, and fired into the crowd, hoping to strike a rival Crip gang member, but instead struck two innocent men. One man suffered an injury to his right ankle and the other victim suffered an injury to his right thigh.

Two days later, on August 20, 2019, at approximately 9:20 p.m., near Union Street and Sutter Avenue in Brownsville, the defendant chased 28-year-old Arsenio Gravesande and shot him in the hip. Gravesande was transported to Brookdale Hospital, where he went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead.

On September 11, 2019, during an unrelated police investigation near Church Avenue and E. 37th Street in East Flatbush, officers saw the defendant discard what they later learned was a loaded firearm. It was recovered and later matched to him through DNA testing.

In a separate incident, on March 28, 2020, outside a bodega at Franklin Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, the defendant argued with a patron, who hit him in the head with a bottle. James retaliated by shooting the man in the stomach. On April 3, 2020, the defendant displayed a handgun to an employee at a bodega near Bedford Avenue and Greene Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The employee flagged down police, who apprehended the defendant and recovered a loaded handgun from an open mailbox in a nearby building. Ballistic testing confirmed it was the same weapon used in the March 28 shooting.

The District Attorney thanked Senior Assistant District Attorney Michelle Munneke and Paralegal Heidi Spitzer of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau and Senior Assistant District Attorney Julian Joiris and Assistant District Attorney Sholom Twersky, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Appeals Bureau for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sapna Kishnani, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gillian DiPietro, VCE Deputy Bureau Chief, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Cilia, VCE First Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Alfred De Ingeniis, VCE Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Bronx Driver Sentenced to up to 12 Years in Prison for Fatal Red-Light Crash in Sunset Park

Defendant Ran Multiple Red Lights at High Speeds, Refused to Stop for Police,
Then Collided with Another Vehicle, Killing that Driver

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to four to 12 years in prison in connection with a fatal 2021 crash in Sunset Park. The defendant sped through a red light, struck another vehicle, and attempted to flee the scene.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “By refusing to stop for police and speeding through one red light after another, this defendant caused a devastating crash that stole the life of James Lopez, an innocent man simply driving lawfully through an intersection. Today’s sentence holds him accountable for that tragic loss, and my office remains committed to seeking justice for victims and their families.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Elvis Nolasco, 28, of the Bronx. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Kim Petersen to an indeterminate term of four to 12 years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon on July 31, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on October 17, 2021, at approximately 4:25 a.m., the defendant was driving a white Mercedes southbound on Third Avenue in Sunset Park at a high rate of speed. NYPD officers activated their lights and sirens and attempted to pull over the defendant, who refused to stop and accelerated. The pursing officers’ speedometer reached 80 miles per hour as the defendant ran through multiple red lights. At the intersection of 60th Street, the defendant sped through another red light and T-boned a Nissan Altima driven by James Lopez, 42, who was lawfully proceeding through the intersection. Mr. Lopez was taken to NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn, where he died.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, the defendant attempted to flee the scene on foot, but was apprehended nearby hiding under a parked car. A subsequent investigation revealed that the defendant was driving with a suspended license.

The defendant was arrested on April 18, 2023, following an investigation led by the NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Danyelle Shapiro and Assistant District Attorney Bianca Kushner, of the District Attorney’s Green Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Nocella, Chief of the Street Safety Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Frank DeGaetano, Chief of the Green Zone.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Brownsville Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Shooting
That Wounded Three-Year-Old Girl

Defendant Opened Fire on Perceived Gang Rival,
Struck Toddler Leaving Daycare with Father

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brownsville man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for a 2022 shooting in which a three-year-old was struck in the shoulder as she was leaving daycare with her father.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “When violent gang members treat our streets like shooting galleries, innocent families pay the price. This defendant nearly killed a precious three-year-old on her way home from day care, and he will now be held accountable with a lengthy prison sentence. With gun violence in Brooklyn at a record low, my office will continue to relentlessly dismantle gangs until every Brooklyn resident can walk home in safety.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Daleek Habersham, 26, of Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 15 years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder on June 11, 2025.

According to the evidence, the defendant was a member of the Brownsville-based CHOO gang and was charged as part of a 2022 takedown targeting CHOO and its rival crew, WOOO.
The crews were linked to dozens of shootings across Brooklyn between 2020 and 2022, including incidents that left two people dead and several innocent bystanders wounded.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on March 25, 2022, at approximately 6 p.m., the defendant exited a BMW on Riverdale Avenue near Amboy Street in Brownsville and opened fire in the direction of a man placing a child into a car, mistakenly believing him to be a member of rival WOOO gang. Instead, the defendant struck a three-year-old girl walking nearby with her father, hitting her in the shoulder. Responding officers rushed the toddler to Brookdale Hospital, where she survived after emergency medical treatment.

The next day, the defendant sent a screenshot of a news story about the shooting to a private Instagram group with the message “did bad.”

In total, 32 alleged gang members of the WOOO and CHOO gangs were indicted in 2022 on 106 counts, including 19 shootings that left 14 people injured and two dead. The takedown also resulted in the recovery of 27 firearms.

The District Attorney thanked Assistant District Attorney Kelly Maloney, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau, and Paralegals Tania Lopez and Dian Fields-Vernon, of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, for their assistance on the case.

This case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Winnie Choi, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Gillian DiPietro, VCE Deputy Chief, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Cilia, VCE First Deputy Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Alfred De Ingeniis, VCE Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter
In Fatal Bushwick Car Crash

Fled Police and Ran Red Light at 75 Mile Per Hour, Victim Was Ejected from Vehicle

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Cypress Hills man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and other charges in connection with a fatal collision that killed a 29-year-old woman in Bushwick. The defendant was speeding away from police when he ran a red light and struck a vehicle the victim was a passenger in. He pleaded guilty in exchange for a promised sentence of four to 12 years in prison.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant’s reckless and criminal actions cost an innocent woman her life, devastating her family and loved ones. By fleeing police at high speed through dense city streets, he showed a complete disregard for the safety of others. With his guilty plea, he has accepted responsibility for the irreversible harm he caused, and he will be held accountable.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Juan Lopez, 33, of Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. He pleaded guilty today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Edward King to second-degree manslaughter, first-degree unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting where serious physical injury or death results. The defendant was held without bail following his guilty plea and is expected to be sentenced to an indeterminate term of four to 12 years in prison on September 30, 2025.

 The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on May 26, 2024, at approximately 5:28 a.m., officers from the NYPD’s 83^rd Precinct activated lights and sirens and attempted to stop the defendant, who was driving a black 2018 Mercedes Benz at a high rate of speed on Gates Avenue in Bushwick. The defendant failed to pull over, accelerated through a steady red light at the intersection of Gates Avenue and Central Avenue, and collided with a 2005 Honda Pilot that was traveling through the intersection with a green light. A review of the vehicle’s black box determined the defendant was traveling at approximately 75 miles per hour five seconds before the crash.

The impact caused the victim, Micah Elizabeth Dukes, 29, who was a passenger in the Honda, to be ejected from the vehicle. She suffered severe head and facial injuries as well as a punctured lung and was transported to Elmhurst Hospital. She was transferred to NYU Langone Medical Center in Manhattan, where she died due to her injuries on June 8, 2024.

Following the crash, the defendant fled the scene on foot and was apprehended by responding officers. Officers observed signs of intoxication, and the defendant later admitted to consuming alcohol before getting behind the wheel.

Assistant District Attorney Christopher Velez, Deputy Chief the District Attorney’s Street Safety Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Nocella, Chief of the Street Safety Bureau, assisted in the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Christopher Brogna, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Robert Walsh, Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, August 15, 2025

Long Island Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Attempted Murder for Deliberately Hitting Woman with His Car, Attempting to Flip MTA Bus

Defendant Drove into Pedestrian, Then Bus in Broad Daylight Attack

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Long Island Man was sentenced to nine years in prison for attempting to murder a woman by intentionally crashing into her with his car and then ramming into an MTA bus in Downtown Brooklyn.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a chilling, premeditated attack on a woman simply walking down the street. The defendant used his car as a weapon and endangered dozens of other pedestrians on a busy street corner. Thanks to the quick actions of witnesses and court officers, he was stopped and is now being held accountable for this violent crime.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Jason Schaal, 43, of Riverhead, New York. He was sentenced today to nine years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully. The defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder on July 25, 2025.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on August 15, 2023, at approximately 3:18 p.m., the defendant was driving a 2012 Toyota Prius on Willoughby Street near Jay Street when he turned sharply onto the sidewalk, striking a 38-year-old woman standing on the corner.

The defendant continued driving erratically through Downtown Brooklyn, ultimately plowing into an MTA bus at the intersection of Boerum Place and Livingston Street.

The defendant exited the vehicle and attempted to flee but was apprehended by civilians and court officers located at Brooklyn Criminal Court. While in custody, the defendant admitted to officers that he intentionally struck the victim and tried to flip over the bus.

The victim suffered cuts to the head and was transported to Methodist Hospital for treatment. The driver of the MTA bus suffered neck and back pain and was treated at the same hospital. There were no other injuries.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ashley Infante, of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, with the assistance of Assistance District Attorney Madison Penn, also of the Blue Zone, and Assistant District Attorney Christopher Velez, Deputy Chief the District Attorney’s Street Safety Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kin Ng, Chief of the Blue Zone.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Former Chairman of Emergency Medicine at SUNY Downstate
Medical Center Sentenced to Up to Three Years in Prison

Defendant Admitted Stealing Nearly $1.5 Million, Used Business Credit Card for
Personal Travel and Purchases, College Tuition and Cash Advances

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, today announced that a now retired emergency medicine doctor has been sentenced to one to three years in prison. The defendant pleaded guilty in June to grand larceny for stealing approximately $1.44 million by using a business credit card for personal purchases and cash advances.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant was entrusted with a leadership role at a critical Brooklyn medical institution and violated that trust by stealing nearly $1.5 million. SUNY Downstate does vital, lifesaving work, and these stolen funds could have been used to support patient care and medical services. Instead, they were diverted for personal expenses over a period of years. With today’s sentence, the defendant is being held accountable for this serious breach of trust. We remain committed to protecting public institutions from fraud and abuse, and I commend our prosecutors, along with our partners in the Inspector General’s Office and the Department of Taxation and Finance, for their outstanding work on this case.”

Inspector General Lang said, “Our state funded hospitals rely on every dollar to provide care to their patients, and it shocks the conscience that a doctor entrusted with caring for our state’s most vulnerable communities would steal them to bankroll his luxury lifestyle. This case should serve as a stark warning to any public servant who would consider abusing their position of trust for personal gain. Thank you to my team and to District Attorney Gonzalez and his staff for their partnership in combatting public corruption.”

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “SUNY took immediate action and alerted authorities when these illegal activities were uncovered by SUNY’s auditors, and we greatly appreciate the partnership of the District Attorney and Inspector General, in particular, in bringing this matter to a close. With more stringent internal controls and comprehensive oversight systems in place, SUNY Downstate is now in a stronger position.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Dr. Michael Lucchesi, 67, of Staten Island. He was sentenced today to an indeterminate term of one to three years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Danny Chun. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree grand larceny on June 13, 2025. In addition, the defendant agreed to make restitution in the amount of $720,000, which included restitution of $63,926 to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance on the day of the guilty plea and restitution of $656,074 to Downstate Hospital’s clinical practice today.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between December 1, 2016 and January 31, 2023, the defendant, a medical doctor, who was the Chairman of Emergency Medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and at various points was the acting head of Downstate Hospital and the medical school, and was the Chief Medical Officer, made personal purchases using a credit card meant to be used for business purposes only by members of the clinical practice, University Physicians of Brooklyn, of SUNY Downstate.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant’s spending totaled approximately $1.44 million and included cash advances of approximately $115,000; pet care totaling $176,000 (including $120,000 paid to The Greenleaf Pet Resort & Hotel in New Jersey); $348,000 spent on personal travel; $109,000 in payments to the New York Sports Club for membership and personal training; $92,000 for premium seating for sporting events, concerts and Broadway shows; $52,000 in catering expenses; $46,000 in tuition payments for his children; and assorted payments for online shopping, flowers, liquor, electronics and other items.

The thefts were discovered by SUNY during an audit.

The District Attorney thanked Investigative Counsel Thomas Collery, Senior Investigative Auditor Angelus Okeke, Investigative Auditor Victoria Oliva, and Senior Investigator Jimmy Gibson, under the supervision of Chief of Investigations for the Downstate Regional Offices Ben Defibaugh, Deputy Inspector General for the New York City Regional Office Ken Michaels, and Chief Deputy Inspector General Michele Bayer of the Offices of the New York State Inspector General for their work on the case.

The District Attorney also thanked the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Criminal Investigations Division.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Chief Financial Investigator Ludwig Sanchez, Financial Investigator Jose Carlos Covas, Assistant District Attorney Dewey Golkin, Director of the Crimes Against Revenue Bureau, as well as KCDA Detective Investigators and Paralegal Jezebel Negrete-Ugaz, for their assistance on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Michael Choi and Assistant District Attorney Andrew Kohler, both Special Counsel to the District Attorney’s Investigations Division, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michel Spanakos, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, August 4, 2025

Crown Heights Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Breaking into
Ex-Girlfriend’s Apartment and Stabbing Romantic Rival

Defendant Convicted of Burglary and Assault at Trial

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced today that a Crown Heights man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home in the middle of the night and stabbing a romantic rival with a knife as he slept. The defendant was convicted at trial for the attack, which left the victim with life threatening injuries.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Today’s sentence holds the defendant responsible for a brutal and horrifying act of violence that nearly cost an innocent man his life. Keeping the people of Brooklyn safe is my highest priority, and violent offenders like this defendant will face serious consequences.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Clifton Turner, 39, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Eugene Guarino to 12 years in prison and. The defendant was convicted of two counts of first-degree burglary, one count of second-degree assault and one count of petit larceny on September 23, 2024, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on the night of November 4, 2020, the defendant showed up at his ex-girlfriend’s apartment building on Pulaski Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The defendant was pacing back and forth in the lobby when he encountered the 26-year-old victim arriving on a bike. At the time, the victim was dating the defendant’s ex-girlfriend, but did not know the other man. The defendant followed the victim into the elevator and up to the woman’s sixth-floor apartment. There, the defendant accosted the victim and threatened to kill him. The woman, 29, opened the door to her apartment and pulled the victim inside, leaving the bike in the hallway. The defendant took the bike and left.

Furthermore, according to the evidence, on November 5, 2020, at approximately 3:30 a.m., the defendant broke into the apartment and forced his way into the bedroom where the victim and ex-girlfriend were sleeping. The defendant proceeded to stab the victim twice in the left arm, severing a vein and brachial artery. The defendant then confiscated their cellphones. The woman was able to get the knife from the defendant and throw it out a window. She escaped the apartment and called 911 from a corner store.

The defendant ran out of the apartment in pursuit of his ex-girlfriend. Police arrived at the scene and arrested him as he was riding the victim’s bike and in possession of the two stolen cellphones.

The victim was rushed to Kings County Hospital where he became pulseless and apneic for approximately 10 minutes before being resuscitated. He remained hospitalized for four days.

The District Attorney thanked the following individuals for their assistance on this case: Assistant District Attorney Robert Kaftal, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Law Enforcement Assistance Unit; Intelligence Analyst Lakeisha Taylor, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau; Paralegal Jared Jokl and Paralegal Supervisor Jason Martinez, of the District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau.

The District Attorney thanked KCDA Detective Investigators who assisted on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Roman Galper, and Senior Assistant District Attorney Fabian Smallwood, formerly of District Attorney’s Grey Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Courtney Hogg, Deputy Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Robert Walsh, Bureau Chief.

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